The first thing I must say about this post is that if you are a person who only looks at the pictures on my travel reports, you might as well stop reading right now. Because this was not a trailer trip for taking lots of pretty pictures. Oh, don’t get me wrong, we saw lots of beautiful sights. And there are pictures. Some pretty darn exciting. But if it wasn’t raining, it was snowing, or blowing. Not the kind of weather conducive to taking lengthy walks, getting out of the truck to capture the moment, or spending an inordinate amount of time in the fresh air. Because on this trip the air was mostly filled with some kind of precipitation. More rain than snow, thank God, but leaking clouds none the less. And wind. Quite a few days with wind. Enough that twice the chokes, that restrict our trailer wheels from moving while we are parked and allowing our trailer to run off on its own, were displaced.

But, if you like pictures of a trailer surrounded by 3-4 inches of snow, a herd of deer surrounding said trailer, a barge going through the lock on the Little Goose Dam on the Snake River, pictures of the Palouse Falls, and augmented reality sculptures, then you will just have to put up with my verbose documentary to get to the pictures. (Life isn’t always fair. Get over it!)

Also please be informed that this is basically a trip diary for us to relive our adventures when we are in our dotage. Definitely not a travel log written by an expert who only sticks to the facts about the sights he or she has visited. So, don’t be surprised if I talk about what we ate. Or the friends we met along the way. Or personal favorites. Or the one RV resort I would highly dissuade anyone from visiting even if that person were an NRA executive. (And that is saying something!) This is simply a personal report on our spring trailer trip.

So, for those of you who enjoy reading a bit about another person’s perception of life on the road, continue reading. Or enjoy learning a few interesting facts about some of the sites and sights we saw on our travels, keep reading. But if you only want pictures and cannot begin to fathom the joy of living for a month in a trailer that has less walkable space than your half bath, click on the “get me out of here” button and be on your merry way. But regardless, as always, peace and love to all. (And like I said, there are pictures. Just not as many as usual.)

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 – Fort Casey State Park, site 34

Our campsite, a ferry about to dock, and a look from the campground over the water towards Pt. Townsend and the Olympic Mountains.

There is always something exciting about gathering our last-minute items (toiletries, pillows, and the like) to add to all the other paraphernalia and consumables we have already stuffed into the trailer in preparation for yet another adventure. We have been trailering now for over 30 years. (And yes, time does fly when you’re having fun!) But this morning, as I glanced out our east facing windows, I wondered, and not for the first time, why we ever left home?! Because the mountains were glorious in all their snow-capped splendor. Port Susan Bay was shimmering in the sunlight. And the clouds that had dared to show themselves on such a splendid day, were few and far between. In other words, it was a perfect day to realize for maybe the umpteenth time how very lucky we are to live in such an amazing part of our state. So, why in the world would we want to go wandering dragging a small trailer over hill and dale? Of course, the answer came to me just as it always does. To see more of this glorious part of our world before we get to the stage where the only wheels that go round and round are on our wheelchairs! So, with that thought in mind, it was off we went. And to our first destination – Fort Casey State Park.

Now, if you have never visited Whidbey Island then you have never taken the Port Townsend ferry. And if you have never taken the Port Townsend ferry, then you have never seen the RV park that is situated adjacent to the ferry dock. And if you have never stayed at the park, then you have missed out on a delightful camping experience. Because who isn’t in love with ferries? OK, maybe our dear friend Susie is no longer enamored with ferries, having been an employee of the ferry system for decades, her last assignment being captain. But for the rest of us, there is just something magical about watching ferries come and go, and better yet, riding one to a fun location.

Plus, for us, coming such a short distance from home for our first night out is a blessing. Because, for us, un-winterizing a trailer is always an exasperating experience. Will everything still work after the winter break between our fall trip and our spring trip? Will we remember (even with detailed instructions) how to fill the hot water heater with water before we turn it on go? For normal people, this is not a problem. But neither Andy nor I were blessed with exceptional mechanical skills. Oh, we were blessed in other areas. I can cook and Andy can play the piano. But how to change a lightbulb or which way is righty tightie, lefty loosie is still of reoccurring concern! But, with the kind of luck only granted to people missing natural mechanical tendencies, not only did everything work, but we also managed once again to achieve hot water. Life is good!

After that, read awhile, then cook dinner, read some more, and an early to bed. First day out – magnificent!

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 – Fort Casey State Park, site 34

Well, do you ever have a day where the only thing to report is sleeping, eating, a walk (for one of us), and dinner at a fine restaurant with friends? If not, you should really give it a try! Because that was our day today, and it was WONDERFUL. Absolutely wonderful!

The day started as it always does, with a hearty breakfast. Then Andy decided to take a walk and I decided to take my book and visit the great out-of-doors to watch the Kennewick come and go. (Kennewick being the ferry that makes the Coupeville-Port Townsend round trip 10 times a day.)

Well, sitting outside didn’t last long. Because despite the lovely sunshine, there was just enough of a breeze to dispel all the fine work of keeping me warm that the sun was trying desperately to provide. So, back inside the trailer I hastened. Of course, the protagonist in the story I was reading didn’t care where I sat. Because as much as I wanted to help him solve the mystery of who killed the Count’s son Robert, Commissario Guido Brunetti was literally on his own. BTW, if you are a mystery lover, may I take this opportunity to recommend Donna Leon’s series featuring Brunetti. Very fun light reading. And perfect for bringing along on a trip. And especially delightful if you have ever visited Venice. Because that’s the main location detailed beautifully in this enchanting series.  

Anyway, after a bit Andy returned from his romp, we had lunch, and spent the rest of the afternoon going back and forth between the trailer and the sunny outdoors. Always with books in hand and high expectations that this time we would be able to both sit outside and stay warm at the same time. Never happened. 

At about 6:00 we changed into clothes more appropriate for dining at Fraser’s Gourmet Hideaway in Oak Harbor where we were meeting friends for dinner. After a fabulous meal and scintillating conversation with Barry and Kate, we closed down the place and headed back to our trailer. Then read some more and decided an early lights out was warranted. After all, hadn’t we survived a really busy day? Well, actually it hadn’t been busy at all. But we went to bed anyway.

Once again, another fabulous day in paradise.

Thursday, March 30, 2023 – Fort Casey State Park, site 34

After a lazy start to the day, we decided a bit of provisioning was in order. And one of the things I felt was definitely required before we proceeded any further on our trip, was some really fine sharp white cheddar cheese. (Doesn’t everyone need a great white cheddar in their refrigerator at all times? Of course, they do!) So, Andy went online and found the name of a specialty food shop in nearby Coupeville. So, off we proceeded.

Now to say that this was an OK shop would be like saying that chuck steak was comparable to filet mignon. Suffice it to say that if we lived in the area, we would undoubtedly make several visits a month to this fabulous establishment. Wow! Fine wine, fabulous cheeses and charcuterie, and everything in between. And not a new shop. The manager told us they had been in business for 23 years. And busy, OMG, the place was jumping. So, after obtaining a half pound of fabulous English white cheddar, a small round of fresh triple cream cheese, a chocolate truffle bite, and a bottle of Vin Santo, we left the shop vowing to return every time we are in the region. The name of the shop is bayleaf. If you are ever in the vicinity, I suggest you pay this shop a visit. But do remember to bring your credit card with a high limit. Like every specialty food shop, I have ever visited, the merchandise doesn’t come cheap! But worth the price? You bet!

After Andy dragged me out of bayleaf (and yes, the “b” of bayleaf is not capitalized) (I still have the receipt to prove it), we decided to take a bit of a drive through the neighborhoods around Penn Cove. Beautiful homes and vistas in this very pleasant area of the island made for a nice drive.

And as serendipity will have her way, as we were driving along, we saw a sign, welcoming visitors, to Price Sculpture Forest. Never heard of the place, but worth a bit of a gander. So, we decided “what the heck” and parked the truck. As it turned out, the sculpture forest was open to the public every day of the year. So, we took a chance and started down the path leading into the woods and not incidentally, the sculptures. Magnificent. The sculptures were fun, the walk was easy, and the entire experience was more than delightful.

Some pictures of the sculptures.

This “sculpture” was entitled “you” or words to that effect. Fun, fun. fun!

One of the displays that we found most engaging was the Augmented Reality exhibit. This is the very first Augmented Reality exhibition of real-world physical sculptures on this planet. For over 1½ years, the folks from the Price Sculpture Forest have partnered with tech startup XR-ROOM to create a completely new way of experiencing outdoor art.

Through this amazing technology, they were able to blend physical real-world sculpture with interactive technology creating augmented reality using personal devices. The result creates a new way to appreciate all 360 degrees of a 3D sculpture. A way to merge pieces of art with a natural background. So, if you look at the dais (round platform) built for this exhibit with your eyes only, all you see is the dais and of course the surrounding forest. If you look through the camera on your cell phone you see the dais, the forest, anyone who happens to be in the frame, and the sculpture.  And I have to say, this experience was really, really cool. See pictures below.

That big bird is not really there. Of course, I’m really not all there either. But that’s beside the point!

Again, I’m really there, but the big chicken is living life in a nice warm studio.

Now the reality of the picture you see is that it’s only the dais, the forest, and me. The piece of art you see is in someone’s studio or art gallery off site. So, with just an app download, and a couple of set-up steps even we could follow, the picture of that huge chicken appeared on Andy’s cell phone camera. And there were 3 other sculptures we could view in this very same manner. The entire experience with augmented reality was surrealistic, to say the least. But wonderful!

So, to sum up the entire experience – the sculpture forest was amazing. And free. Unless of course you wanted to support this type of art project and leave a donation. Which, of course, we did. Again, if you are ever in the vicinity, this is another must see, must visit, Whidbey Island treasure. In fact, it’s worth making a visit to Whidbey Island just to walk and view the sculpture forest. At least, I think it is!

After getting back to our truck, it was back to finishing our errands. Gas for the truck for tomorrow’s run to Belfair and a few other provisions from the Red Apple market in Coupeville that seemed necessary at the time. Then back to our trailer for a late lunch, a bit of reading for us both, a bit of jazzercise and trip reporting for me, and a walk on the bluff above Ebeys Landing for Andy.

After dinner, a brief read, and a long nap. Another wonderful day in the great state of Washington.

Friday, March 31, 2023 – Belfair State Park, site T43

There is just something about waking up to heavy winds and the definite possibility that rain is just around the corner. Especially on days when you are leaving a great campsite and moving to an unknown campsite. But with an 11:45 am ferry reservation, we knew it was time to pull ourselves and our trailer together for the move. And luckily, it didn’t start raining while Andy was hitching “Pullwinkle” to our trusty 2005 Toyota Tundra. But boy was it cold. So, until it was time to get in line for the ferry, (Coupeville/Port Townsend) we sat in camp in the hitched trailer with the blessed heat still filling the space.

Once we got in line after paying the exorbitant $60 plus fee for the privilege of cresting waves for the arduous 36-minute crossing, we sat in our trailer to wait. And to stay warm. The next thing we knew, a semi-truck had pulled up and parked beside us, on the door side, of course! Which presented a problem. Would we be able to get out of the trailer before it was time to load. Well, we made it, but there was little room to spare. Of course, the guys sitting in the truck right behind us were amused. But we did get two thumbs up from both at the fait accompli. (Points for style, I’m sure!)

By then, it had started to rain. Of course, it had! And it rained the entire drive down from Port Townsend to Belfair State Park. And then it really got serious just as Andy was unhitching. So, he was soaked when he came in and sat down to eat lunch.

Then it was read and enjoy the late afternoon. And soon it was time for dinner. So, with homemade marinara sauce over sliced Italian sausages, topped with grated Parmigiana-Reggiano and a salad on the side, we feasted in our warm and cozy trailer until we succumbed to the beckoning call of our pillows. A fine day all told.                   

Saturday, April 1, 2023 – Belfair State Park, site T43

We woke (please do not put any political spin on that word) up to reasonable weather. I know, define “reasonable weather”. Well, when you are camping in a trailer, it means that it’s not raining hard, snowing, or blowing excessively. Always a good way to start the day.

After breakfast we decided to take a drive and check out our reserved site at the Rest-a-While RV Park further up Hood Canal on the West side. We will be camping there with good friends Craig and Marsha for a few days in early August. And since neither couple had camped at this private campground, we wanted to make sure the pictures and amenities touted on the website matched the reality of the place. (Believe me, we have been fooled enough in the past to warrant an inspection if possible. And since we were in the vicinity, we availed ourselves of the opportunity to cancel if we had been terribly misled. Luckily, that was not the case.) Aside from checking the RV park, neither of us had spent much time in this locale, so we found the morning drive quite pleasant. On the way back we stopped for lunch at the Burger Claim in Belfair. Great burgers; fish and chips, not so much.

Then it was back to camp to get ready to drive into Seattle for a memorial gathering for our recently deceased close friends Dick and Eloise Etter. On the drive north, we experienced some dreadful weather. The sky was not only filled with a magnificent rainbow but there were vertical wide bands of white in the very dark grey sky. We soon came to understand what those white bands represented. Hail. Lots and lots of hail. So, driving through this mess was not pleasant. We did, however, drive under the rainbow. And that was kind of cool. But back to our reason for going north.

 I had been close friends with Dick and Eloise and their son John since 1970. And during our long friendship they had not only been great friends to me and then Andy, but to my kids as they were growing up. In fact, they were part of our extended family. As a “family”, we spent all our holidays together, saw each other for many wonderful dinners on weekends, and even vacationed together. So, the loss of these two friends was hard on all of us. But it was wonderful to get together to celebrate their lives. And the amazing part of the evening was the fact that there were 4 generations gathered together recalling the kindness, intelligence, and thoughtfulness of this truly special couple. And yes, there were tears shed. But the sheer joy of all of us being together to remember the privilege of being able to call these dear people close friends or relatives, far outweighed the sadness at their loss.  

The gathering was held at the Woodland Park Zoo. In the Nysether Riverhouse and Living Northwest Trail. Now calling the Riverhouse any kind of a room would be misleading. Yes, the enclosure has walls and a ceiling, and even a few lights. But really, it is basically an enclosure for domestic animals (humans in this case) to watch wild animals (grizzly bears, otters, and mountain goats). So, no heat, and a very large opening allowing ingress and egress for two legged creatures. Not to mention that fresh air was accustomed to freely entering this area also. Which of course it did with alacrity! And the bathrooms were in a separate building. So, into the cold you proceeded when nature called! Not the most hospitable environment for two legged critters. But a wonderful place to celebrate the lives of these two incredible people.  

Both Dick and Eloise had been true animal lovers. In fact, Eloise had been a docent at the zoo for many years. So, it was no surprise that their home had always been liberally sprinkled with real and stuffed animals. So, no other gathering place would have been nearly as appropriate as the zoo for their memorial.

After saying goodbye to family members (both genetic and selected) we headed back to Belfair and to the cozy warmth of our trailer. We arrived after midnight and went straight to bed! It had been a long, hard, tearful, and jubilant day full of wonderful memories and wonderful people. But we were pooped! But even being almost exhausted, it took me awhile to get to sleep. My brain would just not let go of all the memories associated with Dick and Eloise. We had been so close for so long that to think of life without them was very unsettling. Even though they had both been ill for several years, it still would never be the same without them. But I finally remembered that my dear friends would always be with me. I had all my memories of our time together. And with that reassuring realization, I drifted off to sleep.

Sunday April 2, 2023 – Cape Disappointment State Park, site B77

Luckily, we did not wake up to the sound of rain drumming on our roof. Because this was the day to hitch up and move the trailer to Cape Disappointment State Park. (One of our favorite state parks BTW.) So, not even a light sprinkle as Andy prepared the outside of the trailer for travel while I readied the inside.

It has always amazed me that moving homes (trailers, RVs, etc.) stay together as well as they do. I mean really, the refrigerator, heater, etc. still work after having been driven over some of the worse road surfaces ever imagined by civil engineers! And today’s ride was a good example of how certain roads should not be driven over in their current conditions. Because SR-107 and US-101 between Montesano and Raymond were in terrible shape. When we stopped in South Bend to use the trailer bathroom, the container holding all my herbs and spices had come out of the cupboard leaving bottles, jars, and tins all over the floor. So, we put them back in their container, stored them where they belong, and proceeded on down the road.

When we got to camp, Andy found that the electrical cord from the trailer to the truck receptacle had come loose and was destroyed by being dragged along the pavement. So, that meant that we would get to spend the next day trying to find a shop that could replace this cord. Without the connection, the trailer has no brake lights, turn signal lights, running lights, or trailer brakes. Important safety features that must always be in good working order. We were both hopeful that we wouldn’t have to spend the entire next day looking for assistance. So, to our cell phones and computers for research purposes. And of course, our luck being what it was that day, our camp site was without connectivity. And not being in a huge metropolitan area, we just crossed our fingers and hoped that there was someone close by who could provide assistance. So, we decided to go into town later that afternoon to do our research and make some calls. But in the meantime, Andy decided on a beach walk while I caught up on this travel log.

For dinner, I proclaimed that going out was the best option. I was still tired from Saturday’s round trip into Seattle and the memorial event itself. Frankly, what I felt I needed was a bit of pampering. Memorial get-togethers are cathartic, but they are also emotional. So many great recollections of fun times shared with these special friends over the 52 years of our friendship. Followed by the realization that there will never again be any new memories to be made with them. I know that not only for myself, but for others too, it takes a while to recover from the reality of loss. And to process the feelings that are very real and ever so close to the surface of every thought that jumps into your mind. And that this all takes time.

Luckily, Mr. C. was willing to give me the time and space to recover from all the emotional upheaval. It’s wonderful to have a partner who understands that everything is not about him. That my being quiet doesn’t mean I’m mad. That time spent on introspection can and often does lead to healing. And that the best way to help sometimes is to do or say nothing.     

So, that evening when we reached civilization and after leaving a message on a RV repair shop’s answering machine explaining our problem, we enjoyed a fine meal at the Depot Restaurant in Seaview. Then it was back to camp and to bed. We had had enough frustration and excitement for one day! And I especially needed the relief only a good night’s sleep can bring. 

Monday, April 3, 2023 – Cape Disappointment State Park, site B77

After a stormy, rain filled night, we were greeted this morning with a light sprinkle and intervals of sunshine. But still very cold outside.

We had left a message with an RV repair shop the evening before, but still with no connectivity on site, Andy headed into town to talk to the RV guy in person about our situation. He assured Andy that he would order the part and it probably would arrive tomorrow (Tuesday) by about 11:00 am. Of course, he could not guarantee that it would arrive that morning, but he expected it just might. (Not very reassuring, but we had to take what we could get.) So, Andy told him thank you and that we would arrive with the trailer in tow on Tuesday at noon.

Of course, we were scheduled to leave that day to spend the next three nights at Cape Lookout State Park on the coast near Tillamook, Oregon. The state park is only 91 miles from Cape Disappointment State Park, but if you have ever driven US-101, then you know there is no such thing as 70 MPH. The road is mostly one lane each way and slow, windy, and extremely narrow in places. It’s lovely for sightseeing, but not for getting from one place to another in any kind of a timely manner. So, even if the repair guy was able to fix our trailer tomorrow, we would still probably be getting into camp after dark. Not desirable, but sometimes it can’t be helped.

Worst case scenario, the part won’t arrive tomorrow, and we would need to spend another night here at Cape Disappointment. If that happens, the name of the park will surely represent our mental condition. But as the old saying goes – you pay your money, and you take your chances!

But nothing ever spoils all of our fun. So, after driving by the RV repair shop this morning to make sure we could find the place tomorrow, we checked out what was playing at the local movie theater (yuck), did a bit of grocery provisioning at Sid’s (always a pleasure), purchased some essentials from Dennis and Co, aka Ace Hardware (the greatest store for anything you might need on the Long Beach Peninsula), and filled the gas tank on the truck (a semi-religious experience). Then back to camp for lunch.

After lunch it was a walk for Andy near the Willapa National Wildlife Reserve Head Quarters.

While on his walk, Andy spotted a cute little salamander. Had to take a picture of his new friend.

And for me, to do what I like to do almost as much as cooking. Write and read. And of course, to do my 20-minute jazzercise workout. (And just for the record, I actually quite enjoy my workouts. As do my shoulders and back especially.)

Then dinner, read, write, and relax. Life is still good! 

Tuesday, April 4, 2023 – Cape Lookout State Park, site C49

Right behind our trailer, our very own marsh replete with skunk cabbage. Luckily, they really don’t smell like skunks.

So, will the part actually arrive that we need to continue on our way, or will we have to stay another night at Cape Disappointment? That is the question. I absolutely hate mechanical problems. And especially if they are remotely connected with electricity. Frankly, electricity scares the bejesus out of me. And therefore, I don’t handle electrical problems well at all. Poor Andy. He is always the one who has to metaphorically “talk me off the ledge”. But somehow, he always manages to calm me down and be the adult in the situation.  

So, after breakfast, off Andy went to check in with Ashlin, owner of Mobil West LLC (mobilwestusa.com) via cell phone to find out if the part had arrived. And joy of joys, yes indeed the kind people of UPS had delivered the part as promised. Now, if you ever have a need for RV assistance on the Long Beach Peninsula, or even as far afield as Astoria or points south, I recommend you give Ashlin a call. Because, unlike service providers in the northwestern part of Washington, we were not held hostage. The price for the part and the labor were both reasonable. So, write this phone number down if you own a moveable home (trailer, RV, motor coach, tent trailer, etc.) 360.929.7721. Hopefully you will never have to use this information. But if you need RV assistance in this lovely area of the state, then we highly recommend Ashlin as the person to give you excellent and quick service.

So, after once again enjoying the fact of brake lights, etc. we trundled on down the road towards Tillamook, Oregon and Cape Lookout State Park. On the way to the park after we had turned off 101, we were lucky enough to see a whole herd of elk right by the side of the road. What a delightful welcoming committee.

Arrived at Cape Lookout about 4:00 pm. After a complicated back in to our reserved site, we basically called it a day. As Andy finished getting the trailer set up with power and water, I finished the indoor set up and started prepping for dinner.

Since we had stopped for tuna fish and chips for lunch in Seaside, Oregon, we weren’t ready for dinner in the immediate future. So, I decided that documenting today’s events was much more necessary than serving dinner. Of course, we eventually had dinner, but not until much later. Then it was read our email (we actually had connectivity) thanks to a tower that must have been close to our campground and our hot spot. Having constant access to cell phones and internet can sometimes make me crazy. But being without them, especially when you need assistance, can be even more frustrating. So, I guess living with them is slightly better than being without. Now, if I could only find a way to stop all the spam calls coming into our land line at home, I would find this whole constant communication thing acceptable. But having an elevator in our home requires that we have a land line. So, there you go. Some things simply must be tolerated in the name of safety.

Once again as I lay in our cozy trailer bed, I offered up a silent thank you to any deity listening, for our speedy trailer fix. And of course, for another safe arrival at camp. Along with a general thank you for all the blessings that for whatever reason have been gifted to me. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t realize and appreciate my life. Even if some days every joint in my body reminds me of just how bloody old I’m getting! But as John McCutcheon (one of our favorite folk singers/song writer/tellers of tall tales) would say “I’m too old to die young”. So, I’m content. Even if my body is well past it’s pull date, I’m still getting around OK. And who can ask for more than that?!

Wednesday, April 5, 2023 – Cape Lookout State Park, site C49

Woke to gloomy weather but not gloomy spirits. Because the reality is that it’s April. And everyone knows April showers bring May flowers. And we’re on the coast. And it’s April! Duh! So, what to do on a rainy day in Oregon? Go shopping, of course. And since we happened to need a few things from a grocery store, going shopping made a lot of sense.

But first, we decided a ride out to Cape Meares was in order. And so, with our trusty Oregon Road and Recreation Atlas in hand, off we went. Nothing spectacular to see on the cape. Unless of course you consider being 100 feet from several white egrets and blue heron standing close together in shallow water fishing, of interest. Which we just happen to find very special. But everything else was just ordinary surroundings that anyone would experience when driving next to a saltwater bay, off shore sea stacks, old forests, a majestic coastal range to the east, and gorgeous vistas everywhere you look.

Then it was into Tillamook for provisions and gas. Our truck gets mighty thirsty when we are pulling our trailer. But I have heard other people with trailers often remark upon this reality too. So, I guess it isn’t just us who need to visit almost every gas station along the way while pulling a trailer or driving a motorhome. But even then, it is so worth the expense. Because at the end of the day, you get to sleep in your own bed, cook and eat your own food, and have ready access to your own favorite adult beverages.

And speaking of cooking, I had better cut this short and walk the three small steps it will take me to get into our kitchen. Because after all, pea salad doesn’t make itself. And I’m pretty sure, if I don’t prepare this dish, Mr. C. isn’t going to take it upon himself to mix it up. Even though he might just be the number one pea salad lover in this camp at this time. It just wouldn’t happen if it were up to him. So, that leaves me. So, post to be continued later.

And I’m back. With pea salad happily residing in our fridge and the rest of dinner prepped, I am free to read and write. So, before I reward myself with the final chapters in the latest police adventure starring Guido Brunetti, I will finish today’s post.

Rain, more rain, and still more rain. Eat dinner, finish my book, and light’s out.  

Thursday, April 6, 2023 – Cape Lookout State Park, site C49

Well, I have to give it to the weather guys who predicted rain again for today. Because we went to bed last evening listening to the constant drip from leaking clouds, paid our night calls to our bathroom hearing the constant patter of raindrops falling on our trailer roof, and awoke to a puddle outside our trailer door large enough to accommodate a large family of ducks. Not to mention that the small marsh area behind our trailer that is home to far too many skunk cabbages for my liking, is on the rise. But hey, at least we aren’t tenting. And for that I am seriously thankful. Because yes, there are people in this campground who are tenting. Why, I have no idea. Because for decades both of us were tent campers. But never at this time of year. Of course, we did experience rain while camping in the summer. But camping in summer rain and camping while the temperature difference is this great is a completely different occurrence.

So, as brave as these folks appear to be, I would be willing to bet that insanity runs in their family! Because what other reason could drive these folks to suffer such hardship? Of course, the same could be said for us. Why would we leave our spacious home to find ourselves sequestered in 160 sq. feet of space? Again, the question begs that insanity might be a part of the equation. However, in our defense, we are able to stay warm and dry and don’t have to suffer exposure to the elements each time we need to go to the bathroom. Which for anyone over the age of 60 knows, bathroom visits become quite frequent the older one becomes. (Another one of the joys of aging that you don’t learn about until you are there.) Grrrrr

But regardless of the rain, we are managing to stay happy and content. Plenty of good books to read, connectivity so we can stay current on what delicious scandals Trump is trying to blame on someone else, and Andy has suggested we go to a pub we know about in Pacific City for burgers. The man really knows the way to my heart. At the very mention of burgers, I get slightly giddy. So, without further ado, I will sign off for now and layer up for yet another adventure along the Oregon coast.

First to Fred Mayer again for new coffee mugs. Then down the road to Pacific City and the Pelican Pub for burgers. (The burgers were OK, but the beer was great.)

Then back to the trailer for a short nap for me, a long read for Andy, and an internet search for a recipe for chocolate Bath Olivers. Allow me to explain.

I am currently reading a mystery recommended by Andy written in 1970 by Michael Innes featuring Sir John Appleby. And in this book the author had the protagonist (Sir John) (retired Commissioner of Metropolitan Police) drinking tea and trying desperately not to be tempted into eating any chocolate Bath Olivers being offered by his wife. And of course, I just had to know what Bath Olivers were. Turns out they are biscuits liberally coated in chocolate. So, of course I tried to find a recipe. Well, not an easy task. I found a recipe in grams for the plain variety. But could not find a single recipe with even a fleeting mention of a chocolate coating. So, I have relegated my continued search to a time when I am at home and not paying for a hot spot. When dinner time arrived, neither of us was very hungry. So, it was decided that tomato soup would be the perfect choice.

Now some of you know that I love to cook. And I make almost everything from scratch. But there are just those times when nothing tastes as good as Campbell’s Tomato Soup. And of course, I don’t use water when I prepare this delicacy. It’s whole milk or nothing!

So, hot tomato soup liberally sprinkled with Italian Four Cheese Cheese-Its and life is good.

Then read awhile, write awhile, and enjoy the pleasure of being rocked to sleep. Because whether we wanted it or not, the wind was gently rocking our trailer as we drifted off.

Friday, April 7, 2023 – South Beach State Park, site D33

Apparently, we have either been very good or there is a deity somewhere who has taken a liking to us. Because we were able to dump our holding tanks and hook up the trailer without getting soaked. And this came as a surprise, because it had been raining almost non-stop for the past 3 days. And because we were now conditioned to expect more of the same, we assumed that breaking camp this morning was not going to be pleasant. Wrong. Not only was it not raining, but it wasn’t particularly cold either. And blue sky just offshore was threatening to come out in all its glory further throwing us off kilter. But we made the best of it. We escaped camp without having to change into dry cloths and with high hopes that the sunshine might take it upon itself to follow us to our next campground. So, with great expectations and fingers crossed it was back on good old US-101 heading south to our next destination.

Together, we have been trailer camping in this part of the world for over 30 years. And have visited most of the state parks along the Oregon coast as well as a few private parks. So, not only do we know US-101 pretty well, but we also know the campgrounds. Some we stay at every chance we get. Others, we have learned to omit from our itinerary. But South Beach SP just south of Newport is one that we try never to miss. The park is close to Newport and is very well laid out and spacious. And if you know what sites to reserve, the sites are quiet, and they back up to a wall of trees consisting of a variety of species. And of course, along with the trees come an abundance of four legged creatures. As I am writing, a squirrel is busy tree hopping. What he or she is after, I have no idea. And I’m pretty sure, the squirrel doesn’t have any better idea than I do. Or at least, so it would appear. Maybe he or she is concerned with all the dogs in camp. Because at last count, at least the sites near ours, dogs outnumber the humans. Or at least, that’s how it seems. Anyway, so far, the dogs appear to be well behaved, so they are fine with me. As far as with the squirrel, I have no way of knowing. But my belief is that he or she would have preferred the dogs stay in a kennel near their home while their keepers enjoy a quiet retreat without them. (Just a theory on my part.)

After arriving and setting up camp, we had a simple lunch. Then Andy went for a beach walk while I documented our day so far. A division of labor I find totally acceptable.

For dinner, shrimp pasta. Then read, write, and off to the land of Nod.            

Saturday, April 8, 2023 – South Beach State Park, site D33

Woke to windy weather, but it hadn’t rained overnight. After a late breakfast we were sprinkled on a bit, but nothing serious came of it. I had seen a funky looking establishment that appeared to be a seafood market on our way into camp, and decided fresh seafood would be great for dinner this evening. So, after a bit of provisioning at the local Safeway, a stop for gas, and a ride through the area between US-101 and the sea, we decided to make a quick stop for seafood.

What we found however was that everyone and their dog had the same idea. And there was only one line to both order from their menu (eat in) or buy fresh fish to take home and prepare. So, nothing ventured, nothing gained. We got in line. Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes later we had purchased a beautiful piece of halibut, some tartar sauce, a bowl of clam chowder to take back to the trailer, and a crab cocktail to share before dinner.

Then back to camp for lunch, Andy to take a walk, and me to catch up on my travel report and help the protagonist in my book stay out of trouble. Because at this point, Maisie Dobbs is totally over her head. And I have no way of helping her. (In case you too are a mystery lover, I highly recommend Jacqueline Winspear’s novels featuring Maisie Dobbs. Jacqueline’s characters are great fun, enjoy exciting adventures, and are mostly endearing, but with enough villainous exceptions to make the stories fun to read.)

As I mentioned in yesterday’s comments, there are several species of trees in this park. The ones I find most interesting are the Lodgepole Pines (Pinus Contorta) sometimes referred to as twisted or shore pine. They are nothing if not scruffy looking. Like they were designed to fall apart at any moment. Of course, it doesn’t help that every type of lichen, fungus, moss, etc. seems to feel free to attach itself to the bark of these multi trunked trees adding to their look of imminent death. Like they might just give up and fall over at even the whisper of a breeze. But as twisted and gnarly as they might appear, they seem to be able to withstand all kinds of weather and do so with aplomb! A quality I especially appreciate in some of my older friends too.

After a dinner of crab, halibut, and salad, it was read until our eyeballs demanded a respite. So, as early as 10:20 pm might seem to us when we are at home, it was the perfect time to hit the hay in our comfy trailer after an exhausting day of leisure.       

Sunday, April 9, 2023 – Sea Perch RV Resort, site 28

While we were camped at Sea Perch, Andy took a beach walk a bit south of camp but not as far south as Florence. While he was walking along, a lady and her horse came into view. If Andy and the lady hadn’t been laughing so hard, Andy would have captured the horse deciding that a roll in the sand would be great fun. So that’s exactly what happened. But like I said, the moment wasn’t captured on camera, because it was such an entertaining interlude. Animals are wonderful. If only humans were as spontaneous and less self-conscious. We would all have a lot more fun!

After listening to it rain overnight, it was no surprise to wake up to yet more rain. And puddles, less for us to maneuver around, but for some a real problem. Although this is a large park, it is fairly old. (As state parks go.) So, not all of the paved sites are still perfectly level. Over the years, ground water, being what it is, has played havoc with some of the once perfect sites. And of course, water will seek the lowest spot every single time. So, for some unlucky campers, just where they would need to stand to hook up their trailers, small lakes had formed. Luckily, we did not experience this inconvenience. None the less, Andy especially was pretty darn wet as we drove out of camp.

After leaving the Newport area, it was only a short jaunt south (28 miles) to Sea Perch. The drive had given us some indication of what we could expect when we arrived at our next destination. Driving rain and wind with enough force to make steering the truck a less than delightful experience. And when parked at our new location, opening the trailer door a hazardous contingency. But we managed to get ourselves set up, even though both of our coats were dripping wet when we could finally shed them and seek shelter in our trailer. But once inside, with the heat turned up and the kettle on, we were snug as bugs. How we will survive three days of this is yet to be determined. But we are fairly able to entertain ourselves, so I expect we will do just fine.

After a small lunch, it was watch as other trailers arrived, critique their backing up skills, and pray for a break in the weather. According to the weather channel, there is little chance of anything but rain happening any time soon. But we can hope. In the meantime, there is writing, reading, and games to play. And a very nice supply of various types of liquor from which to choose.  

After a simple spaghetti dinner, it was decided that playing a game might be too strenuous a task. So, with books in hand, we made it all the way to 10:00 pm before giving up for the day.

As you read this, you might get the impression that we were in agony sequestered as we were in our tiny trailer. Far from it. We lead a pretty busy life and taking 3 or 4 trips a year to relax and unwind works well for us. Sitting outside in sunshine and watching the ocean admittedly would have been our preference. But dang, as daughter Ursala would say, “You git what you git and you don’t throw a fit!” Words to live by, especially on a dismal rainy day! 

Monday, April 10, 2023 – Sea Perch RV Resort, site 28

Well, suffice it to say, nothing has changed from yesterday. OK, there might be a bit less wind, but the rain just keeps coming and coming. I would have written something different, but honesty prevents me from not telling it like it is. It’s wet. It’s dreary. And I can’t even get up the energy to do any laundry even though it needs to be done and the laundry facilities at this RV park are the best we are going to find anywhere along our path. But we still have tomorrow, and the weatherman has promised that tomorrow will bring rain changing to showers. How that is much of an improvement, I have yet to understand. But showers sound like a sometime respite from the incessant rain we are currently experiencing.

But for today, there is some grocery shopping to be done. And yes, obtaining additional groceries is not really necessary. But I have a hankering for mashed sweet potatoes and perhaps some sautéed fresh mushrooms to go with whatever meat I choose to serve tonight. And then of course, it’s something to do because walks are out of the question. And why drive to scenic sites when we can’t even get out of the truck to capture the moment on camera. So, Fred Meyer in Florence – here we come!

After shopping it was straight back to camp to stay inside, read, write, and relax until it was time to make dinner.

After dinner it was more of the same. Then to bed to say our prayers that the next day would be a bit better. Weather wise that is! I for one could not ask for better company, so I am still happy as a clam. (Whatever that means!)

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 – Sea Perch RV Resort, site 28

Waking up in the middle of the night to rain pounding on your roof is kind of delightful when it’s been sunny and warm for 3 weeks and a bit of rain would clear the air and provide some respite from the heat. But when it has been raining for days, it’s not as welcome. But when I crawled out of bed at about 8:00 am, there was actually some blue sky out to sea. (That’s when I took the picture of this camp site.) There were still clouds and threats of rain, but there was a chance that at some time during the day we might be able to walk outside without getting totally soaked.

And sure enough, after a leisurely breakfast we were blessed with a bit of sun and a rain-free walk up to the laundry room. So, with clean towels, bedding, and a few various and sundry garments, we were back in our trailer.

Andy had gone online to check out our route for tomorrow. And the prognosis, after checking Oregon highway conditions was not good. Santiam Pass was receiving snow and hazardous conditions. And the same was predicted for tomorrow. So, getting to Bend, Oregon from the coast was not going to work for us. So, I called Peach Beach RV Resort and reserved a site for us right on the river for 1 night.

After lunch we decided to go for a short ride and visit Cape Perpetua again. We had been to the lookout before, but can you ever get too much ocean view from on top of a cape? I think not.

As we were driving down, I remembered seeing what looked like a very nice gallery in Yachats. So, we went in search of what I thought I remembered. And sure enough, on the north side of Yachats I spied the Earthworks Gallery.

Now this is not a tourist gift shop. This is a real gallery much like the closed but not forgotten Real Mother Goose gallery in Portland. High quality, which of course means high price tags. But right where I wanted it to be, was the perfect metal piece for the narrow table behind our couch. Metal, and something our dear kitties couldn’t knock off and break. Because for the same reason that we all know that the earth is not flat, our kitties can’t knock this piece to the floor. Oh, they might be able to, inadvertently of course, but it’s not going to hurt this beautiful piece of art. And yes, I truly do believe that if the world were flat, cats would have knocked everything off the world ages ago!

Then it was back to the trailer for me to write and read while Andy went for a walk.

After his walk we had dinner and an early to bed. During the night my stomach started hurting worse than it had been (more nausea than hurt), along with back pain and trouble swallowing. Not pleasant and it had been going on for 5 days.

I had tried to restrict my diet to only bland food, but that didn’t seem to make a difference. Something was wrong and as I lay awake, I made a plan for the following day. And the plan involved daughter Paula. 

Wednesday April 12, 2023 – Tumalo State Park, site B26 (scratch that), then Peach Beach RV Resort, site 27 (scratch that too), and finally Mark and Paula’s driveway in Keizer, Oregon

As I stated in yesterday’s report, I made a plan for today while I lay awake wondering what was going on with my body. After breakfast I called a Kaiser Permanente consulting nurse in Washington, and after she and a doctor reviewed my symptoms, they advised me to go to a hospital. So, knowing that we were only about 3 hours out of Salem, I called daughter Paula and asked if we could park our trailer in their driveway overnight so that I could see someone for my ailment. What could she say but “of course”.

So, as we were driving up to Newport and then over highway 20 to Corvallis and then up I-5, I called and cancelled our reservation at Peach Beach. (BTW, going over the coast range on highway 20 is a piece of cake with a trailer. And quite scenic.) 

When we got to Salem, Andy dropped me off at the Kaiser Permanente urgent care facility. Where I received absolutely wonderful care.

They promptly got me started with a nurse, blood draw, another meeting with a nurse, then a doctor in training and then a full-fledged doctor. With prescription in hand, I was out of the clinic in a little over 3 hours. And truly, that short amount of time was amazing. Because that place was as busy as I have ever seen a clinic. Patients coming out of the woodwork. I have never seen such an efficient operation. Or one that was more cordial or accommodating. For example, as I was sitting in the waiting room for my turn with the doctor, a lady came around with snacks and water. Free of charge. Just a lovely way of making us all feel comfortable while we waited. Amazing. And the entire staff was so cheerful that I almost asked one of the nurses if they passed out happy pills with the morning coffee. These people were just that pleasant.

Well, after seeing the doctor and getting a prescription for acid reflux and a strong recommendation to see a gastroenterologist as soon as we get back from vacation, we headed over to Paula and Mark’s and set up camp. We didn’t unhook because, why bother? Paula was feeding us dinner and we would be inside visiting with them until it was time for bed.

After dinner daughter Eden came over and we spent a grand evening with these two amazing women and our wonderful son-in-law Mark.

Then out to our toasty trailer for a good night’s sleep. (And with some hope that I might start feeling better. After all, it was damn well about time!)

So, if you happen to have a medical emergency while on vacation, make sure it’s near family or close friends. They will make sure you are OK and then treat you like royalty.

Thursday, April 13, 2023 – Tumalo State Park, site B26

Well, after delaying coming over Santiam Pass yesterday when it was snowing and having instead to make an overnight stop in Keizer, Oregon, Andy learned that today’s forecast was for sunshine and clear roads. So, we decided to take a chance and travel on highway 22 over Santiam rather than going up to Portland on I-5, then onto I-84 east to Biggs Junction, then south on SH 97 to Bend. This route would have taken a great deal longer and burned a great deal more gas. So, after Paula fixed us a nice, hearty breakfast, we were on our way by 9:30 am.

And I am so glad we came this way. Highway 22 out of Salem and through the Detroit Lakes area is beautiful. Lovely, rolling hills to begin with, and then up and over Santiam Pass is a very scenic way to cross the mountains. The only hard part was seeing all the dead trees from the horrific Detroit Lakes fire of 2020.  The fire of September 9, 2020 produced damage of monumental, catastrophic proportions. The huge conflagration started as three separate fires. The Beachie Creek, Lionshead, and P-515 fires were all ignited by lightning on August 16, 2020. These three fires gradually grew in size, before explosively spreading in early September fanned by powerful east winds during a heatwave. Soon the three fires merged. This huge fire destroyed over 1,500 structures in the Santiam Canyon, which included massive destruction to the city of Detroit, becoming one of the most destructive wildfires in the history of Oregon. Just mile after mile of wildfire damage. But finally we landed safely at Tumalo SP.

After lunch it was a few household duties, then writing for me and a walk to the creek for Andy. Then dinner and bed. Sounds terribly boring, but believe me, it was not. Sometimes what a person needs is a bit of down time. And in this lovely setting, nothing could have been more relaxing than looking through our trailer windows at the pleasant surroundings.

Friday, April 14, 2023 – Grande Hot Springs RV (La Grande, OR), site 50

Well, boy oh boy was it cold last night! We had known it was going to be below freezing, so Andy had taken the liberty of unhooking the park water and storing the hose in the trailer storage area. No problem. For water all we had to do was turn on the pump and use the water in the trailer’s fresh water holding tank. And since we had wanted to get going early today, having one less thing to get done before heading out was just fine too.

So, after breakfast I saw to safely storing all items that could go crashing around inside the trailer, while Andy worked on the outside. Then at the stroke of 9:30 am we were on our way. And even though it was a long ride today, every bit of it was scenic. Some roads we had traveled before, and some brand new to us. But all roads we hope to travel again.

Leaving Tumalo State Park we headed north on a county road called Cline Falls Highway which follows the Deschutes River downstream on its west bank towards SR-126 just west of Redmond (Oregon that is). We could see Sisters and Mount Jefferson clearly as we drove north.

After about 25 miles we turned right onto SR-126 which took us through Redmond and 20 miles further to Prineville where we took on a full tank of gas and merged onto US-26. Heading east, still on US-26, we drove through the Ochoco Mountains. (Over 2 passes.)

I took a small nap as we cruised along the John Day River to Mount Vernon where we had lunch and gassed up again. (It sounds like we were going through gas like there was no tomorrow. But in this part of the world there aren’t that many towns which means you get gas where you can. And when you can!)

From Mount Vernon we headed north on US-395 over 4 passes and two major rivers. (Middle and north fork of the John Day River.)

Turned off at SR-244 near the small town of Ukiah. This route took us over the Blue Mountains (only 1 pass), which were still covered in snow. Then down into the head waters of the Grande Ronde River. After intersecting I-84, we were at our campground after a short 15 miles.

Then it was set up camp and relax a bit before dinner. Then after dinner we tried to play a game called Unstable Unicorns. But it was so convoluted, and the instructions were so poorly written, that we decided to give up and read. The game had been sitting on our picnic table when we arrived. At first, I thought maybe it was a gift from the park. But after we tried playing it, we came to the only conclusion possible. The previous campers must have given up too and left the game for whoever came next. And by golly, not a bad idea. I thought that could be our way of wishing happiness to the next lucky folk who happened to be assigned this lovely site. You know, spreading joy wherever possible. But Andy had kept the game. So, if you know how to play this stinkin’ game, would you please give us a brief synopsis so we can once again give it a try. Or if you too couldn’t figure it out, please let us know so we can stop feeling so stupid. And so that we can justify donating it to our local thrift store.  

After reading for a while, it was lights out. Another grande day.

Saturday April 15, 2023 – Grande Hot Springs RV Resort (La Grande, OR), site 50

Woke to sunny weather. But it had been really cold overnight. But with our lovely propane furnace, we stayed toasty warm.

After breakfast we decided to do a bit of provisioning. I love the word “provisioning”. It always sounds like instead of merely going into town for groceries, we are buying supplies to go on safari in deepest, darkest Africa. Which BTW, would be a lot more fun than going to the Safeway in La Grande, Oregon for hearts of romaine and grapefruit! But that’s what we needed, so instead of laying on a supply of Jungle Juice (insect repellent which is an absolute necessity when visiting Africa), we bought sour cherry juice (yummy fruit juice that Andy loves), along with everything else that was on our list.

After a stop at a nice liquor store, where they were offering flavored whiskey tastings, (how cool is that?), we headed back to the trailer to store our purchases and for me to build a picnic lunch. We decided a road trip was in order. So, off we went. And a picnic lunch at some point would be perfect.

The first leg of our drive was to turn right out of our campground, then turn right onto SR-203. As we started up and out of the small town of Union, we saw our first sign that stated we were on the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. And I’m telling you true; this road is truly a scenic adventure. Snow clad mountains in every direction. And cattle. Lots and lots of cattle. Up and down, round and round, in and out. Everything a windy scenic road should offer. And then at the bottom of this long and winding road, a “welcome to Baker City” sign.   From Baker City we took SR-86 up to the Oxbow Dam. And once again, a beautiful drive this time along the Powder River.

A couple of pictures of the lake behind the dam. And joy of joys, I was able to take off my brown raincoat for practically the first time this trip. But will this weather last? Heck no!

When we reached the dam, we decided it was time to turn around and head back to camp. But while we were at the dam, we spotted the Copperfield RV Park run by the Idaho Power Company. Lovely setting, and definitely worth a stay sometime in the future. Along the way we also spotted the Eagle Valley RV Park in Richland, Oregon. Also, a nice-looking RV park that would be a great place to spend a couple of nights.

But first, since it had been a long day, we decided to have dinner in La Grande. We looked at a few places before deciding on the Cock and Bull de la Roma restaurant. We decided to share a meal, which meant first a small salad for each of us (very good), then a huge split portion of manicotti (not so good), 2 baskets of bread (terrible), followed by 2 desserts (very good). Andy chose Black Russian Cake and for me cheesecake with a delicious strawberry topping. I had ice water and Andy had a draft beer. Total bill – $31.00. Amazing price!

Around home you can’t even walk in a restaurant for $31.00! But frankly, you wouldn’t be able to pay me to eat anything but salad and dessert in that restaurant ever again! Then it was home to write up our day and to read a bit before bed.

As we were drifting off to sleep, we agreed that we wanted to come back to this area and spend some time exploring. We had visited a viewpoint over Hells Canyon a few years ago from the NW side. So, we wanted to see it from the SW side this visit. But the road was still closed due to snow. So, that means we must come back between June 15^th and October 15^th. (The only time the road is open to the public.) But we will return because Hells Canyon is a must see for anyone who loves a spectacular view of wild and crazy water.

According to Wikipedia “Hells Canyon is a ten-mile-wide canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon, a small section of eastern Washington, and western Idaho. It is part of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area which is also located in part of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. It is North America’s deepest river gorge at 7,993 feet running deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona.  

The canyon was carved by the waters of the Snake River,  which flows more than one mile below the canyon’s west rim on the Oregon side and 7,400 feet below the peaks of Idaho’s Seven Devils Mountains to the east. This area includes 214,000 acres of wilderness. Most of which is inaccessible by road.^”

Back in the trailer it was time to read and then off to bed. Another amazing day in Oregon. And we haven’t been rained on now for two days. We’ll have to see what tonight brings in the way of extreme weather conditions. 

Sunday, April 16, 2023 – Lake Wallowa State Park, site B02

 

What we found at our site upon arrival at Wallowa Lake State Park.

When we first arrived, there was a bit of sun.

OK, last night was not the best night’s sleep I have ever experienced in the trailer because it was super windy ALL NIGHT LONG! To the point of shaking the trailer with periodic gusts which are not an easy thing to do considering the trailer’s weight and the stabilizer jacks on all four corners. But none the less, we were rockin’ and a rollin’ sporadically all night long. Good thing I don’t suffer from motion sickness, that’s all I have to say. The gusts of wind were severe enough to move one of our chocks out of position and under the trailer. Easy to retrieve this morning, but only after we had hitched up and Andy had pulled the trailer forward.

But before that could happen it was breakfast and dishes, then me to get the inside trailer ready for travel while Andy completed all the outside tasks. Including filling the freshwater tank up to the brim. Because we had been warned when I made the reservation for Wallowa SP, that the water might still be turned off at our site this time of year. Which sure enough it was. But before I go any further, sharing with you all the glories associated with camping in the spring (think winter), I need to write about our drive here.

Leaving Grande Hot Springs RV Resort on highway 203, we turned right onto Pierce Road which was a shortcut to SR-82. (Which meant that we didn’t have to go through La Grande proper.) Then we stayed on SR-82 all the way to Joseph. Then it was just follow the road through town and look for the sign to Wallowa Lake SP.

From Joseph, the drive was short but very scenic as it followed the shore of this water filled basin (Wallowa Lake) that is 80% surrounded by tall mountains. And what did we find when we got into camp? Snow on quite a bit of the park. Including some still piled up on our site.

Now, the first thing you should know is that snow on our site is a first for us. After 30 years of trailering, having snow on our site when we arrive, is not only a bit disconcerting, but also kind of scary. Especially since the weather forecast for the next 3 days is for possible snow flurries. Yikes! What could possibly be wrong with this picture? OK, we have been on sites before where we awoke to snow on the ground. That is just a hazard of camping in the shoulder seasons. But to know ahead of time that there might possibly be snow where we plan to camp, is shear craziness. But believe it or not, we were not alone. Of course, the campground was far from full, mainly because most of it was still not open to the public. But there were still enough rigs parked in our area to remind us that we are not the only crazies visiting this part of Oregon at this time of year.

But as of right now, 5:00 pm, we are cozy warm in our trailer looking forward to a nice steak dinner. Which reminds me, it is time to take the steak out of the fridge and lavish it all over with salt and pepper. Then let it sit for about an hour before we decide to completely lose our minds and fire up the grill. It would certainly be entertaining for our neighbors, but only time will tell if we follow through with our grilling plan.

So, full disclosure, the grill stayed in the back of our truck. We figured it was wiser to pan sear the steak in the trailer, than have Andy try to clean the grill since we have no water on site. Of course, we have our trailer water tank. But if it does snow, we will need that water to shower, flush the toilet, and do dishes. So, practicality won in the end. (And the steak was still delicious.)

After dinner we played a rousing game of Skip-Bo (I won), then read for a while, studied the forecast for the next couple of days, and to bed with thoughts of waking up to snow on the ground. Because that is just what was predicted. But before I leave you for today, some thoughts about this fine state and this area.

If you have never traveled through the great state of Oregon, what in the heck are you waiting for? The Oregon coast is beautiful and wild, but so is eastern Oregon. Especially the northeastern part of the state. And the drive to Joseph is truly scenic. The area around Joseph is something no one who loves the great outdoors should miss. It’s mountains and valleys everywhere along the way. And the small town of Joseph is cute. At least along the main street. Cute shops, cute restaurants, and well, just touristy cute. And being completely surrounded by snowcapped mountains sure doesn’t hurt Josephs appeal either. Neither does its proximity to Wallowa Lake.  

So, despite the fact that weather conditions might not be very conducive to sightseeing during the next couple of days, we are sticking to our plan. At least for now. Will keep you posted.

Monday, April 17, 2023 – Lake Wallowa State Park, site B02

Well, surprise surprise! When we awoke this morning, it was snowing. Beautiful, big old flakes of the white stuff. And why not? After all, we are camped at 4,383 feet above sea level and in the stinkin’ mountains! So, what else should we have expected? And the weather channel had predicted snow for this area. So, if we got ourselves into this predicament, we have only ourselves to blame. But boy is the snow pretty to watch. And being inside safe and warm with plenty of food to last us for a week, worst case scenario, we stay the course. Which means, we are going to be spending a whole heck of a lot of time in our trailer.

But this isn’t a new condition on this trip. We have already been spending most of our days confined to quarters. And for what it’s worth, we could have left our camping chairs, Andy’s golf clubs, and his bicycle at home for as much use as they’re getting so far on this adventure. I think the only time I sat in my camp chair was for a brief 10 minutes or so at Fort Casey on Whidbey Island. And a bit at Sea Perch. A little bit more time outside for Andy, but not by much. But then, we have a few days left on our trip, so things could improve in that regard. (I’m not holding my breath!)

After a late lunch, we decided to drive into town (Joseph) and fill the gas tank on the truck. (A religious experience each and every time.) Then a stop at the Stein Distillery to purchase a bottle of bourbon. Both Andy and our dear friend Jim are bourbon lovers. And since Jim and Margo will be joining us in a few days for a couple of nights, Andy thought it would be fun to share a wee dram of this delightful elixir with his “brother”. (I often refer to the two of them as the “booze brothers”, but please don’t tell them that’s my name for them.) But a bit about this distillery.

Stein Distillery is a family run, handcrafted, turn-key operation as well as the pioneer in eastern Oregon for micro-distilleries. And the line of products has steadily increased over time from its 2009 inception. The first releases were in 2011 – an American oak aged straight rye and a straight bourbon whiskey.  

What is unique to this distillery is that they only use grains that are homegrown on the family farm. Actually, each part of the spirit making process is done by hand – the farming of the grain, the harvesting of the grain, the distilling and bottling, and even the application of the labels on the bottles. Growing the grain on their own farms ensures that the quality of the products used in their spirits meets their exacting standards. The bourbon is aged in brand new heavily charred American white oak casks for a minimum of two years and bottled at 80 proof. So, if you are ever in the area, we recommend you give this distillery a visit.

After we left the distillery and after gassing up, it was back to “Camp Snowy” for us. But as we were approaching the state park at about 3:00 pm, we realized it had stopped snowing. So, Andy took a short walk around camp while I caught up on my writing. Then dinner, another game of Skip-Bo (I won again, but only by 1 card) and back to our books. Then off to bed. But before I sign off for today, a short note about the current book I am reading.

One of my favorite authors is Amor Towles. His other two books, A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility, were such a pleasure to read from the standpoint of both the excellent writing style and the endearing characterizations. And both books had taught me a great deal about kindness and how to be a better person.

This book, The Lincoln Highway, however, is not an easy read. Don’t get me wrong, the writing and story line are excellent. But the characters are so unlike anyone I have ever met and the situations they get themselves into are so far from my reality, that I find myself slightly hesitant to open the book each time I sit down to read. Because, as with many books, there are the characters that you like and those that you wish would just disappear because they make you uncomfortable. Well, boy howdy, this book has an abundance of both. So, while you root for the good guys, you know that good doesn’t always triumph in fiction. Any more than it does in real life. (Think “Trump” for example!)

So, while I am bothered by some of the characters, their back stories as to why they are who they are is very interesting, I keep reading. So, am I enjoying this book? I really have no answer for that. Am I going to finish the book, and do I recommend it for others to read? Absolutely. But for me, it’s just not an easy read. But again, as with Mr. Towles’ other 2 books, I am learning about life, love, and inherent kindness.

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 – Tucannon River RV Resort, site 23

Well, as the old saying goes, you reap what you sow. And in this case, what we have outside our trailer to reap is snow. Between 3-4 inches to be exact. Yep, we knew it had been snowing overnight, but we seriously didn’t think it would be such a vast amount of snow that literally covered everything in sight. Trees, roads, trailers, trucks, cars, and even the tent top to our neighbor’s truck. In other words, there was snow every which way we looked!

But even before I started making breakfast, one of the park rangers was out snow shoveling the path to the restrooms. And then, he hopped in his truck with a snowplow in front and proceeded to go through our loop several times to clear a path for us to leave this snowy haven, if we so desired. Which at this point, we so desired! So, after breakfast, we decided to wait a couple of hours so that other roads in the area could also be plowed, and then endeavor to dig our way out of this mess.

Luckily Andy had the foresight to bring his hiking boots along. (And no, not for hitching up the trailer in snow, but for actually hiking. Which so far, he has only had the pleasure of wearing for a brief one-hour stroll.) But today those sturdy boots are going to come in handy.

You know, I usually love new experiences. But getting out of this area under these conditions may turn out to be not one of those new experiences I appreciate. Even if it turns out to be a piece of cake, I doubt seriously if I am going to wish for a repeat. After all, it’s not like wanting to go back to the Eiffel Tower. Which is something I would definitely like to do. But hitching up the trailer and driving up and over snowy passes towing a trailer is surely not as pleasant as viewing all of Paris from the top of France’s most famous monument. Even if the Eiffel Tower is the most visited and costly monument in the world!

So, a little before 11:00 am we started our individual tasks towards departure. Now, I must say, Andy always gets the dirty end of the stick when it comes to these duties. And today’s hookup was a prime example. I stayed in our warm trailer performing my required tasks while Andy got on his knees in the snow, and basically turned himself into a human popsicle.

But we have played this game for so long now that we can practically do it in our sleep. So, in no time, we were heading out of the park. And low and behold, the roads were fine all the way to our present location which is about 200 miles from where we started. And frankly, about 200 miles from civilization. (Not quite that bad.) But we are in a very rural agricultural area. But upon check in, we were given several brochures that should provide us with fun things to do in the area. And the people who run the place are super nice. That always earns points with me.

And even though there were a few snow flurries during our escape, for most of the drive we had off and on sunshine.

So, as soon as we were set up, I started building a pot of chili. With a hot meal in our tummy, we read for a short while, then looked at each other and decided an after-dinner splash of Salted Caramel Bailey’s would be a fitting end to an exciting day. So, cheers to snow, safe travels, a trailer that keeps us warm and dry, and to the good life in general.

       

Our lovely site at Tucannon River RV Park

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 – Tucannon River RV Resort, site 23

Woke to sunshine. And even better, no snow on the ground. But it had been just a bit below freezing last night because when Andy turned on the water, there was none.

We had been using our tank water for several days by now, but Andy felt it would be safe to use the park’s water since the predicted nighttime temperature was just around freezing. But again, lesson learned. When in doubt, disconnect the hose and store it in the truck. And use the trailers pump and the onboard water supply. 

But after breakfast, Andy checked things out. And all he had to do was remove a few icy chunks from where the hose attached to the trailer, and once again we had fresh water from the resort flowing freely.

Then it was time for me to write a bit and then study up on all the fun things there were to do in this area of the state. So, while Andy was taking a short walk along the Tucannon River, I was making a list.

And the first thing I found to do sounded exactly like the kind of adventure we enjoy. So, a visit to Pataha Flour mills must happen while we are here. But that’s a visit for tomorrow, because they are only open on Thursdays and Fridays from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. So, today – Palouse Falls (our 2nd visit)

Some friends we met along the way. Obviously scared to death of us. Yah, right!

Among the scablands scoured by floods from the Ice Age, Palouse Falls remains part of the unspoiled scenery that reminds us just how beautiful waterfalls can be when left alone to nature.

The Palouse River, which was responsible for the Palouse Falls, was the geological legacy of repeated glacial dams and floods (especially the Great Missoula Flood) from the Ice Age. In fact, Palouse Falls was said to be the only year-round waterfall that resulted from this turbulent history, and it actually resulted from a cataclysmic backup of the Palouse River that caused its watercourse to be re-routed!

The accompanying canyons and hills surrounding both the falls and the deep gorge here provided clues to violence of the geological forces at work from that last major Ice Age. The Palouse River runs through this narrow cataract and drops 200 feet to a churning bowl. From there, the current moves swiftly through a winding gorge of columnar basalt to its southern end at the mighty Snake River. Carved more than 13,000 years ago, Palouse Falls is among the last active waterfalls on the Ice Age floods path.

And boy oh boy was there a lot of water falling today. Dirty water, at that! (There’s been a lot of rain over in this part of the state too.) But even if the water wasn’t crystal clear, it was never-the-less magnificent to behold.

On our way back to camp from the falls, Andy asked me if I was interested in seeing the Little Goose Lock and Dam. And of course, I said yes! So, turning off state route 261, we proceeded 8 miles up the Snake River to the dam.

Little Goose Lock and Dam was the third of four dams constructed as part of the Lower Snake River Project, authorized in the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1945. Construction began in 1963 and three turbine units were operational in 1970. Then three more turbine units were added and operational by 1978.

The lake formed by the dam is called Lake Bryan and extends from the dam upstream for 37 miles to Lower Granite Dam. The dam provides navigation, hydropower generation, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, and incidental irrigation. The dam is 3,200 feet long with an effective height of about 100 feet.

After viewing the dam from every angle, we decided to head back to camp for lunch. But after about 3 miles with the mighty Snake River on our right, Andy spotted a barge making its way up the river. So, we turned around and followed the barge back to the dam. We had been very impressed with the magnitude of the lock and truly wanted to see it in action.

So, one hour later we had pictures of the barge and tug on the river, going into the lock, then coming out of the lock, and on its way probably to Lewiston, Idaho. (At least, that’s our best guess where that barge was headed. We know for sure it wasn’t Portland, or the poor barge captain was headed in the wrong direction!)  Then back to camp for a very late lunch.  

View of the dam from the visitor overlook.

View into the lock from the drawbridge on the downriver side.

A barge heading upriver to the lock.

Notice the drawbridge going up as the barge approaches the lock.

Here it comes!

In it goes.

Once the barge and tug are safely in the lock, the heavy doors close and the drawbridge comes back down. And the lock fills, very quickly I might add. Probably only 5-7 minutes.

And there it is. Ready to come out onto Lake Bryon and be on its way.

But first the drawbridge on the upriver side has to be lifted and the water gate that is in place on this side lowered so the barge can pass over it. Very exciting to watch.

We were so close as the barge left the lock that we could have had a decent conversation with the guys on the barge without raising our voices.

And there she goes happily chugging her way towards the next lock at the Lower Granite dam, 37 miles upstream.

After a light lunch of cheese and crackers, we actually sat outside for a whole 20 minutes before the wind came up and sent us scurrying back into our trailer. For me that makes a total of 30 minutes on this entire trip that I have been able to sit outside and read. Next year – our spring trip will be in May! Maybe even June!

After a late dinner, it was read and off to bed at 10:04 pm. Another exciting day in the great state of Washington.       

Thursday, April 20, 2023 – Tucannon River RV Resort, site 23

Well, just as we thought things couldn’t get any better, we woke to blue skies. Not a cloud in sight. With predictions of warmer weather coming in. Yes, maybe a bit of rain this evening, but temperatures in the 60s for tomorrow. Happy days! Because our dear friends Jim and Margo were scheduled to pull into the site right next to ours later that afternoon. Then for tonight and tomorrow night we would be blessed with their company.

We always have a good time with these two wonderful people. I have known Jim since he was about 18 and I was 28 or 29. He was dating the daughter of good friends of mine and came to a Halloween party at my home. After he and our friend’s daughter stopped seeing each other, as a group, we decided to keep Jim because he was such a nice young man. And the rest, as they say, is history.

And when Jim met and married Margo, we were so happy for both him and for us. Because Margo is a peach. So, 50 years of friendship. With hopes for lots more years to come.

About 11:15 am we decided to head towards Pomeroy for gas and groceries. Pomeroy is the only incorporated town in Garfield County. Even so, we were not expecting a whole lot from this town. However, we had to go through the town of Pomeroy anyway to reach our real destination – Pataha Flour Mills. Which we were really looking forward to visiting.   Pomeroy not only had 2 gas stations, it was home to a very nice, but small grocery store. The produce all looked good, and we were able to find everything that was on our list. And the store was super clean and the man at the cash register very pleasant.  So, if you are ever near Pomeroy and need groceries or adult beverages, I recommend Pomeroy Foods. But before we went to the grocery store, we passed through Pomeroy on our way to Pataha Flour Mills for both lunch and a self-guided tour through the mill.

Pataha Flour Mills, also known as the Houser Mill, was originally founded by John Houser. PFM is unique in that it is one of the last mills left fully intact, with dozens of crafted machines, pulleys, and gizmos everywhere, almost untouched since its inception in the late 1800’s. (1878 to be exact) Having four floors, access is possible through a ramp system which meanders throughout the bin (crib) areas. 

Pataha Flour Mills is probably one of the most unusual stops in the area, as it is a cafe, museum, and a church with services on certain days of the week. The cool thing is you can go all the way to the top of the mill and all the way down to the basement. The tour is self-guided with explanations along the way.

The cafe serves a wide array of choices and the interesting and completely unique thing about this café is that there are no prices on the menu. And they do not present you with a check. There is no check. If asked, your server will tell you to pay what you can afford. So, of course we paid much more than the cost of the meal since there was no admission to walk through the mill either. A totally grand experience all around. I highly suggest you visit this treasure when next you are in this part of the world.

The dining room.

The church part of the establishment.

Andy at the very top of the mill.

We are so used to locking and setting our alarm system even if we are going to our local grocery store. When we arrived at this campground, we were told that the office is open 24 hours a day. And to please avail ourselves of their lending library. An office open 24/7? When was the last time you experienced that kind of trust. It still blows my mind. But I think it is wonderful. And I hope these folks are never given a reason to change their policy. Because it is truly refreshing.

When we got back to the trailer, I started preparing Pork Paprikash Stew with Egg Noodles for dinner. Then it was sit back and relax and wait for Jim and Margo to arrive.

And sure enough, around 4:30, the road weary warriors pulled into the RV park. They had left Stanwood around 10:00 am and driven about 290 miles. Jim in the motorcoach and Margo behind the wheel of their Ford Explorer following Jim all the way. So, after setting up their rig, they were ready for a safe arrival drink and appetizers. Then the pork stew I had made and salad. For dessert, apple pie (from the Pataha Flour Mills café) with either sharp white cheddar cheese or vanilla bean ice cream. (Or both.) Then an after-dinner tot.

Since we have a small trailer, and they have a big motorcoach, meals are always served either in their rig or if it’s sunny and warm, outside. But wherever we eat, the vittles are always good.

Then it was back to our trailer, a bit of reading, and into our cozy bed for a great night’s sleep. Another wonderful day on the road. 

Friday, April 21, 2023 – Tucannon River RV Resort, site 23

Well just like in Camelot, it rained during the night. But by morning, there were only fluffy clouds in the sky. And by the time we were up, about 8:30 am, the clouds were parting, and sunshine was happily streaming in the back window of our trailer. Oh, that it would always be the case. Rain while we slept and sunshine while we played.  

At 10:00 am we descended on Jim and Margo for eggs benedict. Now, not everyone serves eggs benedict for breakfast while camping. But Jim does. And what a treat. After breakfast we decided to go visit Palouse Falls because this would be Jim and Margo’s first visit. They were duly impressed.

When we got back to the RV park we tried sitting outside, but that only lasted for about 30 minutes before it was decided by all, that it was just a little bit too cold to enjoy the out of doors the way God intended. That is, without having to be wrapped up in every bit of outer clothing we own. So, back inside our respective wheeled domiciles for a couple hours of reading, writing, naps, and a game or two of solitaire.

At 5:00 pm it was happy hour. 

Then into the thriving burg of Dayton for beer and pizza at the Chief Spring’s Fire and Irons Brew Pub. Great beer and pizza.

Then back to camp for a nightcap in Jim and Margo’s motorcoach. After a wee dram, it was back to our trailer for about 30 minutes before we agreed that we had had enough fun for one day. Lights out at 10:00 pm. Yet another fine day in eastern Washington.

Saturday, April 22, 2023 – Potholes State Park, site 4 

Well, some days start great and end great, but in the middle, not so much. And some days you get lucky after a horrific experience. That was basically our day in a nutshell. After taking breakfast over to Jim and Margo’s rig for our last morning together, we hurried on back to our trailer to work our magic towards departure. So, after we were all ready to head out, there were hugs all around.

Now please realize, it’s not like we won’t be seeing this couple in the very near future since they live in the Smokey Point area. But still, hugs are always in order with these folks.

So, on the road again towards our next 3-night stay.

Now, some RV resorts are magnificent. The Warden Lake RV Resort, however, in my humble opinion, where we were originally booked, was about as far towards the other end of the spectrum as possible.

First of all, there was a gate at the entrance. Then there was no one in the office to sign us in or provide us with directions to our site. There was a number to call, where the phone was answered just with a “hello”. Not even the name of the resort. But we were provided with the secret pass number to open the gate and told that we were assigned to site number 6. And that someone would be in the office at 4:30.

Upon arrival at site number 6, we were greeted with mud all over the ground in front of the trailer parking area. Then the next thing that caught my eye was that when parked, our big back window would be about 4 feet from the side of a funky old trailer surrounded with junk. And we would have had to go into that trailer’s yard (if you can call it a yard) for our electrical hookup.

Next came the lifting of an overturned blue barrel over the water hookup. The water post and hook-up were encased with peeling insolation material, enough so that you would practically have to dig into this mess to find the faucet. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the dump portal was at the middle back of the site. We would have needed an extension dump hose to even use the thing. And everywhere along the perimeter of this “resort” were trailers obviously there on an all-the-time basis. The only sites reserved for travelers appeared to be sites 1-6. And 1-5 were vacant. At this point, we decided that there was no way in hell we were going to spend even five more minutes at this place. So, now, site number 6 was also ready to receive traveling guests at this “resort”.

I always like to try new places to camp. And really, I think this is only the 3^rd or 4^th time in 30 years of trailering that we have decided that taking our chances finding another campground was better than honoring our reservation. So, after going through the exit where a sign warned us not to back up because of the spikes that would blow our tires if we did so, we headed for Potholes State Park. Where I had tried to book a site back on January 2^nd but was unable to do so. And we got lucky. Even at 3:00 pm on a Saturday afternoon there were 4 sites still open. I asked the nice ranger to pick a good site since at this point, I was feeling less than adequate at choosing a campground much less a site. And we love this park, so we would be happy in any campsite that was open.

 As it turned out, site 4 had a nice amount of grass and trees behind our trailer and not a junky trailer and yard to be seen.

After we got set up, I called the RV “Resort” as a consideration to tell them we would not be staying with them. And I got a bit testy in my message, because I informed them that I expected a full refund. I later got a call from the manager informing me that they had a no refund policy. When I enumerated why I felt we deserved a refund, she apparently took umbrage to my calling the site we had been assigned the worst site we had ever encountered much less been assigned. She then proclaimed, “you could have asked for a better site”. Except of course, there was no one around to ask. And why weren’t we assigned a “better site” to begin with? Why were we given the worst site in the whole campground? Except of course, there were no better sites! (And no, I am not proud of my behavior during the conversation. But what I said was true. I just should have left it unsaid.) So, I sent an email apologizing, and I got one back telling me that they were going to make a huge exception to their rule and refund us for 1 night. So, instead of $165, we were only out $110. What I didn’t tell the manager was that I would gladly have paid another $165 just to not have to stay at their “resort”. Ever!

From the picture taken of the resort from probably a drone, I should have noticed how close the trailers were to each other. But what I could not have ascertained from the picture, or the written information provided on their website, was that most of the sites were occupied by year-round renters. And the trailers were close enough together that you wouldn’t have to leave the comfort of your Barcalounger to have an intimate conversation with the guy in the next trailer!

If you have never been in a campground where most of the sites are filled with full-time occupants, you would not know that some of the trailers can be dilapidated and surrounded by junk. In this resort there was a combination of nice trailers and some that were past their pull date.

Our first clue that this might not be the best place for us was the gate. Even though we were quite a way from Moses Lake, this indicated that there were some safety issues. So, lesson learned. Next time I plan a trailer trip, I will not book at a private park until I call the manager/owner first and really get the lay of the land. (So, to speak.)

But once we got settled in Potholes SP, and I had a chance to calm down, the late afternoon and evening were very pleasant.

Then an early to bed after a game of Skip-Bo and a couple chapters in each of our books.

Sunday, April 23, 2023 – Potholes State Park, site 4

It had rained overnight, and we woke to clouds, but the rain had ceased. We took our time over breakfast, then decided to visit the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. We had visited the refuge last time we were camped at Potholes but were eager to see this interesting area again.

Paraphrased from Wikipedia – Columbia National Wildlife Refuge is a scenic mixture of rugged cliffs, canyons, lakes, and sagebrush grasslands. Formed by fire, ice, floods, and volcanic tempest, and carved by periods of extreme violence of natural forces, the refuge lies in the middle of the scablands of central Washington. The area reveals a rich geologic history highlighted by periods of dramatic activity, each playing a major role in shaping the land. The northern half of the refuge, south of Potholes Reservoir, is a rugged jumble of cliffs, canyons, lakes, and remnants of lava flow. This part of the Scablands, known as the Drumheller Channels, is the most spectacularly eroded area of its size in the world and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1986.

The favorable mixture of lakes and surrounding irrigated croplands, combined with generally mild winters and protection provided by the refuge, attracts large numbers of migrating and wintering mallard ducks, Canada geese, and tundra swans.

Mammal species that inhabit this refuge include raccoon, mink, badger, elk, coyote, skunk, Canadian lynx, two species of deer, bobcat, beaver, porcupine, river otter, muskrat, and cougar.  

The refuge is located in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains, and the climate is arid and desert-like. The park receives less than eight inches of annual rainfall on average. The wildlife is supported by water routed from the Grand Coulee Dam, and the park is part of the Columbia Basin Project.  

Exerts from nwcouncil.org “The Columbia Basin Project is an immense irrigation development in central Washington that provides water from the Columbia River to about 671,000 acres on the Columbia Plateau. The project is in the Big Bend area of the river, which includes the cities of Ephrata, Quincy, Moses Lake, and Othello.

Water from Lake Roosevelt behind Grand Coulee Dam is pumped uphill to a 27-mile-long reservoir, Banks Lake, from which it flows by gravity into a series of canals. The project includes more than 300 miles of main canals, 2,000 miles of laterals and 3,500 miles of drains and wasteways. The project provides irrigation water to 2,050 farms. Apples, wheat, and corn are the largest-volume crops. There also are large herds of dairy cows and beef cattle. Annually, the cash value of farm production in the Columbia Basin Project is about $630 million.”

Visiting this area for people like Andy and me is not just about its history. Or why it was created. It’s about the beauty of the land. While driving over the earthen dam that creates Potholes Reservoir, we had to make a stop and photograph a flotilla of geese close to shore. Although the picture below provides some of the beauty of this gathering, it does not reproduce the sound. It seems the geese were either having a sing-along, a huge argument, or a big old gab fest. Because the noise frequency would go up and down as if a serious discussion was in progress. Sometimes approval was expressed. Sometimes dissonance. But whatever the subject, there were definitely differences of opinion being rendered. Or so it seemed to these two uninitiated observers.

After leaving the flock to figure out whatever was causing the ruckus, we turned into the refuge itself. And for miles and miles we traversed gravel roads seeking yet another pothole, lake, or overlook. And eventually found an area that we had missed previously. On our way out we discovered another area yet to be explored but decided to save it for our next visit. Basically, we decided to wait because we were hungry. It was about 3:30 pm and we had missed lunch. So, we decided to go back to the trailer, change our clothes, and head into Moses Lake for an early dinner at Michael’s on the Lake.

After a nice dinner we did a bit of grocery shopping. Then back to the trailer for a game of Skip-Bo and a bit of reading before an early (again) lights out. Another wonderful day in this amazing part of the world.

The flock of geese.  

As we started into the reserve, these little birds kept landing then taking off then landing again and again to munch on whatever it was in this muddy gravel. We couldn’t figure out either what type of birds they were or what in the heck they were finding to eat. It was fascinating just to watch.

One of the potholes.

Pothole coming up on the right.

A canal we crossed.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 – Wanapum State Park, site 22

Nice weather again today.

The sky as we were getting ready to leave Potholes SP.

Because we had only about an hour drive to our next campground, we took our own sweet time over breakfast and breaking camp. So, at about 11:00 am we were on the road towards Vantage. We headed up into the Frenchman Hills and down into Royal City and just stayed on SR 26 to SR 243 then onto I-90 for the short trip over the Columbia River at Vantage. Then the first exit after the bridge and into Wanapum SP. And site 22. (Actually, the new name for this park and area is Ginkgo Petrified Forest/Wanapum Recreation Area. But for me it will always be Wanapum SP. Sorry state of Washington. But I’m too old to change now. So, Wanapum SP it shall remain in my book!)

After setting up camp, we had lunch and basically did nothing but sit outside in the sun until about 6:30 pm when I decided it might be time for me to start dinner.

After dinner it was reading and writing until our pillows started calling our names. And of course, when our pillows demand attention, we most often heed the demand. After all, most of the time our pillows know what’s better for us than we do for ourselves!

Another truly wonderful day along the banks of the mighty Columbia.    

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 – Wanapum State Park, site 22

This morning the skies were a bit overcast, but not a drop of rain in sight.

After a late breakfast, Andy decided to take a hike while I caught up on my writing and reading. Since it was going to be warm again today, taking my book outside and enjoying the peace and quiet and watching the placid lake formed by the Wanapum Dam sounded like heaven.

Because I knew that as soon as we got home on Thursday afternoon, life would once again resume its frantic pace. Not that I don’t like to stay busy, but the older I get the more I appreciate the quiet times as well as the busy times. So, when almost forced to slow down, I take full advantage of the situation.  

And as usual, when approaching the end of a trip, whether it be trailering or visiting a foreign country, I get excited about getting home. Mainly because I miss our kitties and our friends. And of course, I miss the live music that comes along with being married to a musician. And listening to Andy practice classical music while I putter around the house performing various tasks.

And I miss trying out new recipes and passing the good ones on to all of you. Oh, I do try out recipes in the trailer, but writing them up and posting them never seems to happen. I am always too busy writing up my travel reports. And BTW, I love keeping a travel log. I have been keeping a journal of my trips since the first time I went to Europe in 1978. My former husband and I pulled our 3 youngest children out of school for 5 weeks towards the end of their 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade years. They were all doing well in school, but the teachers did ask that they keep a journal in lieu of homework. Since they were required to write down their experiences every day, I decided I would do the same thing. And I have yet to stop. And don’t foresee any change in that regard. It is just such a great way to not only remember the day but to also be almost forced to learn more about the area you are visiting. And I have always enjoyed learning. So, for me a win/win situation.

After Andy got back from his hike, we drove into Ellensburg for dinner. We enjoyed a nice dinner at the Ellensburg Pasta Company, where we had eaten a couple of times before.

Then back to the trailer to sit outside for a short while before climbing back into the trailer for our final night on the road. We would have stayed outside longer, but the wind was coming up not only chilling the air, but us right along with it. It seems like every evening along the river the wind comes up a bit as sunset approaches. But this evening it was particularly forceful. So, we went to bed. Before that, however, we folded our outdoor chairs and laid them beside the trailer. We thought the Koolatron sitting on our collapsible table would be fine. So, to bed with pleasant thoughts about our next trailer trip.      

Thursday, April 27, 2023 – Camano Island, site 1082 Lightning Way

Well, this had not been the good night’s sleep we had counted on. It was so windy that neither one of us slept soundly, that is, when we were able to sleep at all! So, both of us were pretty groggy when we awoke. Since this was our last day on the road, we had to dump both the black and grey water and basically clean the holding tanks as best we could. You can’t actually get to the holding tanks, but most modern trailers have a mechanism to force water through the black water tank to basically flush out most of the impurities. Then I always pour some dish washing detergent down the toilet and give the tank another flush. But all of this takes time. And we needed to be home in time for Andy to get to rehearsal in Mount Vernon by 6:30 pm.

We were doing just fine until we were nearly home. There was a huge backup starting as we were coming down the hill into Stanwood. And I said, wow, we hit rush hour. Nope, there was a crash on Camano near the Lutheran church, and I have never seen such a mess. All the back ways around the island, once you actually made it onto the island, were totally jugged up. Cars everywhere. But we made it to our storage area to park the trailer and then to the house with exactly 15 minutes to spare. So, Andy parked the truck, went inside for a quick change of clothes, and he was on his way. Luckily, we had stopped for a late lunch, so he wasn’t starving, but having that wasted hour would really have been nice. But we were home.

And even if this trip had seen more rain and cold weather than any of our previous spring trips, we still had a great time. We always have a fantastic time when we are visiting state parks and this beautiful country of ours. And who knows how much longer our good health will hold out. So, the more we can see and do while we are still able to see and do, the happier I’ll be. Because memories are a precious thing. I love to reflect on the things I can no longer do. Like ski. Because I have some terrific memories of our close encounters with snowy hillsides. And in my mind, I can still see me following Andy down a ski run wondering whether my legs were going to give out before my enthusiasm for the sport led to disaster. And then deciding that one more run surely wouldn’t be too much to ask of my weary legs. Etc., etc.

So, this trip with all its inclement weather was just as wonderful as if we had been able to sit outside every day. The snow was a bit unsettling. But we made it through in flying colors. Am I ready to go again? You bet I am!