05-07-2005 Mother’s Day at Castle Crags

Transcribed from our old leather journal on June 14, 2018

We left Klamath at 4pm heading for Castle Crags near Dunsmuir on Interstate 5.  We arrived shortly after 6:30 to the State Park.  Camped in site #38.  The upper loop was closed and the lower loop was too close to the freeway. 

That is the only real drawback to this campground.  The freeway I-5 is very close by.  Our spot was one reserved for RV’s so was fairly level with the door opening out to a pretty meadow and a great view of the oak-pine-fir forest out the bedroom window.  We leveled a bit, settled, in, and I made soup and cheese sandwiches.

After dinner we walked up to the Vista Point.  About a mile of steep winding road that was restricted to RV’s.  Seemed like a lot of up!  We went to the Vista Point but it was too cloudy to see any of the view.  We skipped a fire and cozied up in bed with books and a good night’s sleep.

On Saturday we woke to a rainy morning so we had a great bacon and egg breakfast, and a slow and peaceful morning.  I finally knitted a scarf for Shera and Mo helped unravel and wind yarn.  Finally at 11:00 AM it was clear enough that we decided to take a hike. 

Followed the river trail for about 6 miles overall, 1.5 miles from the Riverside Day use area to the end and then looping back past the store and the campground trail to the north.  Beautiful hike along the Sacramento River.

Fritos, cheese, and wine while we put up the awning and set out the chairs and table and we just enjoyed the meadow for the rest of the afternoon.

Mo built a nice big fire and we baked potatoes and steak and veggies.  Great dinner.  After dinner we went down to the 1 mile Indian Creek loop for another lovely hike, but then the rain started.

We turned on the generator and watched Good Morning Viet Nam while it poured down rain and we slept great all night to the sound.

On Sunday, Mother’s Day, it never stopped raining all night and was still pouring at 10:30 AM.  We cooked another good breakfast, and turned on the generator again to watch Fried Green Tomatoes.  Probably won’t be doing much outside today since it is so incredibly wet. 

We are having a little bit of leakage on the rear passenger window by the bed.  Hopefully we have isolated it.  Not a bed weekend, even with the rain.  We had a good time, good hikes, and were very comfortable in the MoHo.

April 15 to April 18 2005 The MoHo Goes to Washington State

Transcribed from the old leather journal on June 14, 2018

Mo and I left Klamath Falls on a beautiful sunny morning after Mo went to her new doctor in Klamath Falls.  She likes the doctor.  Mo drove first, mileage was 17,725 via Highway 97 to Madras where we bought gas at $2.40 per gallon and calculated 11.6 mpg.  Great mileage!

We stopped for an ice cream cone in Shaniko and by the time we got to Biggs it was a little after five and was raining lightly.  Mo spent $22.for the full hookup site at Maryhill State Park and we settled in and then went for a walk along the river.

Quiet evening cooking dinner of rice and polish sausages, cole slaw, and boxed Chardonnay while we played cards.  Sleeping in the rain till after 8AM the next morning.  We spent a lazy morning, had a good breakfast of polish sausages, eggs, and potatoes, took a walk around the campground, visiting with MoHo admirers and then drove up to the Maryhill museum. 

It was a great museum with lots of art, gardens and peacocks, even a white one.

We drove on to Wenatchee via Highway 97, with a hot dog lunch at the rest area north of Yakima.  Pulled into Wenatchee at 4:15 or so.  Gas in Quincy was $2.45 PG and we got 12.6 MPG!

Deanna and Keith met us at their old house and we dug plants, then we went to see the new spec house.  The downtown building “legacy Square”, and then visited over Mexican dinner at Casa Mia’s, their treat.  Home to sleep out in the apartment parking lot.

The alarm went off at 5 and we left at 5:35 AM to Albany via Highway 97 over Blewitt Pass.  I-90 to 18 and Augurn where we got gas and ate a McDonald’s breakfast, then down I-5 through Portland to Melody’s theater.

We parked in the back lot to change and eat and visit with Deb and her friend Shannon.  Deb is doing a little bit better after her recent surgery.

We had great fun at the play “Rocky Horror” with Melody as Columbia.  Afterward home to Melody’s house for more visiting and a chicken dinner cooked by Kevin.

Gas in Albany was $2.39 PG and we were getting 10 mpg.  We left at 8am via i-5, Highway 58, and Highway 97.  We had lunch at Mollie’s Cafe and were home to my house by 2PM in the afternoon.

04-09-2005 Maiden Trip to Lost Lake

Transcribed from the old leather journal on June 14, 2018

We left Mo’s house around 1PM, driving over Highway 140 to the Butte Falls Road #321.  There still was snow over the pass, but it thinned out before we got too far.

We took Road 992 to Prospect then up 62 to Union Creek, but all the campgrounds were still closed for the season.

We stopped for a BLT lunch at the Union Creek Campground and then headed back toward Medford.  We found a really nice state park with electric hookups for only $12. per night  at Joseph H Stewart Recreation Area and Campground and settled in.  Mo has a spider bite and Sue has a sore throat, so we are a pretty low key pair.  We had a glass of wine while we relaxed before our evening stroll.  What a way to live!

Stewart State Park was great.  Lovely campsites with electricity, nice trails to walk, lots of space between sites.  We slept well for more than 10 hours!  It was nice to turn the furnace on in the morning to take off the chill.  We drove down to Applegate Lake but there wasn’t much there to see.

Gas was $2.49 , we drove 222.5 miles total, and our mileage was 11.35 mpg.

03-04-2005 Looking for a MotorHome

Transcribed from our old leather journal on June 14, 2018

We left my house at 3PM driving Mo’s Van to go to Salem. The trip turned out to be really successful.  We stayed at the Salem Motel 6 as planned and had dinner with Don near his hotel at Newport Bay.  It was almost 11 when we went to sleep.  They gave us a handicap room which we thought was funny.

Saturday morning was a little bit crazy with me driving to Albany to visit Melody while Mo watched Don’s drills.  Back together at noon and traveling south again to check out the RV Show.  Stopped first at Guaranty in Junction City to look at the Dynamax.  Then on to the show in Eugene which wasn’t that great.  Lots of big new diesel pushers and no class B’s.  We decided to drive back to Guaranty and look again and the rig really did look great and within an hour Mo had bought it for $15,000 less than they asked.

It is so great and even Mo was a little bit excited.  we will pick it up on Mondy the 14th.  We drove 120 over to Redmond and stayed at the Motel 6 there after a really strange dinner at Sheri’s with bad food and bad service.

Sunday morning we went back for breakfast and it was fine.  Checked out the RV show in Redmond but it turned out to be a sports show so we didn’t go.  On to Bend where we stopped at Target, GI Joes, and Alder River Co, where Mo bought our life jackets and Costco before heading home.  We tried to get up to Newberry but still too much snow. The weather was great, though, sunny and in the 60’s.

We stopped at Collier State Park Campground and walked around for ah hour, checking out the Williamson River and kayak possibilities.  Home to Klamath where we had pizza at Abby’s and then home to my houe for TV and the Sunday paper and early to bed.

On March 15th we made the long one day trip to pick up the MoHo.  I met Mo at Rocky Point and we left at 8am for Junction City.  I drove the van and Mo drove the Dakota.  We made good time over Highway 58 and arrived at the dealer at noon.

Mo finalized the sale and we did the walkthrough till 4pm.  Then across the street to trade the van and truck for a great 2002 white Blazer. The sale was easy, but the paper work wasn’t done till 8!

We drove to the Mexican Restaurant at Valley River Parkway for a great dinner and then decided to go home via I-5 since it was so late.  We took turned driving and both vehicles are great.  The V-10 on the Motorhome just cruises at 65 to 70 mph and climbs the passes so easily.

We got home at 1AM and celebrated with a quick soak in the hot tub under the stars.  Long and very successful day!