Oregon – Page 2 – The MoHo and Other Traveling Tales

June 10 Transitions

First, a warning. This is another long, rather rambling catch-up conversation that I thought about posting only to my private Transitions blog. It is very much a personal journal. Like many RV bloggers, when we are basically stationary, I tend to avoid blogging. The everyday stuff is just too mundane, and not related to the RV life and the MoHo Travels. But there are others like me out there, and while readers come and go, I do have some that check in now and then and might wonder what we have been up to. I also know that when I haven’t heard from someone in a long time, and they do a catch-up post, I enjoy reading it, even if it isn’t travel related. The blogging world is changing, with many bloggers slipping into the ethers of cyberspace, never heard from again. Some of us, though, have old connections that go way back more than a dozen years, and I do like hearing from these people, even if they have hung up their keys, or if they are in the non-snowbird portion of their lives. So here you go.

I have been thinking about journaling for some time now, but the blog posts keep eluding me. Part of the problem is that I often don’t have the computer with me and typing on the phone, no matter how nice it is to have that option, doesn’t lend itself to on-the-fly writing. I type as fast as I think, so the typing doesn’t really interfere with my thought flow when I am using a full keyboard. The last post I wrote, while we were traveling to the coast, was a mess. I tried to use the voice feature on the phone. That was an exercise in futility, and even my readers noticed that the “flow” wasn’t there as it usually is.

It doesn’t help that the days and weeks all seem to be running together, without a lot of markers along the way. Too much of the same thing, whether it is work or play, makes Jane a dull whatever, as one of my friends said recently. But, when nothing comes that seems to be of any import, I slip back into my old technique of starting right now, here in the moment.

At 5 in the late afternoon, the sun is still brilliant. I am sitting at the table in the cottage, facing the big old double hung windows that face the east side of the property. The huge old oaks are shifting about in the breeze. Even when it is hot here in Grants Pass, the afternoon breezes are a welcome relief. Today hasn’t been too terribly hot, though, with temps in the mid 70’s and moving clouds to block the sunlight now and then. Wonderful.

This is the big old oak on the west side that will NOT have to be taken down for the new house.

For quite some time now we have been spending our weeks doing much the same thing. Usually on Monday mornings we head for Rocky Point, with the mowers and trimmers and yard tools that are carried in the truck all the time. We have the trailer in tow, mostly because we take it back to the apartments because the riding mower for Rocky Point and the walking mower for the apartments are at the repair shop. So we haul the one walking mower back and forth, with the main riding mower residing in Grants Pass thank goodness, and return home each week, hoping for a call from the repair man.

Monday mornings are often a bit rough for me. I get moody and irritable, with the constant job of packing and repacking in front of me. I am trying to keep three sets of most things at each house, but that doesn’t work too well for fresh food. Instead I have to pack up whatever we have that is fresh, plan whatever we need for Rocky Point where there are no stores nearby, and think about what I have to take to The Cottage that isn’t already there. I have three notebooks that I try to keep current, and it works some of the time, but I still find myself knowing that I have two bottles of Hershey’s syrup and nope, there isn’t one here. Here being whichever house I am in currently as I try to dish up ice cream.

Here is the “mound” we planted at the cottage two years ago and what it looks like now. Stuff grows well in Grants Pass

The last couple of weeks, however, have been a bit easier. I discovered the small, lightweight, plastic bin method of packing. I can see everything, can keep the bins in the closet and add to them as needed, and I can lift them. Dry food bin, Sue’s clothes bin, Mo’s clothes bin, the dog stuff bin, the computer, phone, iPad, Kindle, chargers, cords and all that stuff bin. Yeah, that takes an entire bin. Then fresh food into the ice chest, don’t forget the dog’s crate or the dog’s bed (we have forgotten both at one time or another), hook up the trailer to the truck and we are off.

The usual pattern is 2 or 3 days at Rocky Point, then a couple of days at Grants Pass. Sometimes we manage more than a few days at a time at each home, and that is always nice. Most of the time it depends on the mowing schedule. Mowing and watering seem to be the drivers for wherever we need to go.

At Rocky Point we mow and pack stuff. Most everything in the house is ready for the final move out, but the garage, shop, and shed are all in need of work. We have hauled a trailer load to Grants Pass of miscellaneous tidbits every week since I don’t know when. I think I might go to the calendar and try to count trailer loads.

At the Cottage, Mo has been working all day today on her wood/workshop, building more shelves for her nails and screws, her personal hardware store that keeps everything running smoothly.

We have stored “stuff” upstairs in the RV shed, to be unpacked eventually when the house is built. We laughed a lot this morning about how much of that stuff is mine, but then I reminded her of how much of that other “stuff” is hers. We definitely have different priorities. I have a lot more keepsakes than she does, but then I had four kids and she had none. I don’t have a lot of “stuff” per se, but I do have treasures, gifts, cards, photos, all the things of a lifetime. All that “stuff” that so many full timers are so glad to let go of. Not me. I need a home base.

My life has been rather wild and chaotic, with losses over and over of my “stuff” back in the old days. The few things I have managed to hold on to matter to me. I do love, even once in awhile, taking out a box of cards, or a stash of journals or whatever, and remembering that yes, my life DOES have some continuity, it isn’t all just forgotten.

The other thing that makes writing hard is how my feelings flip flop. When I am here, at the cottage in Grants Pass, I love it. I love the open skies, the huge old oaks, the light. I love being close to a sweet little town, with a traffic problem now and then, but nothing I can’t deal with by getting out early. Last week I unpacked all my garden and cook books, and put them in the shelves in the RV shed that Mo set up for gardening. I can’t quite explain how simply comforting it is to walk out there and see my books, lined up and ready to look at. Treasure. Sure, I can look anything up on the internet, to cook, or to grow, but still, the books feel like home to me.

I don’t have a lot of work to do here. The Cottage is 720 square feet, not a lot to clean. We really have decided that it is time to stop spending money on things to make it more comfortable, cleaner. We will live with the patched floors, the old carpet in the kitchen, no need to put any more money and work into a place that will be seeing a bulldozer before next year. Hopefully, at least.

My main job when we are here is moving hoses, watering, weeding, raking, trimming. And cooking, although I don’t do that as extensively here as elsewhere because I don’t have an oven other than a small convection one, and the entire setup isn’t really conducive to trying to cook anything too fancy.

I actually have time to work on small quilt projects. This time I brought my “All Gussied Up” rooster pattern and fabric to begin. It is a complex applique project, with lots of tracing, cutting, choosing the right colors of fabric, and putting it all together. It was pleasant to sit at the kitchen table and trace little numbered pieces. I can see why some people enjoy the new coloring craze, mind numbing, and quieting.

I do love being here, a lot, and always seem to settle in to enjoy the feelings, the relaxation, and the dreams of what it will be like when the house is built.

Last week the builder came out with his partner and we decided on the location for the house. The white marks on the grass mark porch pillars, and the edges of the walls.

See the shade of the oak tree? That is where the west wall will be

I spend time outside just standing on the “porch”, looking at the view, enjoying how the west side oak will shade the west facing windows of the living room. We were so happy to find that the placement of the house will let us keep that west side oak. It is big and old and leans nicely away from the house toward the west, so she stays. Sometimes I walk around to where the bedroom windows will be, or my bay windowed soaking tub, to the beautiful breakfast room surrounded by windows. Light. The one thing Rocky Point doesn’t have, even with our wonderful skylights. We have light here and I love it. Open sky, sunsets, morning light in the windows.

This will be the view from the back living porch. It is the sunniest spot for a future garden.

We moved the windmill from Rocky Point to the Cottage last month.

I spend a ridiculous amount of time on Pinterest, looking at granite, and paint colors, hardwood floors, and last week it was a great deal of time getting decisions made on window styles that will feel like Craftsman and yet not break our budget. The plans had included some windows that I didn’t like at all, and Mo and I realized that we needed to get the window information to Dave before he gives her the final number. I now know clearly the difference between a double-hung and a single-hung window, a casement window and cottage style. Dave is the kind of builder that gives the number up front, an important part for us. No surprises for the house unless we do changes or upgrades after the fact. That final number is an important one.

Something that surprised us both was Dave’s choice of cement siding. Cement?!? It looks like cedar siding, but paints better and lasts longer. He is a good builder, so we are trusting him on this. He also recommended composite decking and metal railings, but we decided we still want real wood. I want the house to feel like a “real” house and not a composite of crazy materials. Yes, we will have vinyl windows, not wood, but that is a compromise that has to be made. Wood windows would be way outside our budget. But we will have the solid wood Craftsman door, no fiberglass for us!

Lots of time looking at windows on Pinterest. I have no idea where this photo came from. This isn’t a photo of how the house will look, just the windows.

Art Deco stained glass panels may be something for later, who knows, but probably not in the picture right away. There are dreams, and then there is reality, and our Dream House will be somewhere between the two. The things that really matter to us we will have, and some things we will let go. Hardwood floors for sure, no laminate, but we don’t have to have really fancy tilework in the bathrooms, just around the soaking tub. It is all about balancing that ever present number, the budget.

The number that isn’t written in stone however, is the lot prep. Dave says that there is no telling what we will be looking at with the power company and upgrading the current electric service. We will need a new septic and drain field, which we knew, but the water system will be the killer. We have a large 1750 gallon cistern that was installed last fall to store water from the 2.5 GPM well, so I have no trouble irrigating. But the water is full of iron and worst of all, salts. We can filter the iron, but not the salt, so it seems that we may be installing a “whole house” Reverse Osmosis unit, with another cistern to capture THAT water. We will know more about that plan when we get the water test numbers back this coming week. The “Great 30” test covers everything and cost a whopping $230 bucks. With those numbers in hand, John Jacob, the water man, will have a better handle on just what extent of filtration we will need for the new house.

We knew about the low producing well when we bought the place, but the RO unit is a surprise, and will be a big chunk of change. Still, it will be worth it to have ppm less then 1 of anything in our water, to protect the fixtures and the house, and not have to drill another well. Water issues in the Rogue Valley are notorious, and getting to be more of a problem all the time with continued growth. It may be Oregon, but it is Southern Oregon, and it is dry.

The other unknown is the demolition of the cottage. There have to be tests for asbestos and lead, since the house was built in 1926, and we won’t know how much it will cost to take it down until those tests are completed. Dave is working on all that right now, with plans to get back to us. It seems as though getting septic approval can take at least two months, and electric even longer, so it is a good thing that we have no plans to actually start building until next season. In the mean time, we can do a lot of the site prep work except for the demo. We won’t start that until the Rocky Point sale is a sure thing.

The lawns at Rocky Point are looking great. The house is very nearly completely hidden now by big trees.

Rocky Point went up for sale in early May. Most houses in Rocky Point sell in 1 and sometimes 2 years. Worst case scenario, we keep on as we have been and don’t start building until 2018. Initially the goal was to be settled into snow free Grants Pass by 2020, so there is really no reason to get stressed, other than the fact that I am getting really tired of living in three houses!! And not having much play time!!

We will be leaving the little greenhouse behind. Mo built it well.

The other thing we seem to be spending a lot of time on here is rig maintenance. I think we are wearing out the pavement between our house and Bridge Street Auto. We love the place, the people are great, do a good job, and are pretty good at communicating with us and diagnosing our needs. I highly recommend them if you are ever in need of RV or car work in Grants Pass. Of course, they also seem to be good at finding things we need to have done.

Mo got new brakes on the Tracker, I got new brakes and a fan clutch on the Dakota, and the MoHo had to go in a few times to try to fix a problem with the levelers. That was the biggest problem, with all new solenoids, a rebuilt hydraulic pump, and finally after three trips down, new coach batteries and cables. All is working well now.

Of course, with all the heavy hauling we have been doing with the pickup, it seems that the transmission is on its way out. Sigh. 140,000 miles of being a perfect truck does come with a price. And Mo also has the timing belt to replace in the Lexus. Sigh again. I guess cars get old. We have “used” our motorhome, and she has a good 90,000 miles under her belt without any real problems. I guess it is just that time. Needless to say, it feels like money is just rolling out the door much too quickly.

The flowers we leave behind at Rocky Point when all is said and done

And then there is Rocky Point. After some initial activity, things seem to have slowed down on the showings and there isn’t much happening. In the Rogue Valley, houses are going as fast as they are put on the market, as is the case in some parts of Klamath Falls. But not at Rocky Point. It is a special place, a lovely house, but unique, and in a unique area. It will take some time. But it is stressful, very stressful waiting.

We won’t start building the new house till Rocky Point is sold, and there isn’t a mortgage, but there are the utilities, the upkeep, the work keeping it looking nice to contend with. We are getting a little bit tired, to say the least. Hopefully something will happen before the summer is over. I know so many people who have been through this waiting game, and then something does eventually happen. Sooner or later the house will sell, as another blogger reminded us when writing up the ten things she wish she had known when going full time.

Yet when we head back home to the apartments, it is wonderful to walk in the door and again have all that other “stuff” that is there waiting. Our comfy furniture, my luscious StressLess recliner, the 55 inch TV with all sorts of streaming stuff available, and not least of course, full unrestricted internet access! Ahh….and my bed, my luscious bed and my quilts and art. I am not sure if this really matters to Mo. She is much better at just being wherever she is at the moment and being fine with it. I’m the one whose mind rolls around in all these crazy places.

Love the yellow china rose and the old fashioned poppies at the apartments on Old Fort Road

Just to make matters even more confusing, in spite of the grumpy mornings on the way to Rocky Point, once I am there I appreciate how beautiful it is. I love all the trees that Mo planted, love seeing them mature, love the gardens when they bloom, the forest, the gorgeous green grass, the fabulous water. I love hearing the geese down on the lake, and when we lived there full time, I loved knowing we could pop the kayaks in the truck and be at the water in five minutes. I miss that a lot, kayak time.

June and October are the most gorgeous months at Rocky Point. When I was walking behind the mower the other day, I wondered why in the world we thought we ever had to leave. Mo reminded me, “We want to no longer have to deal with the heavy snows”. “It is really nice to have a town close by”. “ It is nice not to have all this work”. It is time. I don’t think once Mo has decided something that she ever has second thoughts. She thinks it all the way through, makes the decision, and then follows through. One step after the other, no regrets. I try to be like that, but it seems that I have too many “feelings” all the time. Memories of happy times, beautiful starry nights in the hot tub, long days on the water, snuggly fires at Christmas, my huge cookie baking counter! Family space for holiday dinners and celebrations.

In spite of all the back and forth, we have managed to have a few days of playtime. We had a great Mother’s Day brunch with Family out at the newly refurbished Rocky Point Resort, just a stone’s throw from our home there.

We enjoyed the annual Taste of Klamath evening at the Ross Ragland in mid May, a long time tradition for us, and made even more fun now that my daughter Melody is employed there.

We took an entire day while at Grants Pass and went kayaking on Lake Selmac, about 25 miles west of town and one of the few lakes to kayak at that elevation.

With many miles of dirt road exploring, we finally found Spalding Mill Pond, with logging history dating back to the 30’s. The original owners who moved here in the early 20th century are still in business in Grants Pass

We topped off the day with a wild exploration ride high into the mountains between Grants Pass and the coast, amazed at the incredible wild and rugged landscape of the Coast Range.

For the last few years, Mo and I have had wonderful play time, lots of great travels, both in the MoHo and otherwise, and have enjoyed that freedom. Those days will come again. We still have 8 states to add to the well used state map on the back of the MoHo. We have a long trip planned for some future date taking in the far northeastern part of the country, and on to the Maritime Provinces. I have a dream to spend another winter kayaking the spring runs in Florida. We have a little plan to drive all the Scenic Highways and Byways in our own state, some of which we have traveled, but not all.

It is all about the transition from living in snow country in Rocky Point, to living in a place where the maintenance is less and the freedom to travel is greater. The day will come, it is just a process. Living in the moment, appreciating the process and the transition, is the bigger challenge. I’m working on it.

Fabulous Friends Fabulous Days Fabulous Fun

Continued from this post:

As I wrote yesterday, Jeanne (my friend from Vermont) arrived on Monday, Labor Day, a very short time after Phil and Joanne left for Eugene. I haven’t seen Jeanne since her wedding last year, when I traveled to Vermont to participate in one of the most wonderful weddings I have ever experienced.

Jeanne has many friends in Klamath Falls, and it gets pretty crazy when she visits trying to fit everyone in. Most of her friends are high energy, very physical folks. Big time bikers, runners, hikers, and white water boaters. Just like Jeanne. Thank goodness I have a couple of decades on them as an excuse for not being able to keep up, not wanting to, actually. I’ll settle for a flat water paddle and a long walk any day!

Still, Jeanne made sure she had time for us, spending a couple of days and a night in the cabin. After a nice walk in the neighborhood, we settled in at home for some of Jeanne’s favorite ribs. I don’t think I have made them since the last time she visited, but I am sure glad that was her request. Got the recipe from a local Rocky Point resident famous for his cooking. Something about a few hours braising in pineapple juice and seasonings before they go on the grill with sticky sweet gooey sauce makes them fall off the bone tender and so tasty. Yum.

Once again we pulled out the dominoes. Jeanne and Alan found out while visiting us a couple of years ago that our domino game was one they actually liked, but forgot how to play it. Alan, now her sweet husband, actually bought her a set after they left here last visit. Hopefully this time she will remember.

The next morning dawned the most gorgeous, smoke free, bluebird sky day we have seen in weeks. By nine Jeanne and I were on the water, launching at Malone Spring and traveling north to Crystal Spring.

The canoe trail is within the boundary of the Upper Klamath NWR, and parallels the steep eastern flank of the Cascade Mountains. As you can see, it winds through the marsh, with lots of meanders. The water is crystal clear, but filled with plants and fish and birds abound.

In this photo, from a larger perspective, you can see the upper part of the canoe trail in relation to our place in Rocky Point, in addition to Pelican Bay where we kayaked with Phil and Joanne, and the spring run to Harriman Springs where we took Judy and Phil and Joanne as well. It is nice to have options based on how much time we have and how many miles our guests wish to paddle. The run with Jeanne, (and the same run later with Jimmy and Nickie) is about 8 miles round trip.

I would have loved to linger at the spring, but we had only 4 hours to make the round trip because Jeanne’s friends were picking her up for another adventure. Hiking down to the water of Crater Lake for an icy swim and the long steep hike back up were next on the list. I begged off this one, even though invited since I wasn’t sure my recently rebuilt innards could handle the climb back up the long steep trail.

After Jeanne left, Mo and I had a day to get the new wood stove moved into the apartments, finish up a few details, and buy groceries for the next round of guests.

I was so excited to have Nickie and Jimmy (The Intrepid Decrepit Travelers) send a text message saying they were heading our way and would we be home. I had already practiced a couple of days of food, so I just did it all again for our new company. Good thing we all like salmon! The End of the Day (3 of 7)

They arrived on Thursday afternoon, and didn’t take long to arrange Tergel in the shop driveway, get her leveled with the slides out and join us for more make it yourself wraps and fruit. I have found this to be a great way to do lunch for a bunch, laying out spreads, hummus, cheeses, veggies and several kinds of tortillas for everyone to put together their favorite. Takes a lot of the pressure off!

Mo took a break from our guests to try to catch up on getting the lawns mowed while the three of us took Mattie for a nice long walk along Rocky Point road while we chatted and got caught up on all the recent doings. I was really impressed with Jimmy’s recovery and his strength walking after such recent knee surgery. Way to go, Jimmy!

We had so much fun with dinner and conversation I completely forgot to take photos. Guess that is a good sign.

The next morning we were again up early to get out on the creek before the warm temperatures took over. Sadly, the bluebird skies had disappeared and smoke from the California fires was once again muting the horizon and the distant mountains.

Still it was beautiful out on the water. Jimmy and Nickie have a tandem Sea Eagle, but opted instead to try our hard side boats. It was just at the point of being a bit too long, but everyone did fine and instead of having to rush off when we reached Crystal Spring, we had the luxury of lolling around above the beautiful springs before taking our time going back downriver.

The current is almost negligible, just enough to feel it a bit as you are paddling upstream, but not enough to really get you moving downstream. Nature was good to us on this day because the afternoon winds never appeared. Good thing there isn’t much current! Mattie is new to kayaking, and this was only her third time out. She is just a bit nervous. For who knows what reason, she decided to jump right out of the boat into the water. It was COLD, and I think she was quite happy that Mo was able to haul her back in within seconds. She didn’t try it again.

While floating around the spring, my phone rang. What?? I didn’t even remember that it was on and certainly didn’t expect to have a signal. Sure enough my friend Marti, from Idaho, was calling trying to figure out how to get to Rocky Point. I told her we would be there in a couple of hours and that hopefully she could relax on the porch till we arrived.

When we got home, Marti was waiting patiently enjoying a book and the shady porch with her dog, Rueben. Rueben was a very excitable dog, and we had no idea how he and Mattie would get along, but they were just fine, if a tad rambunctious. I offered the cabin to Marti and Rueben, and Jimmy and Nickie decided it was nap time in Tergel!

Understand, Marti is a river rat from way back, guiding on the Rogue River in years past, and running the Grand Canyon and so many others I have no idea about. Still, I had offered to take her out in our lake kayaks, but after so many trips I felt a bit worn out. The look of disappointment in Marti’s eyes when I started to beg off another kayak trip was enough to get me back in my boat once again that day for a second paddle down to Harriman Spring.

I got a good deal of paddling in during that week, for sure, and I loved it.

We had planned to go out to supper, down the road once again to the local resort, but everyone was so relaxed, and there was so much food left over that we decided to eat at home. I marinated and broiled some chicken and made another fresh salad to go with all the rest of the goodies. We feasted, laughed and talked until everyone just plumb gave out and meandered off to bed.

Saturday morning dawned smoky and warm, and I think Nickie and Jimmy were not happy about having to return to Nevada City and the huge Butte Fire smoke that was affecting their area. Still, everyone was up early, sharing coffee and fruit before they buttoned up Tergel, hooked up Smartie and headed down the road toward California and Marti continued her Oregon travels heading toward the coast. The End of the Day (7 of 7)

This last photo might just give an idea of how much fun we have with these great friends of ours that we never would have known if not for RVing and blogging about it.

I think this may have been the busiest week I have experienced with company since my family reunion back in 2007. It was so much fun to see everyone, but I must say next time I hope all our visitors won’t have to schedule during the same week.

July 28 2015 Taking a Break at Waldo Lake

Current Location: Rocky Point, Oregon

Current Temperature: 97 degrees F

I am NOT complaining about the heat. It is warmer than I can remember here in Rocky Point, but at the moment the WunderMap shows temperatures ranging from 106 to 109 in the Grants Pass area. That is NOT “feels like” weather, that is the real temperature. The Rogue Valley of Oregon is even hotter than notoriously hot Redding, California! Go figure.

In addition to being almost ten degrees cooler here in the trees at Rocky Point, the house is even cooler yet. I just returned from taking Mattie for a walk, a very hot walk, and when I walked into the house it felt as if we had air conditioning. So grateful for a well insulated, well built, cool and comfortable home. No air conditioning needed.

Insulation was the last thing on my mind on Tuesday morning when we packed up the MoHo and headed north to spend a bit of time in the mountains. Yes, I know, we live in the mountains, but camping at a lake at more than 5,000 feet elevation surrounded by mountain hemlock is a lot different than hanging out at home.

Our destination was the incredible Waldo Lake, Gem of the Cascades. Waldo isn’t far from where we live, and is just a short 13 miles north of the Highway 58 route that we often travel on the way to Eugene. However, as beautiful as it is, the reputation for heavy mosquito infestations keep us from camping there more often. According to the website, Waldo campgrounds are barely habitable until after mid-August and into September, and then the snow can fly as early as late September.

We found that out the hard way the last time we camped at Waldo, during the latter part of July back in 2010. It was a wonderful, albeit short stay, and both of us still laugh about the heavy clouds of mosquitoes surrounding us as we attempted to enjoy the beautiful lake. I wrote about that visit here.

The most wonderful aspect of Waldo Lake is its protection from gasoline engines. Only electric motors are allowed on this lake. The water is incredibly pure and crystal clear. Because it is a snow fed lake, and is surrounded by rhyolite and pumice, there is nothing to contribute to the growth of algae or murky water. It is wonderful to be near such a large beautiful lake without the sounds of jet skies and motorboats. Obviously, it is a very popular kayaking and sailing lake. There are so many places where fast boats are allowed, I am grateful that there are a few places like this for those of us who like the quieter pursuits.

Waldo Lake view from the amphitheater at North Waldo Campground The beauty of the place is so enticing, we decided that since we needed to travel once again to Eugene, we should go a day early and make an attempt at warding off the mosquitoes long enough to at least enjoy the lake for a little bit. I am not yet at my 90 day mark for healing from my surgery, the magic day when my lifting limit increases from a maximum of 5 pounds to 20 pounds. Mo refused to even think about taking the kayaks until I got the Ok from my surgeon.

I couldn’t imagine being at Waldo without my kayak, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable overnight camps we have ever spent.

Arriving late morning to a quiet campground with many open sites, we were amazed to discover that there was not a single mosquito in sight, nary a one, nowhere. We set up camp, parked in a nice open breezy site to ward off the supposedly ever present little beasts, and opened the doors to fresh mountain bug free air.

A few days before our visit, a cold front slipped through this part of Oregon, and I remember seeing temperatures in the high 30’s on the east side of the Cascades. Maybe the little stinkers decided to go south.

Our afternoon was filled with fresh, cool air, and skies so blue they looked almost electric. I pulled out the no nitrates/ no sulfates, whatever uncured bacon we found at Costco last week, sliced some fat tomatoes and we feasted on luscious sandwiches piled up with our fresh garden lettuce.

We decided that it was time to hike the Shoreline Trail. Not all of it, of course, but as much as we could manage in an afternoon. I knew that the Taylor Burn had decimated much of the land north of the lake, and that we probably wouldn’t make it all the way west to where the trees were still intact.

Still, it was a great hike, in perfect temperatures, with gorgeous views of the lake that would have been otherwise hidden by the deep hemlock forest if not for the burn.

There are many ponds tucked among the rolling slopes above the lake, and the trail is never really too steep or rocky to be enjoyable.

The wildflowers were sparse on the eastern edge, but as we walked west, and the landscape showed a bit more moisture, we saw more and more flowers blooming among the old burned stumps from the fire in 1996 that burned more than 10,000 of forest on the northern edge of the lake. Fireweed and pussytoes were the most prolific flowers, but there were a few others tucked away, and many sedges along the ponds.

Shrubs were dominated by willow and a few mountain ash with bright orange berries, and the regenerating trees were mostly mountain hemlock and red fir or subalpine fir.

It was Mattie’s first real hike, and she managed to keep up with us fairly well. Watching her trot along with those short little legs made me realize that she had to go at least six steps for every one of ours. Here and there, among the snags, we found old ponds and standing water. Good enough for Mattie, although something in the 4 inch deep water scared her back out of it after taking a drink.

In less than 3 miles, we found a side trail leading down toward the shore and enjoyed a beautiful break in the crystal clear cool waters. Mattie is still learning to go into the water, and it was exciting to work with her and get her to actually retrieve a stick in belly deep water.

Fun for us and cooling for her before we began the trek back home. The hike was 5.7 miles, and on the way home, Mattie saw a strip of snag shade across the trail and decided to instantly flop down and rest. That is when I knew that maybe we shouldn’t try to take her on more than a six mile hike on a sunny day in the mountains.

Waldo Lake near the swimming area After we got back to camp and rested a bit, it was time to go back beyond the boat launch to the swimming area. I so love swimming in crystal clear water with a clean sandy bottom. But oh! that water was COLD. I managed to jump in and swim a bit, and then after warming on the nearby rock, I jumped in again and swam part way across the narrow channel to one of the islands.

I was probably in the water a total of ten minutes at the most. Wish I had a photo to prove it, but we didn’t bring the camera along for our swim.

Back again at camp, Mo built a fabulous campfire and I heated up some leftovers I had planned for dinner before pulling out the marshmallows. I have no idea why I do that, I don’t even really like the marshmallows, I just like to roast them.

Finally, as evening progressed, the little no seeum’s found us and we decided to retreat into the motorhome.

The next morning, while it was still early, we walked the opposite direction on the Shoreline Trail toward Islet Campground where we had stayed in 2010. It is only about a mile and a half between campgrounds along the trail. Still, even early in the morning, there wasn’t a single mosquito to bother us and the no see um’s were nowhere to be found either.

A lovely breeze accompanied us as we hiked out on the Islet Peninsula where we tried to hike five years ago and were run off by mosquitoes. I have no idea why there were none on this most magical trip. I have no idea if they will hatch again before the fall frosts.

When we turned around to walk back through Islet Campground, we checked out our previous campsite, and then saw two little dogs that looked an awful lot like Mattie. Walking by, the two women who belonged to the dogs came over and asked if Mattie could be off leash and play.

What a time the three of them had! Their dogs were also Rat Terrier mixes rescued from a shelter. The women told us about a place near Portland along I-84 that is a 1,000 acre dog park. I guess we will have to find it someday.

By the time we got back to camp and ready to pack up, Mattie was in her perfect travel dog mode. She loves the motorhome, and always settles right down when we leave, usually in my lap or Mo’s depending on who is driving. As the day progresses, she will retreat to her bed on the floor, but she is never a problem while we are moving along. How lucky we are to have chosen a dog who likes being in the car or truck or MoHo especially!

If you would like to see the rest of the photos of our time at Waldo Lake, a link to my SmugMug Gallery is here.

On Wednesday, we left the campground by ten and were in the parking lot at the Eugene Valley River Mall before noon. In plenty of time for my doctor visit. The temps were already getting hot, and we turned on the generator and the air, with plans to settle in for the afternoon.

UhOh. The generator rumbled to life and then within a few minutes, it rumbled right back into silence. No generator. Mo tried a few things, but while she was messing with it, I was calling local RV parks! In plenty of time for my appointment with exactly one minute to spare, we managed to relocate to the Eugene Kamping World RV Park in Coburg, full hookups, TV and air conditioning! The price was fine at $33 bucks and some change. Armitage was nearby, but neither of us wanted to try to get in or find it. This was quick and easy and served our purpose just fine.

Later that evening, after my successful three month surgery checkup, we drove back to the east side of Eugene to have dinner with Phil and Joanne, friends of mine since 1977, that are now friends of ours.

It was the first time we had been to their new home, and Joanne had a great meal waiting for us. Their son Michael and his sweetie joined us for pre dinner snacks. It was great fun seeing him, and finding out that he is to be a new daddy in January.

I tried to get photos, but the new camera didn’t do quite what I expected, so these photos are a bit strange, but I wanted to put them here anyway, in honor of the lovely grilled salmon with homegrown basil pesto, quinoa and mushroom pilaf, and wonderful salad. Joanne made a blackberry cobbler for us as well, a gluten free/vegan recipe that she was trying out. It was interesting. Sorry Joanne, I probably won’t be going gluten free any time soon.

We left Eugene the next morning, grateful to be heading back over the crest of the Cascades as the record breaking heat wave was to hit the Willamette Valley and Eugene.

In the next few days we are expecting exciting company from Harris Beach/Brookings, so I am grateful that the heat wave is predicted to dissipate a bit.

In the mean time, the Blue Moon is set to rise over the lake at 8:32 PM and I plan to be there to enjoy it!

(Later: seems as though the Blue Moon was not mine to see. Dark and loud, but dry thunderstorms rumbled over our evening skies last night, and the power went down as well, but not a drop of rain)

A Treat in Grants Pass, Cathedral Hills and a Skunk

Current Location: Rocky Point Oregon, 34 degrees F with a 50 percent chance of snow

The cottage in Grants Pass is a great stopover spot when we are returning from our coast travels. Daughter Deborah is living there now, so we camp in the MoHo when we are there. During the winter months we pull the MoHo inside the big RV shed for protection, and sometimes we decide to camp inside as well when we are there.

day at the cottage Reminds me of those RV storage shed campsites that were developed in North Dakota for the oil workers. Although the shed has all around windows at the top, the interior is rather dim. Wouldn’t want to live there indefinitely, but it is great protection from weather and falling tree limbs in a windstorm. Yes, we do have some very large, very old white oak trees on the cottage property.

There are always chores associated with staying at the cottage. Mo is still working on the bathroom drywall and taping project after we put in a new bathtub, and now there is finally a shower as well. Deb is quite happy with that project since she has had to settle for baths in the morning before work until now when she can jump in for a quick shower.

This time of year there is always leaf burning, and leaf raking, but Deb has kept on top of most of the raking, so Mo had a big pile to burn this time. Of course, inversions are common in the Rogue Valley of Grants Pass, and Josephine County is judicious about allowing burn days. The first day was a no burn day, but on the second misty rainy morning the 6am phone call yielded good results. OK to burn!

day at the cottage Funny thing, though, those big sloppy leaves didn’t want to burn, in spite of the big tarp that was protecting the pile. Mo burned most of the day and only managed about 1/3 of the pile. I raked a bit, and then retreated to the cozy house to finish the binding on some kids quilts I have been making for Christmas. kid quilts (2 of 7)

The house was cozy because we finally managed to get the new gas stove heater installed and running. When the Avista guy came last month to light the pilot, he refused to approve the old stove, which had seen better days. It heated great all last winter, but was no longer safe. Time for a new stove.

That whole process was a bit of a kerfuffle, because no one in several towns had any gas stoves in stock. After much research, we finally found a great little Williams stove with a bit of a fire view for several hundred dollars less than anything we could find in town. The town shops said they could special order something, but even so the big delay was finding someone to do the installation.

Total Home Supply on the internet provided excellent service, with free shipping, and we had the stove at our door within two days. It took another month to get the installation completed, but now the cottage is again warm and cozy, and safe! Deborah hung in there as the month got colder, staying in front of her little electric heater most of the time. Now she has heat AND a shower. All that is needed is some kind of way to figure out the crazy electrical problems.

Remember, this little cottage wasn’t really something that we needed. Our only wish was for a place to store the MoHo. When Mo was trying to trouble shoot the electrical situation in a house built in 1926, she shook her head and wondered whether it was worth it or not. Someday we will get it all figured out, and it is still great to have a warmer climate for storing the MoHo in the winter. No winterizing, and we can head north or south without worrying about deep snows in the Klamath Basin. That was the plan.

The cottage is in a rural neighborhood, with rather narrow roads and deep ditches on either side of the pavement. The amount of passing traffic is a bit surprising, but I thought I would have enough room and warning to manage it for walking. What I didn’t expect was the number of big dogs, although why I wouldn’t expect that in a rural Oregon neighborhood, I have no idea. Big barking dogs, even behind fences, scare me. Adding to that fear is the sight of a big barking dog that has managed to get outside his fence. I have to remember to get some pepper spray.

After one day of walking Summit Loop for a few miles, I decided I needed another alternative for my walking project when we are at the cottage. Enter Cathedral Hills County Park.

Just a mile west of the cottage lies the hidden treasure of 400 acres of BLM protected wild land with more than 12 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine dominate the forested portions of the park, with madrone, manzanita, and yes, poison oak on the warmer southern slopes.

I drove to the Walker trail head, with a small parking lot for just a few cars and found it completely empty. I also found a nice notification of a black bear seen in the area just a few days prior to my visit. I wasn’t concerned, however, black bears usually stay well hidden and run when approached. I was worried that there might be loose dogs or crazy people wandering about, but turned out I had the entire trail to myself.

It was a great hike, accompanied by a large flock of turkeys, I walked up the steep eastern flank of the hills toward the ridge, enjoying the switchbacks. Unlike Humbug Mountain, these switchbacks actually have level areas in addition to the steeper parts. Good knee resting sections for the trip back down!

I was appreciative of the trail signs, and once on the ridge hiked south to get some amazing views of the Applegate Valley and the coast range mountains to the southwest. It is easy to forget just how mountainous this part of Oregon is when driving around in lower parts of the Rogue Valley and Grants Pass.

The cottage in on the terrace mid photo toward the east

I had the iPhone tracking my route, and as I continued on the ridge trail, was having a big of difficulty figuring out how that route fit with what I was seeing on the trail. Turns out I was completely turned around in my head, and thought I was looking west toward the valley, and instead, with closer inspection realized that I was looking directly at the terrace below where the cottage was barely visible toward the east. Sheesh. I don’t think you could actually get lost in the hills, but you can definitely get turned around and end up somewhere you might not want to be.

I am so happy that there is this amazing resource for me to explore so close to home. I only walked a few miles, and later, looking at the park map, realized just how much there is left to discover through the seasons at this hidden gem.

Our last adventure at the cottage was a bit less fun, but no less exciting. Deb had been hearing activity under the house, and there was a large excavated hole indicating that some creature really liked living there. She bought a trap and set it, with no results. However, a bigger trap did the trick, and when Mo and I got up on our last morning, we saw the cute little black and white visitor curled up in the back of the trap, watching us with her twinkling eyes.

Skunks are really cute critters. Really. Deb had to go to work, and couldn’t wait around to deal with it. Oh dear. Too Bad. Mo and I said not to worry, we would handle it. We not only had the pickup, but had the trailer with us for hauling the lawn mower, so figured the skunk could be relocated without much damage.

Mo threw a blue tarp over her, but she didn’t spray until Mo actually picked up the trap and put it in the far back part of the trailer, covering the tarp with the wheel chocks so the tarp wouldn’t blow away as we drove down the highway. Critter control had told Deborah that at least 20 miles away was required for release to keep the animals from returning.

We settled for about 15 miles, where we found a nice area near the Merlin dump, with no houses around, lots of brush and a ravine with a small stream. Ms Skunk should have been delighted to jump out of her cage. Instead she hung back, and when Mo upended the trap, she managed to stick to the back of the cage and refused to come out! Finally with a bit of pushing and shaking and some more spraying (did you know a skunk can spray straight up?!), she fell out of the trap and ambled off into the brush.

Mission accomplished. I do hope she doesn’t try to find her way home. So far there has been no activity under the house, but we saved the stinky blue tarp just in case, and will know what to do next time. Even though Mo didn’t get sprayed directly, we had skunk smell everywhere, especially on her shoes and clothes and in the truck and in the baby car. That smell is just amazing. I found out that hydrogen peroxide and baking soda works better than tomato juice, but in the absence of a quart of peroxide around the house, I learned that ammonia works almost as well.

Mo’s shoes are still on the porch here at home airing out, and the truck still smells faintly skunky. Ah well…at least we didn’t get hit directly and Deb’s cats didn’t get sprayed either. Life can be fun if you let it.

11-10-2014 Cape Blanco and Humbug Mountain

Current Location: Rocky Point, Oregon 42 degrees F and raining with snow tonight

I feel rather lucky to think that the most I might have to deal with tonight are a few snow flurries amidst the rain. I have been keeping up the walking plan, logging between 10,000 and 17,000 steps per day. I have walked in rain and wind but so far haven’t had to walk in snow. Cape Blanco

That blue pyramid in the distance on the left is Humbug Mountain from Cape Blanco

The best way to keep up a walking plan, however, is to spend a few days on the Oregon coast, driving short distances between campgrounds, setting up camp, and then exploring on foot. Often when we go to the coast, we have the kayaks, and spend much of our time finding fun places to launch the boats and explore by water. This time it was different, and I was delighted to enjoy the parks and trails at a slower pace, with a different perspective.

Our goal after spending one night near Bandon at Bullards Beach State Park, was Humbug Mountain State Park, just 69 miles south on Highway 101. Between our park destinations, however, was the mystical, magical world of Cape Blanco, written about with such beauty by the Cape Blanco lighthouse queen, Nina. Ah yes, I know there are other kings and queens at that lighthouse, many of them friends of Nina and Paul, but in my opinion, Nina still reigns supreme when it comes to writing about Cape Blanco.

I had never been out on the Cape, although Mo camped once at the state park campground and remembered most how very high above the ocean it is located. Not an easy walk to the beach, by any means. We drove the few miles from 101 toward the state park, and I must say, in spite of reading about it and seeing all the photos, I was surprised at the wild, remote beauty of Cape Blanco.

With the lighthouse closed since the end of October, we knew there would be no access, no great lighthouse tours, but it was still worth the beautiful walk up the road from the gate to the lighthouse. Looking in the windows of the little gift shop I knew that I really wanted to come back again sometime during “the season”, and take the tour.

The view from the headlands high over the ocean on all sides was magnificent. We hiked a bit of distance on a portion of the Oregon Coast Trail that is on the north side of the park road. Even with dark gray clouds and windy weather, the coastline was beautiful. Driving through the campground, I was surprised at the number of people tucked away into the very dark, very tree shrouded campsites. This is not a campground for someone who needs open skies and space. It is Northwest Forest rain country dark, and on this dark rainy day, I was glad I wasn’t camped there.

Continuing south toward Port Orford and just six miles beyond the little town to Humbug Mountain State Park, we arrived at the campground early enough to take the trail that leads under the highway to the small but lovely beach. The tide was in, so we couldn’t walk far toward the north before we were stopped by big waves and rocks.

Small but lovely beach at Humbug Mountain State Park

The biggest surprise of all was 4 bars on the phone and a strong Verizon signal on the iPad. Then, wonder of wonders, we got not only the major satellite channels, but our local channels as well. We settled in comfortably to site 44 without incident and with no neighbors. Chilly night, good food, internet, and TV. Can’t beat that combination nestled up in a cozy motorhome on the Oregon Coast.

l hoped the weather predictions for a sunny if chilly day to come were correct. Humbug Mountain looms above the campground, very nearly completely blocking the southern sky with its massive steep northern slope. We could see the mountain all the way from the Cape Blanco Lighthouse.

Humbug Mountain was created about 130 million years ago, when ocean arc islands collided, uplifting primordial mountains composed of mostly sandstone. The arc islands then collided with the North American continent, uplifting Humbug Mountain in the process. At 1,756 feet above sea level, it is one of the highest mountains in the Oregon Coast Range to rise directly from the ocean.

Our hike to the summit of Humbug Mountain began at sea level, and rose to that lofty elevation in just 3 miles in one direction and 2.5 miles in the other direction. The hike was 5.5 miles round trip, following the longer eastern route on the way up and the steeper and shorter western route on the way down.

I was so happy for a gorgeous, sunny day, even though the shadows on the northern slope of the mountain were long and dark. We hiked through ancient Douglas-fir old growth forests, with huge trees that showed deep fire scars at the base of their trunks. The views from the trail were few and far between thanks to the very thick forests, but a couple of times we could see to the east over the Coast Range, and as we descended from the summit, there was one spot where the entire coast lay before us.

With the curve north toward Port Orford, we could see Cape Blanco beyond in the distance, with the tiny lighthouse just visible in the brilliant sunlight. The view from the top of the mountain is rather nondescript, with trees blocking most of the view except for a brilliant patch of sun drenched ocean toward the south. We didn’t linger long at the summit, knowing we had that long downhill hike ahead of us.

As most hikers know, going up takes energy, but can be managed. Going down is an entirely different story, and even with my hiking poles, I was extremely glad to see the end of that trail. It seemed like we were suspended high above the highway for a very long time, and the switchbacks just kept on going.

Somehow this huge Douglas-fir fell UP the hill. Must have been one of those famous Oregon coast gales.

Our planned treat for the evening after our great hike was a trip to Port Orford for some fish and chips at the Crazy Norwegian. Sadly, the highly rated little cafe was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. With a recommendation from the quilt shop across the street, we drove a bit north to find supper at a place called Port and Starboard. It was a huge disappointment. There was only a single waitress trying to manage everything, so service was minimal, and worst of all, Mo’s clam chowder was lukewarm and tasted terrible. Mo ate about two bites and gave up. I had fish and chips that was pretty greasy, a bit like that cheap frozen stuff at the grocery store. Not what we had hoped for at all.

View from the summit of Humbug Mountain. Brilliant sunshine on that ocean to the south.

We drove home in the dark, glad that our camp wasn’t far away, that we had TV and heat and everything we needed right there. I know I can cook a great meal, but it is nice to go out now and then, but not so much when it is money thrown away. In fairness, the waitress did not charge us for the soup. It might be that it was just a bad night, based on the reviews of people who seem to love the place.

The Humbug Mountain State Park was a lovely place to camp, with the surrounding mountains giving it a more wilderness feeling than many of the well groomed Oregon State parks we have visited. We had no reservation, but didn’t have any problem getting a decent site, although there are far more sites without hookups in this park than in many Oregon State parks.

Before we left for our ill fated supper, Mo laid out the fire, ready to light when we returned. The stars were brilliant without a cloud anywhere and without any sign of fog or mist to dim their light. I loved the feeling of the mountains surrounding us. Some people complain of the road noise at this campground, but we only heard it early in the morning, and the nighttime was wonderfully quiet. We had wonderful campfires both nights we were at Humbug.

With our coast trip coming to a close, we took the easy route south toward Gold Beach and Brookings, noting the big signs that proclaimed that the Harris Beach campground was definitely closed. Stopping for a bit of time at the Crissy Field Recreation Site, I walked south along the beach, wondering if those deep sand steps counted more than regular steps. After our hike on the previous day, I had insisted on walking somewhere flat, but then flat beaches aren’t any easier on the calves than steep mountains!

We arrived at the cottage in Grants Pass, and the MoHo’s winter home by early afternoon, ready for a few days working on little projects and visiting with Deborah. We celebrated Veteran’s Day with a free dinner for Mo at Applebee’s Restaurant in Grants Pass, thanks to their special giveaway for veterans. Dinner was great, especially that Perfect Marguerita that is one of my favorite things at Applebee’s. It was a great way to end our little coastal vacation.