On the Oregon Trail and over to the Coast....

We left California and moderately warm weather over a week ago to arrive in Oregon to what we in Florida would consider WINTER, rain predicted 60% or more every day, nights in the upper 30s/low 40s and days hovering between 50 and 60s.  We had to break out pants and long sleeves again, along with sweatshirts and jackets.

If we are not out " running around:", we sit in the motorhome with no TV and read, etc.  - with THE HEATER ON!!  I have the computer of course, but Bruce is another story entirely.  I am using my router again so I can also use the wireless printer, so I guess it is time for me to set up his computer so he can do other things too (besides walk the dog and bother me.

Anyway- as I said, we are back in Oregon.  The drive north on I-5 from CA to OR was new for us and it is spectacular.  We drove along the western edge of the Sacramento Valley, and then into the Shasta Cascade region,   The interstate weaves through the Shasta Cascades and climbs almost to the foot of Mount Shasta and then into Oregon and over the Siskiyou Summit (the highest point on I-5 at 4310 feet) where it drops back into the Rogue Valley.  Although not as high an elevation as some of the places we have driven, the pass has some of the steepest grades in the interstate system and The Beast did have to take its time getting up to it from the CA side. 

Once into the Oregon Valley, we drove on to the Valley of the Rogue State Park right outside of, you guessed it, Rogue River, OR.   We spent last week there,  Since we were here in 2009,  I won't rehash the park details but suffice it to say - we like this park and will be back again when ever we come this way. And yes - it is on the Oregon Trail, although the southern route, commonly known as the Applegate Trail.  Speaking of running around, we did some of that all last week, backtracking along I-5 to Ashland and Medford (not too very far ) to visit a couple of quilt shops and camper stores, Walmart and of course any restaurant that  spoke to us while we rambled (the perfect word for our running around - courtesy of my friends Ann & Herman).  I have been on the prowl for the perfect pattern and material for a quilt for my first grandson. (Yes- Cassandra and Jeremy are having a boy, at least according to the last sonogram.)  Bruce, on the other hand, is always looking for some new and improved item at any hardware or camper store.  We spent several of the rainy, cold days rambling and amusing both of us.

So where have we been since leaving Madera/Hensley Lake area and our stay last week at Rogue River?  We spent the night at Dos Reis Campground, a nice county park at Lathrop, Ca as we moved north from Madera towards Red Bluff (north of Sacramento and just south of  Redding on I-5 ) and our next campground, Sycamore Grove, a small Forest Service campground along the Sacramento River in the Red Bluff Recreation Area. Since only a few of the sites had water and electricity, we had made reservations to ensure we had one of those site (for the cats of course) when we arrived.  And like most Forest Service campgrounds in the west, the showers were timed and cost money - not much, only $.25 for about 2 minutes (Bruce is sure that first quarter never made 2 minutes.)  The worst thing about this campground was that  I almost had to take a black mark on my site selection - The Beast would not fit in our reserved spot!  The original site information on recreation.gov said it was 41' long and when we arrived (thank goodness to an empty park) it only measured about 33' on the short side of the driveway(who would measure the long side and then post that # anyway since whatever you park using that measurement would be in the road?).   To make it worse- there was a tree at the back of the drive, so there was no hanging the back of  the The Beast over the back of the pad. We were very fortunate that it was not the Memorial Day weekend that was coming up and also that another camper was leaving as we drove up and  his vacated site would be open the whole time we were there.  We found the Ranger and he took care of everything, commenting that this was not the first time the reservation place had things wrong - apparently they were telling people no pets were allowed also. ( I am pretty sure that information is a result of the pre-registration process I complained about to the Rangers at Hord's Creek in TX several weeks earlier.) . Since the internet info was wrong I am absolved of the error and my site selection scores are still OK.

We ended up with a nice site, but again we had to do some creative leveling for The Beast.  This campground was originally set up in 1988 for tenters and small trailers/Class Cs - not today's behemoth motorhomes and fifth wheels.  In fact the internet still says they only have 15amp service so it was a pleasant surprise to find 50amp service when we arrived. I am sure this upgrade came about as part of the putting Americans back to work money that many of the parks have been the recipients of and have used to upgrade services.  The big event during that stay (besides our normal housekeeping duties) was a trip down to Yuba City to pick up some parts Bruce had purchased for his 1941 Dodge WC truck.  To put them in the car we had to remove all of the sewing things  I had brought with me, but fortunately I found storage places in The Beast for everything  So now we have a 2 piece hood (sprayed with WD-40 and smelling like it), a steel wheel, various interior and exterior small parts and a radiator that travel around with us whenever we go somewhere.  I can tell you, when all of it is was in the car, Hazel was very unhappy, since her riding place was supplanted and she had to stay in The Beast when we rode around (unless of course I stayed home and she rode - yes, that did happen more than once.)

We left that area on the 17th for the Valley of the Rogue State Park where we spent last week as I have already  indicated- again in and out of the rain and with the heater on (for the cats of course).  We have now moved on to Bullards Beach State Park just outside Bandon, OR (or Bandon-by-the-Sea as it is known.)  The drive across OR 49 was nice and we enjoyed the scenery and the slow pace.  We arrived here yesterday afternoon and we have already been into Bandon twice.  It is just across the Coquille River from the park and about 8 minutes from the campground.  Bullards Beach is situated on the north side of the mouth of the Coquille River against the Pacific Ocean.  The sites are grassy, clean, not too close together (remember, this is a coastal park and they like to make it available to as many campers as possible) and we have water, electric and sewer for the same price we paid for just electric and water at the Rogue River.  The wind is quite active off the Pacific Ocean, but the sites are well protected by the dunes and trees . The beach is much different from what we are used to in  FL, the Atlantic and especially the Gulf .  Here the beach seems more rugged and the water is definitely more aggressive but clear and blue green.  When we look out at the sea here (as all along the coast of Oregon)  there are colossal rocks just off the beach that rise out of the ocean.  They are designated a National Wilderness and are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.  All of these "rocks" are protected and are closed to public access or use. Today, as we were standing above them admiring the view Bruce even said he can see why people love the West Coast shoreline.

 Well, I think I am up to date now.  I have been working on the pictures and will have them posted soon.  Additionally, more about this area will be forthcoming, hopefully more often and in smaller amounts. Now I am off to bed.
.
Until next time - Drive Safely and Retire Early