It is the first day of summer, the longest day of the year, the summer solstice and today we definitely experienced summer.
We have moved to warmer - dare I say HOT – weather. What a change. We arrived this afternoon to a sweltering 90 degrees - so appropriate for the first day of summer. I know – all you experiencing this weather and more on a daily basis and have been pretty much since we left Florida are thinking – so what, get a life. Well, we have been in the cold – with a heater going inside The Beast for several weeks now. So hot weather is not something we have really experienced too much on this trip. And even though today is supposedly the first day of summer, here too, we will not keep that hot weather. It is like a preview- and Spring still needs to have some time with warmer temperatures first. Apparently a cold front twill come through by Thursday and the highs will only be in the 70s (Ohhhh – what a trial.). Don't know how long that will last, but I can definitely live with Spring staying around a bit if these are the temperatures it brings. Everyone up here has said that the weather is not normal this year, that they have had a very long, wet and cold Spring (what I would call Winter so Spring still needs to show herself to me) and that the temperatures should have been warmer and the rain less earlier in the year. Guess it is strange everywhere.
So where did we move – to LePage Park, located at the confluence of the Columbia and John Day river, about 5 miles E of Rufus, OR. For you followers of our 2009 trip – yes we have been here before. We like the dry weather and this area. What really amazes me is that we drove for 3 hours and went from what I would call a rain forest environment to what is close to being high desert. Passing through the Columbia gorge brings you to another world – one where grapes seem to thrive, but not grass and trees.
We spent the last 2 weeks at Fishermens Bend, a forest service campground about 30 miles east of Salem, OR on OR route 22. It is a very nice cam[ground with large, private sites, all with electricity and sewer, but not all with site water. Strange way to build it, but I am pretty sure it has to do with its close proximity to the North Santiam River. There are waste water dumps at every site for kitchen type water – thus sewer hook-ups at every site are not that much more of a stretch. It all ties into the same waste system. Anyway – I was talking about leaving a rain forest environment. This campground is covered in trees,, especially fir and black cottonwood. The trees overhang everything – all of the campsites, the roads into and around the area, and all of the hiking trails. And almost everyone is covered in moss. The ground is a fern paradise – spongy in places and with good soil. The sunlight is filtered- and when it rains, the canopy drips long after the rain has subsided. There are birds everywhere and they make noise all day. The river roars in the background and there are rapids just down the end of the trail next to our site. Yes they get snow in winter – but this is close to what I imagine a rain forest. to be.
The closest town (very, very small) is Mill City – established around a lumber mill. That mill no longer exists, but there is still lumber based work everywhere. This is definitely a state that works with trees. The evidence of clear cutting is still visible, although today's practices are much more sustainable, and new tree growth is everywhere. No longer do you see whole mountains that have been cut – now only sections on a mountain or on several mountains indicate logging. It has quite a history and that history is everywhere, [reserved in the many parks – state and national.
We visited Salem several times for some shopping, but did not explore the city.(except for a couple of quilt stores). One day we drove down to Eugene to talk with AM Solar about battery monitors and maybe upgrading to some solar in the future - and drove back to the campground through the mountains rather than the interstate. We wanted to drive the McKenzie Pass—Santiam Pass Scenic Byway – but McKenzie Pass is still closed for snow. Instead we drove east on 126 from Eugene, stopping at several turnouts to walk to the river, bypassing the 242 intersection to McKenzie Pass and stopping at Sahalie Falls to enjoy the short walk out to them in the mist. There is so much water right now that the falls are stunning. As we ascended the mountains, we marveled at the volcanic rock and lava amid all of the forests. When 126 intersected 22 we dropped off towards Detroit and back to the campground. The day was perfect for the drive along the McKenzie River and into the mountains - for once we had sunshine and temperate (60s) weather.
We spent much of our time in this area at the campground, enjoying the river, walking the dog along the trails, I sewed and Bruce visited with everyone. It rained almost every day- so being outside and doing camping-type things happened less. The Oregonians just kept on going forward - as soon as they arrived at the campground they all set up canopies. At first we wondered why because there was little sun to need shade – but we have since discovered that they always know it will rain. We , on the other hand, are wimps. We did not cook out any breakfasts – 40-50s temperatures cools the food before you can get it cooked, let alone eaten. We did have a few campfires, the weather was very conducive – if it wasn't raining. We explored up and down 22, but did not make any other real big driving trips. And we did the normal chores-- laundry, shopping, oil change for the car, etc and of course napping - a very mundane existence. We did find a Dairy Queen that was on the way to Salem that made the best chocolate milkshakes I have ever had – so of course we stopped there when we made that trip.
And now we are along the Columbia River for the next 2 weeks. More as this stay progresses since I have internet connection at the campground- a real surprise. We are really in the middle of no-where in a valley next to the river with mountains all around and this time there is internet. What is the world coming to.
Travel Safe and Retire Early.
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