Destination Caldwell...Week 1

We left Eugene with the intention of taking Highway 20 over the Cascades, through Sisters, into Bend for the night...a new route for us.  That was not to be.  Thanks to the powers of instant communication, we were alerted to wildfires burning along that route.  We made a U-turn of sorts, from I-5 heading north to south, and picked up Highway 58 south of Eugene going over the Willamette Pass.  This proved to be a bit longer drive but no smoke or fires to worry about.

The glacial Cascades from the Willamette Pass

The Columbia Sportswear Factory Outlet caught our eye first.  We pulled right into the parking lot, MH and all, and went in for some major shopping at very discounted prices.  Items normally selling for $50-75 were marked down to $12-15.  I was able to get a couple of pairs of shorts, capris, and shirts...though finding ones that weren't too long was an issue.  I plan to be taller in my next life!

So we found the Bend Elk's Lodge and despite the fact this is Sunday of Labor Day 2011, the lodge was closed.  The RV parking area has 8 sites with water and electric for $15 per night.  OK for us...We've had a long day and are ready to just have a drink and a bit of dinner.

Our Labor Day was mostly spent driving 300 miles east of Bend on Highway 20 through lots of small towns and often 2-lanes.  We finally arrived in Caldwell about 5 p.m. and pulled into the Ambassador RV Park, our home for the next month. 

Us and the Panys...way over there!

Beth and Chris greeted our arrival with both food and drink..and the most beautiful, thoughtful present imaginable.  Beth, gourd carver extraordinaire, just finished our very own gourd, a replica down to the most intricate details, of the tall ship Star Flyer, in honor of our upcoming cruise in November.  I don't know how she could part with such a work of art but we are very grateful and happy recipients.

Beth's beautiful tall ship gourd

The signal flags spell S-T-I-L-L-E-Y!

Staying in one area for a month affords us many opportunities.  The office has a list of "day drives" from the Boise area.  There is much to be said for small towns and a wealth of local activities.  For instance, Crookham Seed Company, a major employer in the area and a multi-generational family owned business,  hosted a 100th anniversary party here at their Caldwell plant.  They not only provided an "up close and personal" tour of their seed production facilities, mostly corn and onions at this time of the year, but also a fabulous buffet-style dinner, free of charge.

Bins & bins of onions

Our tour guide shows how the corn is processed

We are fed a great dinner...Lynda, Howard, Chris 

Howard and the cornstalker

Many exhibits tell the impressive company story

Our social calendar also included a night of culture.  The College of Idaho, a nationally acclaimed liberal arts college, presented a Faculty Showcase of art and music.  The Jewett Auditorium's superb acoustics heightened the musical scores ranging from classical to blues, and instrumentals featuring brass, piano, cello, banjo/guitar and organ.  The variety and degree of excellence provided a wonderful evening. 

But now it's time for us to do what we do best.  Load up our jeep for an outing.  Today's drive features the Leslie Gulch/Succor Creek Scenic Byway, which actually takes place just across the border in Eastern Oregon.  We traveled 65 (the brochure says 52) miles of washboard dirt and gravel roads, through rugged canyons with awesome rock formations.  At Lake Owyhee we stopped for a picnic, and at Succor Creek Campground we got out to admire the scenery and snap some shots.  We had a rare sighting of a California bighorn sheep, certainly a cousin of the ones we often see in our beautiful Anza Borrego Desert, and a late season rattlesnake.  Here is a slideshow presentation as the photos were too numerous to display.

Until next week.....

Motorhome karma

You may recall that a month or so ago we were in Eugene, OR for some service and repairs.  One such item included replacing an 11 year old awning over our slide-out (yes, we only have one) that was seriously worn and had recently blown a spring causing it to somewhat collapse!  Then when our radiator core blew its top and our repair bill went from $1500 to almost $8000....well let's just say we were a bit overwhelmed and happy to finally be on our way to Port Townsend.

After getting ourselves settled and giving the awning a close-up and personal inspection, then conferring with friends, we came to the conclusion that the workmanship and quality were not adequate or comparable to our other 3 Zip Dee awnings.  We had decided to go with a local shop that does draperies, upholstery and canvas, and we have known and done business with in the past...just not canvas.

I sent off an email to Bob Vinson at Oregon Motorcoach Center and he immediately replied to come back anytime and they would take care of the problem.  After our great week in Corbett, OR along the Columbia River Gorge we headed back to Eugene. Now, I have to say I love this place.  Their degree of highly skilled specialists in all phases of repair, especially on Country Coach motorhomes, is impressive.  Most had been with CC 25-30 years before the "decline", then coming here to OMC.

Glen begins to install the "new" awning

A meeting was arranged with all those involved and the awning fabric sent off to be "re-worked".  Next day Glen (the expert) came by to say he would be installing in a few minutes.  When questioned he simply replied, "it is structurally sound".  We stood by somewhat reluctantly and grimaced and groped for words to express our displeasure as the new version unfurled.  Not good enough.  As if on queue, Glen lost his grip, the spring recoiled, and his trusty drill tore a large, beautiful hole through the fabric.  Did I notice a wink in his eye?  Once more the awning will be replaced, but this time from Zip Dee, the manufacturer.  Yes, it will take a while, at least two weeks to have it made and shipped, but we are mobile folk.

So we have moved over to a lovely boondock site at a far corner of the Valley River Center Mall, situated alongside the Willamette River and walking trail, with ripened blackberries on the bushes for picking.  The security police arrived moments after we parked to give us a 2-day pass, more time if needed, and coupons good in the mall shops.  He said be sure to call if we have any questions or concerns as they provided 24 hour security.

Our site by the Willamette

With river view thru ripened blackberry bushes

First on the agenda was a movie at the Regal 15 Cinemas where we were enthralled by Helen Mirren in The Debt.  Excellent, 5*****, from us!  The morning got us up and on the trail for 4-5 miles.  Honestly, everyone in this town is either walking, running, biking, fishing or boating.  No one sits still!  The day is a gorgeous 80s.  We checked out the big Labor Day sale at REI, hoping to find something for our trip.  Howard found a great pair of Columbia shorts for $20.  Sadly, everything I tried was too long.  So I went to Talbot's Petite and found a couple of nice tops on sale; what a joke...women's clothes are such a rip-off.  Think it's time for Ross'.

Ladies half-marathon this morning right outside our window!

So the plan is to head east and stay a night or 2 near Bend.  I need to visit the Columbia Outlet Store and other points of interest.  Then on to the Boise/Caldwell, ID area to see friends Beth and Chris.  They are house-hunting and may need us to referee and/or console; possibly offer an opinion or professional real estate advice (yeah, right).  Plus, this is new territory to explore.

But for now, it's time for some Oregon Duck football!  Go Ducks.....

Gorging

Thankfully not the food variety of gorging as we did enough of that our last week in Port Townsend.  We are now gorging on the Gorge, it's scenic beauty, fantastic weather, and our great location here in Corbett, OR, right on  the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway.  The Crown Pt. RV Park could not be nicer or more accommodating.  Full hookups, free wifi, laundry practically at our doorstep, and the trees don't interfere with our satellite TV.  The half price fee of $15 per night through our Passport America membership is beyond reasonable, especially with no limit on how long we can stay.  Most parks have a one or two night limit or exclude weekends, holidays, and certain seasons.

At Crown Pt. RV park...note satellite is clear of trees!  Important..

Yesterday was total immersion in this historic gateway into some of nature's geologic wonders!  The 22 mile waterfall section of the highway 30 bypass starts here at our Corbett location and takes us to all the dazzling waterfalls and The Vista House at Crown Point which looms over 700' above the Columbia River.  The often photographed and painted Multnomah, Bridal Veil, and Latourell Falls provided yours truly with some much needed physical exercise after the aforementioned indulgences, and needless to say the camera got a workout as well!

The famous bridge and falls of Multnomah

Howard at Bridal Veil

Hazy view from Vista House at Crown Point

Back at river level off I-84 Bonneville Lock and Dam forms a connecting link between the states of Oregon and Washington.  We did a self-guided tour of all 5 levels, from the observatory on top to the fish-viewing ladder down below.  The powerhouse and spillway can now only be toured with a guide.

Spillway at Bonneville Lock and Dam

We crossed over into the state of WA. at the Bridge of the Gods and continued east along the river on Highway 14, through Stevenson and Home Valley,  until we reached the town of Hood River, stopping along the way at a popular wind-surfing area.

Wind-surfers on the Columbia River

On our way back across the river for the return home, Mt. Hood graced us with its cloudy presence!

Mt. Hood erupting clouds

We now plan to be here for a week so there will hopefully be more adventures of interest forthcoming!

Road Mode

Road mode is when I sit here in my comfy passenger seat, gazing out our large windshield at the passing scenery, and write a few words.  Earlier there was Mt. Rainier soon out of Tacoma, then Mount St. Helens a bit further south, slightly flat on top (haha) and usually in a haze, then most recently Mt. Hood directly ahead as we drive through Portland. I'm also connected to the internet via my Verizon 4G Pantech modem and searching for directions to the nearest, cheapest fuel stop.  That turned out to be the Pilot Flying J in Tumwater (earlier), thank you!  So you might deduce we are traveling south on I-5.

A two-week limit forced us kicking and screaming out of our water-front Pt. Hudson Marina location in downtown Port Townsend.  And since we were unable to get a ferry to Whidbey Island on Sunday due to the crowded weekend schedule, we decided to return to the Escapee's park in Chimacum for a couple of days so we could arrange for a visit with long-time friends, Dick and Hazel, whom we first met 14 years ago near Puerto Escondido, on the southwest coast of Mexico, and now reside (when they're not traveling) in Bellingham, WA.

Hazel just had knee replacement surgery and is doing lots of strengthening exercises to prepare for their mid-October, month long trip to Europe, cruising the rivers of Austria, Germany, France and Switzerland.  Due to macular degeneration she is considered legally blind and also had a pacemaker installed a few years back to correct some heart-beat abnormalities....and did I mention both she and Dick are a very young 85, and absolutely refuse to stop.....period!

Ferry for Whidbey Island

Our location at Pt. Hudson Marina

Howard, looking good on the ferry!

 So Tuesday morning, we queued up early for the half hour ferry crossing to Coupeville on Whidbey Island, then drove about an hour and a half north to the delightful town of Bellingham, not far south of the BC border.  We hadn't seen Dick and Hazel in over a year and had a great visit, especially comparing itineraries of both our upcoming cruises.  Our lunch at Anthony's at Squalicum Harbor was both scenic and delicious and offered my first and possibly only Dungeness crab thus far this season.  Rusty's boat has sadly been inoperative so our usual crabbing outings did not materialize, though he did come for a visit one day.

Hazel with Howard outside Anthony's, Bellingham.  The cane is temporary!

 We had to leave a bit early to make the 4:30 ferry returning to Port Townsend.  Once again we joined the long line of passengers only to be told that sadly we would not be leaving as planned without a reservation.  Oh, and by the way, the 5:15 crossing has been cancelled, so you might be able to make the 6:30 ferry.  We did...just barely!  We arrived back in Chimacum by 8 pm, just in time to run by John and Bonnie's for a final hug and farewell.  Yes, of course we'll meet up this winter!

So dear, where shall we stop for the night afternoon?  Wow, we now have blazing 4G internet speeds approaching Portland and our trusty Passport America online guide tells us there is the half-price Crown Pt. RV Park  near Corbett, OR,  along the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway.  We have found our destination for a few days.

A Family Week

The very best kind...  We've had a whirlwind of fun, food, sight-seeing (mostly dog-sitting for us!), and just plain sitting around, watching the views parade by, and laughing and talking...a lot of laughing with friends Jim and Laura in attendance.  They are staying at the Palace Hotel in the downtown area.  Steph and Gary with granddogs Maci and Riley are parked right across the driveway from us in their motorhome which recently received a complete interior renovation.  This is very conducive for all our shared fantastic meals:  tri-tip, pork chops, turkey burgers, and salmon, shrimp and chicken on the barbie...different nights of course!  Plus a great dinner out at "T's" Restaurant and some super terrific Cabernet provided by Miss Laura, oenophile extraordinaire.

Family fun

Granddogs Maci & Riley

Laura is also a super photographer and Jim is an avid golfer, so there were days photographing at Hurricane Ridge and a couple of golf games in order.  Fort Worden State Park was visited often, not just for the fabulous views and obvious history, but the filming of the 1982 movie An Officer and a Gentleman, then later in 2002 The Ring, took place here.  I am going to try to link this to Laura's Facebook album, as her photos are breathtaking.  Of course, there were many walks into town and at the uptown market Riley was a hit!

Lighthouse at Fort Worden

Riley's a hit at the uptown market!

We were sad to see everyone leave Friday morning.  They have a 2-day drive home to Sacramento and need a day to recuperate before returning to work on Monday.  I must admit that we were exhausted and have spent the last couple of days cleaning up but also enjoying our final time here.  Friday night was a performance by La Loupiote (don't think this link loads very well), a French family traveling the world performing aerial ballets and acrobatics in the mast and lines of their sailboat.  This took place right here in our backyard at the Pt. Hudson Marina!

Acrobatic sailors, La Loupiote

This was followed with a Saturday day and evening of really warm weather, necessitating us to sit out, barbecue once again, drink a little more fine wine, and be mesmerized by yet more views and ship traffic well into the night....well, maybe until 9:30 p.m.  We saw the most unusual,  lighted contraption that looked like a giant golf ball sitting atop an oil drilling platform being pulled out to sea by some super tugs.  The tri-pod had been put away so a photo without camera shake was impossible in the dim light....But, the good news is that I did a quick Google search and found it on internet.  Here are a few photos from earlier:

Trawler flanked by cruise ship with Cascades in background

Cruising Mt. Baker!

A bit surreal..turning the corner by Fort Worden

The Main Attraction

The main attraction of this summer circus of events is our waterfront site here at the Pt. Hudson Marina in Port Townsend, WA.  It provides us with the most spectacular views; an ever-changing marine parade of sailboats, power cruisers, ferries to and from Whidbey Island, naval warships and nuclear subs loading/unloading at the Indian Island Ammunition Depot, and a trio of cruise ships en route to Alaska.

Perfect evening for a sail

Clouds & driftwood provide photo fodder

 We're parked at one of only two "dry" campsites, meaning there are no hookups for water or electric, for a full two weeks at $20 per night.  With this water-front panoramic view we are guaranteed lots of visits from  friends stopping by for a few days or just a few hours, and lots of folks meandering by to stop and chat.

A great evening with John & Bonnie (from Chimacum)

Dalya & Paul come for 4 great days

The second best feature is the old Victorian town of Port Townsend being a short walk away, providing us with great restaurants and shops, plus the Rose Theater where we recently saw Crazy, Stupid, Love with Paul and Dalya.  We walked into town with John and Bonnie for the very best hamburgers and an authentic chocolate soda at the Nifty Fifty's Diner, and of course, we have been known to drive 10 miles or more for an ice cream cone at the Elevated Ice Cream Co.  Now we're just a short walk away!

Nifty Fifty's Diner

Wednesday evening and Saturday morning features the uptown Farmers' Market where we stock up on "just picked" raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, organic veggies and the yummy goods from Pane D'Amore bakery in uptown.  I also came home with a bouquet of flowers.

Pane D'Amore bread & goodies..yum!

Flowers for the mobile casita

Oops..Have to stop for now.  Family and friends from Sacramento have arrived for a week's stay.   Steph and Gary with dogs Maci and Riley are here in their motorhome with friends Jim and Laura staying in a nearby hotel.  Our good times are ongoing!

One final note before we part for a few days....After much deliberation and changing of minds regarding our tall ship cruise in November, the check has been mailed.  With the recent exorbitant repair bills and uncertain market conditions, we had practically talked ourselves into cancelling.  However, we are seldom practical!

A Day in the Life...

A day in the life of us mobile folks involves flexibility as well as mobility.  When Chris and Beth were heading our way and the Park in Chimacum was full, we just pulled up stakes and met them in Port Townsend, maybe 5 miles away.  We would not miss an opportunity to have our great friends close by.

Harry, next door, is a colorful neighbor

The Panys have arrived...yay!

Could not resist Chris with his favorite motto

 A day in the life can involve postponing the dishes if another opportunity presents itself, i.e.; Beth suggests a visit to the Naval Undersea Museum.  So we pile into "insert name of CRV"...Beth and Chris name all inanimate objects, I'm thinking "Emily" but she may be the GPS, and we drive over the canal and through the woods to Keyport, at the tip of the Kitsap Peninsula.

But this is not Hunters Point!

The Trieste, a manned submersible that reached a record 35,800' on the ocean floor

I say damn the torpedoes..

 A day in the life almost always involves very good eating.  After a day of sightseeing we stopped at Pedro's Fiesta Jalisco, undoubtedly one of the best Mexican restaurants we've eaten at outside of Mexico.  Chris and I had the pork birria, a mouth-watering and tender slow-braised pork shank in a red chile sauce. Howard's carne asada and Beth's shrimp and chicken combo also got rave reviews.

But there is more in the food category.

No sniveling here

The best salmon, salad, veggies & wine!

A day in the life really needs to include some exercise and we all, with the exception of Chris who needs no exercise, managed some long walks along the bike trail or down to Fort Townsend State Park.  Howard and I are sticking pretty close to our low carb diet and Beth is doing fantastic on Jenny Craig.  A few pounds have been shed, and a few more to go.  Just a day in the life.....