Home away from home!

Home away from home!
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Introduction

We are off to.... is our Blog to allow family, friends, and others that are interested to follow us on our extended RV travels.

We aren't full time RVers but like to take extended trips of a month or more as often as we can. We prefer public agency campgrounds like State and National Parks, US Forest Service, etc. We do use some RV Parks if they are the closest or most convenient place to things we want to see or do.


We will attempt to provide information on the various campgrounds we stay in, things to do in the area, and pictures of what we see.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Going North

July 30th

Today was a very hot drive (100-102) until we got near Klamath Falls, OR when it finally dropped down to the 80s with the threat of thunder storms.  All we got were a few sprinkles.  Luckily we didn't have smoke from any of the fires in Northern California or Southern Oregon affect us and the air was pretty clear.

Collier Memorial State Park campground, which is North of Klamath Falls and south of Chiloquin, OR is beautiful.  There are a number of full hookup sites that can be reserved as well as a number that have no hookups.

Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.


Our site backed up to the Williamson River and just a short walk to where Spring Creek joins the river.


Spring Creek below looks like it is the river and the Williamson River above looks like the creek.  I think this is because Spring Creek is fed by a spring two miles away while the river depends on snow melt and rain which there wasn't much of this year.  Note: after doing subsequent research the spring is actually an underground river that surfaces up stream.



July 31st.

On the opposite side of US Hwy 97 is a Logging Museum which is extensive and very well done.  If it has anything to do will logging from the 1880s on they have it here.  The museum and village come alive with hosts in period clothing and old logging equipment demonstrations during the park's Living History Day on the third Sunday in June.


 Some of the wheels on the wagons are a rounds cut from logs and then wrapped with a steel rim.


This gives you an idea of the size of some of the wagon and cart wheels.


This Mack truck was one of many that proved it was the preferred workhorse in the woods.


Steam played a big part in the early days of logging and railroads were built to get the timber to the mills.


This is a modern steel pole for dragging logs up to a central loading area.  In many cases cables were attached to a stripped tree that was anchored in several directions and this method is still used today.


Another Mack truck that has definitely seen better days.  I am sure it earned its keep.


More equipment to provide the roads to logging areas.


Below is an example of a logging village.  The cabins and stores were moved here from various locations.




This looks like something that could cut boards in a hurry.


The campground is only about 35 miles from Crater Lake National Park so it makes an excellent location to stay while exploring the surrounding area.

The drive today was smoke free but we could see the smoke from the Shaniko Buttes fire off in the distance.  We were concerned that the campground would be smoky but it was just hot.

Today was another hot day, 103 when we arrived at Deschutes River Recreation Area just west of Biggs off I-84 in the Columbia Gorge.  We were welcomed to a shady campground with nice green lawns and the sprinklers running.  Again we were able to reserve a site that backs up to the river.






The campground has electric and water hookups but no sewer hookups or dump station.

If trains passing by bother you, this isn't the campground for you.  The Union Pacific track through the Columbia Gorge passes right by and they blow their horn several times while passing.  I grew up a couple of blocks from the Santa Fe railroad tracks and a switching yard.  The switch engines would operate much of the night rearranging the cars.  It just doesn't bother me even thou that was some 55 years ago.

Tomorrow we will travel north into Washington and visit our daughter's family and grandchildren.   We are privileged to be able to help celebrate two birthdays among other activities so it will be early next week before the next post.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

We are off again

We are off to circle the United States and some of Canada.  It will take us three months to complete the trip starting the end of July.  We will see lots of new places, return to some favorite places, visit friends and family along the way but most of all enjoy our great country.  We are sure to learn a lot about our history along the way.

As it will very likely be quite hot for the first half of our trip we will be staying mainly at RV Parks with full hookup with a few exceptions.  Air conditioning will be a must have I'm sure.

The trip east will take us up through Oregon and Washington then across the northern portion of the US taking in Red Lodge, MT, Cody, WY, Theodore Roosevelt NP, ND, St. Cloud and Maple Grove, MN, Amnicon Falls SP, WI, Ishpeming and St. Ignace, MI, Sault Ste Marie and Parry Sound, ON (where we will visit some Canadian friends at their cottage).   Next will be Niagara Falls, and Palmyra, NY, Kingston, ON (where we will attend the east coast rally of Northwood RV Owners) before returning to the US and spending a few days at Bar Harbor, ME and Acadia NP.

After consuming plenty of lobster, we will start south and visit the Minuteman Nat'l Historic Park, Concord, MA, Gettysburg, PA, with a side trip to Valley Forge.  Next will be Shenandoah NP, the Blue Ridge Parkway with side trips to Manassas, Monticello and possibly into West Virginia.  Asheville, NC.  Charleston, SC, and Savannah, GA will complete our travel south.

Heading west we will visit Great Smoky Mountain NP then meet our Chicago friends in Nashville, TN for shows at the Ryman and at Opryland plus lots of other things to see and do while there.  From there we will go to Branson, MO to see four shows in three days.

The southwest will complete our trip with stops in Santa Fe, NM, a day trip to Taos, more stops at Canyon de Chelly, Petrified Forest, and the south rim of the Grand Canyon, AZ.  At that point it will be the end of October or early November so it will depend on the weather in the Sierras if we go up the east side and over Carson Pass or over Tehachapi Pass to Bakersfield and up the central valley.

We hope you enjoy following us, the pictures, and descriptions of what we see and do as we make this long anticipated trip.  We won't be posting to the blog daily but from many of the stops along the way.

We are ready to roll!



See you in November!