Trip Home 6/28-29

It was forecast to be well over 100 degrees Sunday in La Grande and much of our route home so we searched for the lowest night time temperatures for a location to stop.  Crescent, OR fit the bill as it was somewhat halfway between La Grande and Sacramento.  Going through Nevada would have been shorter but brutally hot.

We and Kevin and Pauline said goodbyes to all our old and new friends and hit the road around 9am taking I-84 to US 97 and down through Redmond and Bend.  It wasn't long before the temperatures were in the 90s+.  When we arrived at Big Pines RV park just south of Crescent, OR around 5pm the temperature was in the mid 80s and droping.  There was even a nice breeze and it was wonderful.

La Grande wound up being 106 degrees.  Ouch

Monday morning we managed to get on the road by 7am as we wanted to get to or through Sacramento by 3pm.  Breakfast was quick stop in Klamath Falls.

Mount Shasta is sort of the beacon welcoming us back to California

On the way home Kevin kept calling me the Wagon Master for our Caravan.  I called him the Tail Gunner.  On Alaska caravans the tail gunner brings up the rear and makes sure no one is left behind and helps with minor repairs if needed.  We did swap off a few times along the way.  

Our trailer

Keving & Pauline's 5th wheel trailer going thru Redding

We made it to Sacramento just about 3pm and we didn't hit much traffic the rest of the way home arriving about 4:30pm.

Great trip except for the heat but we make the best of what we get.  I'd like to spend the peak of the summer on the Oregon or Washington coast but that will have to wait until near the end of August when we go again.  Too many thing on the calendar.

Sadie was glad to be home and able to roam to her heart's content.  Oh yeah, and sleeping in her own bed!  For us the full size shower and king size bed will be nice.

Until next trip..........

La Grande, OR, NROA Rally 6/26-27

Friday was a special day for Linda; her birthday.  She had received the FitBit she wanted before we left on this trip and I hadn't given her the birthday card until noon.  One of our friends wished her a Happy Birthday as she was going to the Eagle's Nest to sew but that was about it.  She was feeling a little down when our daughter asked her what we were doing for her birthday when they talked on the phone and she said "Oh, not much".

I had ordered a nice cake, and accessories and had invited several of our friends new and old to come over after the potluck dinner for Linda's birthday cake and some ice cream.  As it was very hot everyone returned to their trailers after the potluck to get cooled down.  One of the couples put a small plant and card on our picnic table and I told her that something for her was on the table.  She sat down and said what are we doing out here in the heat as slowly other people came and pulled up chairs.  She was still unaware of what was going on.  After all eight couples had arrived and we visited for a while we brought out the cake and ice cream and it made her day, a real surprise.  She was really pleased.

Paula, Pauline and Linda serving the cake and ice cream.  Needless to say about half the time I was calling them Paulette.

At the White Elephant gift exchange Linda got a blanket with a Arctic Fox on it like Northwood puts in some trailers.  It was quickly stolen from her and subsequently from the person that took it from Linda.  After an item is stolen twice it is frozen and can't be claimed by anyone.  Kevin had gone to the factory and purchased the one that Linda wanted and gave it to her for her birthday.  Super pleased!

Saturday was the Northwood BBQ and Raffle.  Everyone posed in front of the Northwood trailers for a group picture. Everyone was requested to wear the Northwood tee shirts for the group picture.

Some were in the Eagle's Nest while many were out here for the BBQ.  This is during the raffle drawing. The grand prize was a Mac Airbook and the rest ranged from gift cards to various RV accessories.  Everyone cheered and clapped as each claimed their prize.  Each site received a prize.

 

Our good friends from Sacramento, Kevin and Pauline

Paula and Ken

Sadie loved being in the center of the action.

Kevin said he was going to wear the white tee shirt for the group photo

Paula kept telling me I needed to put on shorts.  Finally she said she would give me $5 if I did.  The proof is the $5 below.   Next year I will take my sandals and see if I can get another $5 for wearing them.

Saturday night several of us went out for Pizza as it was still too hot to cook or even sit outside.  Kevin called the Pizza Parlor to make sure there air conditioning was keeping the place cool.  They assured us it was so we went.

From front to rear, Big Al and Sheryll, Kevin and Pauline, My empty chair and Linda, Dave and Marie, Rich and Maridee

Most evenings we gathered at our trailer but tonight we gathered next to us at Kevin and Pauline's trailer.    People joined later in the evening and when the mosquitoes came out in full attack mode everyone returned to their trailers.

Sadie enjoyed visiting too.

We had planned to visit our daughter and family in Washington after the rally but due to the excessive heat we abandoned that plan.  We will start home tomorrow and stop for the night near Crescent, OR which is forecast to have the coolest temperatures on any of the routes we considered. Still hot but a few degrees cooler. 

La Grande, OR, NROA Rally 6/22-25

Eagle Hot Lake RV Park, La Grande, OR the site of the Rally since it started in 2003.

The back of the park is located ON the Oregon Trail

The Northwood RV Owners Association Rally doesn't officially start until the evening of Tuesday the 22nd but people start arriving as early as Sunday.  Those that have ATVs, Motorcycles, etc. do a ride in the nearby mountains Monday afternoon and/or Tuesday morning.  On Monday evening the NROA president reserves up to 50 seats for dinner at a local restaurant (Mamacita's) for any that want to go.  Mamacita's is not a Mexican restaurant but does have some items on the menu.

We went this year and last and with the tables in the restaurant basement and everyone talking it gets very loud.  They do a good job but trying to serve 100 people ordering off the menu is a challenge.  We will likely skip it next year and arrive on Tuesday for the Rally.

There are roughly 70+ trailers. 5th wheels and campers attending which means about 140-150 people. We all get together Tuesday evening to go over the schedule of events and introduce ourselves.   About 25-30% are first time attendees.  This is our fourth rally (2012-2015) and we will likely return next year.

Each year at the rally we make new friends and reconnect with others we have met here and get to know them better each time.  Most live in the northwest but some come from many distant locations with a two couples from Florida and some from Texas.  There are also some full timers that include this in their travels.

The schedule of activities to choose from or you can attend almost all of them:

Wednesday:

Naturalist lead tour of Ladd Marsh
Gourmet Foods cooking demonstration
Side show of Ladd Marsh
Ice Cream Social
White Elephant Gift exchange (this is really at lot of laughs)
Movie night
Campfire

Paula picked a White Elephant gift that had this hat in the package and we all got a lot of laughs with her.  It says "I'm their leader, which way did they go".

On Saturday at the BBQ I asked if I could be her assistant

Thursday:

Tour of the town of Elgin and Elgin Opera House
Taking Genealogy on the Road presentation
Northwood factory tour
Social gathering with slide show of last year's rally
Campfire

Friday:

Ladies Social gathering, sewing and crafts 8am-1pm
History presentation "The Hot Lake Story"
Seminar: Dexter Axles and Resealing your  trailer
Potluck dinner
Bingo
Campfire

Saturday:

Ladies Social gathering, sewing and crafts 9am-11am
Northwood provided BBQ
Northwood Raffle - Every rig gets a prize
Campfire

Sunday:

Potluck Breakfast and cleanup for those not needing to leave early.

Each day/evening there are smaller gatherings at various campsites to chat and get to know people better.

Pictures from around the Rally

Osprey nest between the campground and Eagle Hot Lake with three chicks.

Some of the ladies brought lap quilts they made to donate to the local women's shelter.  This is Linda's with Pauline helping her hold it up.

Ours site is the silver truck (second on right)

Back of the park along the old Oregon Trail

Daily schedule posted on the Eagle's Nest building

This is the building we meet in where activities are held. (the Eagle's Nest)

Sadie taking advantage of the shade.  It is HOT!

New trailers brought over by Northwood for us to look over.

It has been quite hot during the day but the nights cool off nicely.  Of course if you are in the west you are experiencing the heat yourselves.

Joseph, OR 6/14-21

One of the mornings we had breakfast at the Cheyenne Cafe in Joseph.  There is a large table that many of the local farmers and ranchers sit at each day and it's fun to just listen the to conversation, etc.  This particular morning the Sheriff came in, (a tall man about our ages) went behind one of the men at the table, grabbed his suspenders where they crossed in the back, pulled them way back and let them go.  He told the man, "You knew I was going to do that!" ....and everyone at the table laughed, including us.

After breakfast we chatted outside with the Sheriff.  He said he hadn't written a ticket in 10 years and just yells at jaywalkers and people who do U-turns in the street.  He recommended some roads for us to take out toward the Snake River Canyon.  We followed his recommendation and really enjoyed the day.

Wallowa Lake

View behind our RV Park

Views of our campground

There is a tram across the street from the RV Park to the top of Mt. Howard from which you can see to Idaho and much of Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Linda has a new FitBit and was out getting her 10000 steps a day.

Someone got someone's goat or goats.

The Buckhorn Overlook that the Sheriff recommended.  The Snake River Canyon is behind the first ridge.  This looks down into the Imnaha River Canyon.

Linda and Pauline

A couple of musicians that spend a month at the park each year were playing at a local restaurant.  Some of the ladies had to dance.

The lady in the red shirt above is a local that our friends have become good friends with over the years.  She invited us to a party with some of her local friends.  She has a beautiful home overlooking the Wallowa River.

Joseph and Wallowa Lake area are a very special place and we enjoy returning often.  Our first visit was 17 or 18 years ago when we rented a cabin with two other couples.  We hope to return next year and already have our spot reserved at the RV Park.

On to La Grande, OR and the Northwood RV Owners (NROA) rally 6/22-28..

Joseph, OR 6/13

We planned to arrive at Joseph and Wallowa Lake, OR on 6/16 but when I saw there was a quilt show on the 12th and 13th in Joseph I asked Linda if she wanted to go.  Silly question!  So I was able to change our reservation at the Park at the River RV Park to arrive on the 12th.  The site we reserved wasn't available until Sunday but it was simple to move then.

Also on Saturday the 13th was a large car show but we didn't realize just how many cars would be there.

Our friends from Sacramento had arrived earlier in the week so Linda and Pauline went to the quilt show and Kevin and I wandered the car show.

Some of Linda's favorite quilts at the
Wallowa Mountain Quilters Guild Quilt Show

The car show

The main street in Joseph was filled with cars from one end of town to the other.  They were on both sides of the street and down the middle and I estimated that there was around 200 cars.  Most were from eastern Oregon, Washington and Idaho but there were also some from the I-5 corridor.  Cars ranged from the very early 1900s cars to present day Corvettes.  There was also some classic restored trailers and teardrops.

Fun Day