Tag Archives: Oregon

Campervan, Camping, Nature, Travel, Van Living

Giant U-Turn; Redmond to the Sierras

July 24, 2014 Keevan 2 Comments

We spent an entire week in Redmond, just outside of Bend Oregon, with our dear friend Beverly. We totally relaxed, slept in a real bed, fixed lots of delicious food, and played the board game Aggravation until all hours of the night. It’s nice to be able to take these types of breaks once in awhile to recharge and just enjoy some downtime.

Bev was such a gracious hostess!!!

We were seriously on our way to North Idaho, but while hanging around Redmond, we learned that both our kids and their significant others and children, had planned a camping trip to the Tahoe National Forest, just outside the Lake Tahoe area back in eastern California.

A small seed was planted, and after checking the map and figuring out the milage, we made a decision to go camping with them all.

A Giant U-Turn was made from our spot on the map in central Oregon, and we rode with the wind down the highway back to California, for just a small side trip. About 300 miles of a side trip.

Into the sierra’s we went, and the family we did meet.

Pine forests as far as one can see, thunderstorms in the afternoons, green meadows crisscrossed by streams and rivers. Awesome white puffy clouds against azure skies.

A wonderful time was had by all, relatives from both sides of extended families joined in on different days to make for lots of fun, food, campfires, fishing, hikes, and good talks.

Love you people dearly!

Can’t wait to meet up again somewhere along this long winding road. Thank you for a wonderful visit.

❧

Camping, Travel, Van Living

Friends, Food, and Fireworks.

July 17, 2014 Keevan Leave a comment

7/3/14 – 7/5/14

We arrived in Roseburg late in the afternoon, feeling a bit depleted of resources.

Upon hitting the town, we headed to a laundromat, did some washing up of clothes, got ourselves a couple of good strong lattes, and stocked up the fridge and cooler with fruit and veggies. We found Stewart Park, walked the loop around two lakes, and enjoyed our dinner watching the ducks, geese, and pigeons being fed over and over again loaves of bread by almost every visitor that came by. What happy birds they seem to be. I’m not sure how healthy this is for them or the lake, but they do seem to enjoy the charity.

The next morning we connected up with friends Bill and Marlene. We told them we were just stopping by for a cup of coffee. Those people were so gracious and inviting we stayed for anther two days. We enjoyed their company, ate too much delicious food, listened to great bluegrass music at the local produce stand, drank copious (for us) amounts of good red wine, and enjoyed a cafe in the middle of nowhere that served wonderful organic vegetarian faire with brick oven baked fresh bread and pastries!

We were even able to watch 4th of July fireworks from their backyard.

Though the company was fantastic, the weather was getting a bit hot, so we decided to hit the coast one more time for a last couple of days respite, before heading inland to Bend, then onto Idaho.

Bandon, a little coastal town south of Coo’s Bay was beautiful, and much fun was had strolling the streets in the cool light fog haze.

It was really nice being near the ocean again, but sorry to say, there were still too many holiday revelers for our liking, and the dunes on the coast certainly attract more ATV’s than we care to be around!

Most places we visit have both good and bad qualities. When we find those sweet spots that seem just perfect to us, we REALLY need to just stay PUT!! Seems we often pull up stakes and move on, then regret leaving the “perfect spot” behind.

Morning Stroll at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park

But then, we always want to see what’s waiting around the next corner. Someday, we keep saying that we are going to stay a few months at a time in one place. But that’s for later.

❧

Camping, Nature, Travel

Blue, Blue of Crater Lake

July 10, 2014 Keevan Leave a comment

6/29/14 – 7/1/14

The richest blue, the deepest blue, the most peaceful blue. It’s a magical blue. There is no other blue like the blue of Crater Lake.

We camped here for three days and two nights.

Whenever we go to National Parks, the people are so friendly and interesting. You meet folks from near and far. You meet folks from this country, and from many other countries. You meet people that are genuinely interested in beauty. You meet people that are interested in nature and geology and science.

I wish I could say the same about all camping spots, but unfortunately I can’t. So many of the State Parks and County parks, and private parks have just become places to party. To trash and scream and run generators, and bring porch swings, triple grilled bar-b-ques, boom boxes, atvs, dirt bikes, kids plastic basketball hoops, and whatever else is desired. There’s really not much camping left in campgrounds, especially when they are located near larger metropolis areas.

So when you find a campground run efficiently and kept clean, where the sites are spacious and at least a tiny bit private, it’s worth mentioning.

Crater Lake National Park campground is just that. A certain number of sites are reservable, for those type of campers who always reserve ahead of time. A certain number of sites are not, for the rest of us. And there are numerous electrical hook-ups for those type of campers who use hook-ups, which is great, so the rest of us don’t go crazy listening to generators roar in the middle of the wilderness.

We drove around the Rim, and hiked a few short hikes.

We enjoyed the scenery.

And the mountains.

And again, it was especially nice to meet our neighbors while we camped in the park. Chris, you are awesome! Pia thanks you dearly for the super bouncy ball you gave her! Michael & Jean – good luck on your travels. Hope our paths cross again. We are still on our way to Bend, looking forward to checking out your ideas. And to the two women in the cutest of cute tiny but efficient travel trailer from Rhode Island…Bless you both, I hope you have a wonderful time in Seattle and your trip back across the country. And Barbara, the English woman who has been living alone in her small RV for the past 6 years. Up at the crack of dawn to hike, riding her bike to the top of the grade for exercise, and being an inspiration to the rest of us. You all make our travels so special!

We really enjoyed our short stay at Crater Lake, and even splurged on a wonderful lunch at the Crater Lake Lodge on our way out!

❧

Nature, Travel

A Bit of Nature in Klamath Falls

July 7, 2014 Keevan 2 Comments

Klamath Falls, Oregon

After so much desert, and so much of drought stricken conditions, we are really enjoying the verdant green meadows and marshes around Klamath Falls.

Klamath Falls is centrally located on a major bird migratory flyway, so with our new bird watching hobby, we are having a grand time, even though many of the migratory birds are far to the north at this time of year. There is still so much to see and explore!

I met this beautiful Cedar Waxwing for the first time in the wilds.

Then I shared a view with this handsome Goldfinch.

And discovered this male Yellow Warbler feeding his youngster.

Caught this beautiful Osprey perched on what I think is a chick under her.

Stopped along the way to smell a few flowers. Gosh my botany is very rusty, so I didn’t even get their names today.

Still beautiful without proper names.

And finally said good-bye to the day, watching this lone Double-breasted Cormorant watch over his dinner table.

Not a bad day… ❧

Keevan Soul