Lava Butte

SunsetLava FieldsMt Batchelor from Lava ButteFire Lookout on top of Lava ButteChipmunk enjoying the view

We drove up to Lava Butte today which is north of La Pine and south of Bend. Lava Butte rises 500 feet above the visitor center. This cinder cone erupted 7,000 years ago and covered over nine square miles with lava. The butte offers a panoramic view of central Oregon, including a spectacular view of the Cascade Range.

Due to limited parking at the summit, there is "Controlled Access" on high use days. Each day is divided into 15 different 30-minute time slots. There are 14 tickets issued for each half hour time slot. Visitors can choose the next available slot or pick one later in the day. When their half hour time slot begins they can take their vehicle up. The chipmunks are numerous, fearless and friendly even though we didn't feed them. No thunderstorms tonight. It is sunny and 75.

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters from our Camp

The Three Sisters are three volcanic peaks of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range in Oregon, each of which exceeds 10,000 ft in elevation. They are the third, fourth, and fifth highest peaks in the state of Oregon and are located in the Three Sisters Wilderness,about 15 mi southwest from the nearest town of Sisters, Oregon.

We are in La Pine Or,about 30 miles south of Bend. We could see the Three Sisters from our campground when we arrived this afternoon around 1:30PM but they are currently clouded over and there is a hail storm overhead which cooled things down quickly from 80 to 60. We took a quick dip in the pool after we set up the 5th wheel. The black storm clouds were approaching so we dried off and headed into La Pine for a pizza. This park (Cascade Meadows) is  just off  Hwy 97 between Bend and Klamath Falls Oregon. It is mainly a grassy meadow,full hook ups,pool,laundry and nice deep pull through spaces.

Timberline Lodge

Timberline LodgeRode the ChairJack and Fellow Firefighter

We drove to Timberline Lodge today which is where The Shining ( with Jack Nicholson) was filmed. It stands at the 6000 foot elevation level. It was built in the 1930's and still retains some of the original woodwork and ironwork from those days.  We took the chairlift up to the 7000 foot elevation where there are still tons of snowboarders and skiers.  We could see Mt Adams from the top of the chair.Timberline is open year round for snow sports and I was really surprised at how many people, cars and buses were in the parking lot.Enormous Fireplace..it is 4 sided

In the picture I am wearing a sweatshirt that was not really necessary..just wore it to keep it from flying off the chairlift.  Back down in our camp it is slightly overcast but still a pleasant 65.

Mountains to Falls and Back

We drove back down to Sandy for some banking business and then continued along the Columbia River east on Hwy 84. We stopped at the spectacular Multnomah Falls.  Plummeting 620 feet from its origins on Larch Mountain, Multnomah Falls is the second highest year-round waterfall in the United States. Nearly two million visitors a year come to see this waterfall making it Oregon’s number one public destination. I think there were approximately 1 million Japanese student tourists there today.

Our next stop was at the Bonneville Dam and the fish ladders. This was the first dam built on the Columbia River. The grounds are beautiful with flowers and shaded walkways. There are several fish holding ponds as well as a hatchery. There was an enormous Sturgeon, at least 7 feet long, in one of the holding ponds. We stopped for lunch in windsurfers paradise,Hood River before continuing on Hwy 35 back up Mt Hood  through the orchards and past the fruit stands to our campground.

Mt Hood Village

We left Barrier Dam Campground (and Washington) this morning and made it to Mt Hood Village in Welches Oregon just off Hwy 26...(near Mt Hood) Although our route skirted Portland we ran into road construction in Sandy OR and Gresham.This is a huge park but not very many campers here. I'd say it is less than a quarter full.We set up in one spot and found out the water leaked like crazy so we moved a couple doors down. Our spot is nice and shady, it is probably close to 85 in the sun. There is a huge laundry room,indoor pool,big clubhouse and paved roads so I can ride my bike easily. Internet,cable TV,full hookups...

I haven't been in this area in years. Hopefully we can drive up to Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood which is within 40 miles from here.

Fishing

Gary's Fish!Creative parkingEleanor

Yes we did manage to cram two trucks,a van, a boat and a fifth wheel into the camping spot here at Barrier Dam. Barrier Dam is on  the Cowlitz River about 20 miles south of Chehalis on the way to Mt Saint Helens.(Hwy 12)

Gary,Justin and Jack went fishing the first day and Gary caught this beauty in the picture. We've been enjoying great weather and fantastic S'Mores ever night. The campground is nicer than I had expected it to be, Our spot is the nicest one here. It is shaded with a picnic table and firepit. Water and power only.. no sewer hookup and no wifi (I'm at the library in Salkum) and no cell reception  or satelite either. As you can see by the picture we managed to get everyones vehicle into the parking area. Behind the 5th wheel there is an enormous grassy area where the tents are set up.

Jack and I will be leaving here on Monday and headed to a campground near Mt Hood.

Still at Ocean Mist

Jack rockpicking at Kalaloch

Kalaloch

We will be leaving here tomorrow and going to Barrier Dam campground on the Cowlitz River. The weather is still cool,overcast and dreary. The internet connection is sporadic and slow. David I apologize for all the times we went to Mexico and you took your laptop and I laughed at you! I feel lost without the internet now!

Doing laundry today and general chores for moving. There is no laundry or sewer hookups at Barrier Dam. How did we ever manage camping as kids.... in a tent with no cell phones,laptops,bottled water,TV or showers? Hopefully the weather will improve and we'll catch a mess of Steelhead.

My Name is Kathy and I'm a Rockaholic

We drove up the coast to Kalaloch  yesterday (pronounced Clay Lock). These knobby trees can be seen on some of the beach trails. The growths were caused by a fungus years ago however the trees are still alive.

 Aside from being my favorite spot in Washington, Kalaloch is home to my favorite rocks..which wind up in the "beach" garden at home. 

Nice flat rocks

We stopped at Lake Quinault Lodge on the way back. Built in 1926, it only took workers 10 weeks to build at a cost of $90,000. The roads in the Olympic Penninsula are where I saw my first Cougar (and second and third... as well as a black bear)

The sun poked out for a little bit at Kalaloch but generally it has been cool and overcast. Typical for the Olympic Penninsula which averages 12 feet of rain per year ( according to a brochure from Lk Quinault) Doesn't matter...I still love the area for it's rugged beauty despite areas of ugly clearcuts along the roads. Parts of the area are still heavily logged. Years ago there was a huge dispute among loggers and environmentalists concerning the Spotted Owl, which apparently has it's habitat  exclusively in these woods. Loggers of course, wanted to keep on cutting timber,which is the source of income for thousands of people in this area...the environmentalists wanted to protect the Spotted Owl. I still remember driving through the area and seeing all the signs in windows " This family supported by timber dollars". One sign stood out from the rest however...  "Out of toilet paper? Wipe your butt on a Spotted Owl"  ha

Ocean Mist RV Park

The "spacious" areaTight Quarters!

I was finally able to download the pictures I took yesterday. The top one shows the area of this RV Park that has what I consider to be the roomy spots. Bottom picture is us on the right (of my bike). You can see how squished we are next to the KM'ers.  FYI... KM is a camping organization similar to Leisure Time or Thousand Trails etc.They behaved themselves last night and weren't noisy. This morning was overcast and cool...around 40. Currently 68 degrees and still overcast. We drove down to Ocean Shores today. Years ago my folks had an undeveloped piece of property on Duck Lake. They never did anything with it. Ocean Shores is still not much to look at and it has always seemed gray and gloomy to me just like it was 30 or 40 years ago.

We took a walk down to the beach from our campsite and it is nice and sandy but I prefer beaches with driftwood and rocks. I'm hoping we can make a trip over to Kalaloch next week where my favorite rocks are waiting to be transported back to my California garden.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

We left a foggy Fort Flagler this morning and arrived at Ocean Mist RV Park near Ocean Shores around 1PM. We're packed in here tight as sardines. Our neighbors,who belong to a KM camping club,greeted us and invited us to join them tonight. Jack said they are wife swappers. One of them told him there was internet problems and they were all working on Mary's box. Uh Huh, hahah  I wish I could post the picture I took of the back of our RV almost touching three others. Tight.

The internet is slower than molasses in January. Thursday we leave for the Cowlitz River where we are meeting Jack's bro' Gary and nephew Justin for some Steelhead fishing. No wifi there at all so it may be awhile before I post again.

Day Trip to Sequim

John Wayne MarinaBeach Shelter

Wednesday was a beautiful sunny day so we drove over to Sequim (pronounced SKWIM) and walked around the John Wayne Marina.Mr. Wayne used to cruise into the area, tie up and then go into the bar with the locals. No crabbing today...we have plenty already. This weekend is the Sequim Lavender Festival. Lavender is one of my favorite plants and scents so I went into the Purple Haze Lavender Shop and bought some Lavender spritzer (I use it on the sheets). Too bad we won't be in the area for the festival...I've been a few times and it's fun. There is a huge street fair and tours of some of the lavender farms in the area plus everything you can imagine laced with lavender...cheesecake,lattes,chicken.

Back to Fort Flagler and a walk on the beach where I discovered this shelter built out of driftwood logs.

This morning it is very foggy..not too chilly..50 degrees or so. I hope the sun burns it off...we have a tee time in Port Townsend at 11AM.

Cruising to Alaska

We drove over to Marrowstone Point tonight to watch the ship traffic between Whidbey Is and Marrowstone Is and spotted this cruise ship most likely headed to Alaska.  A beautiful day today...sunny and warm. We went clamming this morning at low tide around 11AM. Tomorrow we may check out the Dungeness crab situation on the beaches in Sequim.

What Can I Say?

This picture is kind of blurry cuz I zoomed in with a telephoto trying not to be too obvious. FOUR of 'em on the line! Isnt there a limit like crabs,clams,salmon???

Jack and I didnt dig clams this morning...threatening to rain. It was the lowest tide of the week however...  - minus 3.1 feet. We drove into Hadlock to do laundry and get some groceries and a couple of movies. Now that we're back to the State Park the sun is out and it's getting warmer.

Initially Jack and I thought we would be back up to the Seattle area for his high school reunion in August. Now it doesnt look like that will be on our itinerary. We would be doubling back from Central Oregon  and that isnt very practical.  We will be leaving here next Saturday and headed toward an RV park near Ocean Shores. Then down to Barrier Dam campground for some river fishing on the Cowlitz..on toward Mt Hood then Central Oregon. After that who knows.

More Crab

Woke up to heavy fog this morning but Katie, Derek and Maddy went clam digging anyway. Yesterday we snagged a dozen or more rock crabs. After Derek and Jack cleaned crab we spent the afternoon watching an eagle perched in a nearby tree. Flew a kite,played in the sand... Lots of boats coming and going from the dock.The campground is full. Yesterday was a sunny warm day and we were kind of surprised at the change this morning.

Crabbing and Playing on the Beach

We got up at 6AM to go crabbing at low tide this morning and snagged our limit within an hour. We were the only ones on the beach. We stopped in Hadlock so Madison could get her very own crab/clam license! She was very excited..it has her name on it! Jack cooked the crab and did some clean up while Madison and I headed for the beach. The water was cold but the sun was hot by 10AM.

Our camping spot is huge. We're across from the little general store and have a beautiful view of the water across to Port Townsend.

Fort Flagler

We left Katie and Derek's this morning and made it to Fort Flagler around noon. It is a beautiful sunny day! Madison is very helpful in setting up our camp.There is a minus tide this weekend so we'll be crabbing and clam digging.

Slightly breezy and temps around 80.

RV'ing Activities

So you ask, what do you do once you've had the $2.99 breakfast special at the casino but it's too early to start gambling?  RV maintenance and clean up...Jack watches the turd parade.

He bought a handy dandy tool for flushing the tank. It consists of a toilet wand attached to a hose and a special clear tube that attaches to the sh*t straw leading out of the 5th wheel.  Insert the wand into the toilet,turn on the hose and watch for the water to run clear....turd parade!

Summer Now? It's the 5th of July!

Fireworks Strip MallYes that is the Casino

Today is tradionally the beginning of Summer in the Northwest. Not sure that will be the case this year. Last night was cold and windy and this morning it looks gray and misty outside. The fireworks were down the road in Anacortes and not very high in the sky so we couldn't see them too well.These pictures are of the street where all the fireworks stands are set up  and our RV spot in relation to the casino. The casino is the big brown bldg to the right of our truck.

We were hoping to play golf with Kevin and Linda today but the weather doesn't look too hopeful. We did not unhook the truck, so we'll be staying closeby. The beach is nearby and oh yeah I almost forgot there is a casino in the backyard!

Swinomish Slough

Packed up this morning and drove the 10 miles over to the Northern Lights Casino...Swinomish RV Park. When Jack was checking in they told him we didn't have a reservation. He called about a week ago to confirm we DID and at the time they actually had two spots reserved for us. Jack said we only need  one spot , #8,so cancel the other one and supposedly they did. A supervisor won't be available until 11AM to straighten it out so we just moved into spot #8 and set up camp. Too bad for the guy who thinks he has a rez at this spot. heh heh

All along the road into this casino and RV park there are fireworks stands set up...dozens of them. Reminds me of Muck hill in Auburn or Boom Town in Everett.Lots of big explosions going off.  Kind of nerve racking as the oil refinery that had the explosion a few weeks ago is within miles.We should have a great spot for the fireworks tonight. The RV Park is right on the slough and we have an end spot that has a little grass area to set up our chairs. Our biggest problem is staying awake that late.The RV park is a stones throw from the casino.  :)

Weather is overcast and 50 degrees.

LaConnor

MarinaRV ParkMe and Mom

Finally found a wifi hot spot at a little coffee shop in LaConnor. Yesterday Jack and I drove down to Seattle to see my moms new apartment. The picture was taken on her rooftop garden where she puts in her walking mileage every morning. We had a few other errands to do on the way back and then stopped at the Tulailip Casino which is gorgeous. There are beautiful  water falls and fountains with Orca's and metal fish frolicking in the water. (I did  okay on the slots too.   :)

The raspberries and strawberries are all ripe up here. We bought some along with a Bumbleberry pie. The lady at the pie shop said she created the pie when she ran out of blackberries and added blueberries and raspberries as a substitution. Delicious!

Today will be a kickback day doing laundry and programming my new phone..maybe catching up on some TV golf and exploring LaConnor.

Our RV park is right across from the Marina on the Swinomish Slough. Also about a half mile from town so it is an easy walk if I want some exercise. The park is okay, it has an indoor pool and big laundry but the spaces themselves are tight. Our neighbor has his satelite dish set up in our "yard". I guess it's the only way he can get reception.

We'll be moving down to the Northern Lights Casino at the Swinomish Indian Rez on Sunday to watch the fireworks. One of Jack's former coworkers (Kevin D) will be camping there as well and we are looking forward to visiting with him and Linda.