A Not-so-normal Travel Day

Friday was a normal travel day.  We woke up, did our Bible reading and prayers, spent an hour doing weight training.  Then we prepared the RV for travel.  I stowed the coffee pot and the glass tray for the microwave, hooked the closet doors and the sliding door to the bedroom.  John disconnected the water and electric.  I put the cats and the Trailer Life Directory and the map and water bottle in the truck.  I closed the slides.  The back struts were raised, and then it was time to extend the front landing gear to raise the trailer so it could be hitched to the truck. 

 

I pushed the button and it want "brr-brr-brr-clank, brr-brr-brr-clank."  "Stop," said John.   I stopped and he opened the storage compartment under the bedroom overhang, then said, "Try it again."  I did.  "Brr-brr-brr-clank."  "Stop."  This repeated several times.  Then we tried the hand crank—nothing worked.  John and I agreed it was probably a stripped gear.  So John took the cell phone and called one of the two trailer repair people listed in the campground folder. 

 

After describing what was going on, Mike said he would see if he could find the part.   We put the cats back in the trailer and waited.  Then we decided we would probably be here for a while.  We put down the rear stabilizers and opened the slides.  A couple of hours later, we visited Mike's shop.  He showed us another stabilizer gear assembly he was working on and explained that he doesn't like working with the Keystone dealers in Oregon (Montana is part of the Keystone company), so he had called a dealer in Colorado that he works with.  They hadn't called him back.

 

We returned to the trailer, called Keystone/Team Montana and determined that the landing gear was made by Lippert.  We called Mike with that information and asked him to call our extended warranty company for approval.  After several more phone calls and several hours, we learned the part had been ordered, but it wouldn't be shipped till Monday.  It should arrive Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

What a change in plans!  We had made reservations for three nights in Hat Creek, California, so we could explore Lassen Volcanic National Park.  We drove through the park four years ago and wanted to return so we could see more of its beauty.  I cancelled that reservation and we started looking at what there is to do here.

 

We like to plan our time.  And then we like to carry out those plans.  What that means is, we like to be in control of our lives.  And right now we aren't.  We must wait for the part and hope that is really the problem.  After all, Mike hasn't ever looked at our trailer.

 

All that said, by this morning we both realized that the only thing we are missing right now is mobility.  We have each other and our love, we have our home (a 2003 Montana 2850 RK), we have our two cats, we have internet access and good cell phone service and our truck is working fine. 

 

        After running three miles, we ran some errands.  We are parked in a water and electric site—no sewer. That's fine for two days, but not for a week.  We need to drain our tanks.  So we bought a portable waste tank and some more novels to read. 

 

Next we went to the Klamath Falls Blue Festival.  It is not our favorite music, but it was fun to see who attended and share in the local festival.  Part of the proceeds benefits the VFW.  Since our older son is serving in Iraq with the Marines right now, that is valuable.  When we returned to the RV park, our new neighbors turned out to be from Colorado, so we visited with them for a while.  Then we drained our tanks and relaxed for the evening.

 

Almost all communities have a lot of interesting sights and things to do if you really look.  Stay tuned for what we find here.

 

Oregon Sights

We have visited two wonderful sights in Oregon during the past week. Last Wednesday we hiked four and one-half miles along the Crooked River at Smith Rock State Park near Redmond. The park is renowned for the rock formations resulting from volcanic eruptions and erosion by the river.

We watched numerous people climbing the rock faces.

The rock walls are beautiful.

This formation is called Monkey Face.

Yesterday we visited Crater Lake National Park, further south in Oregon. I have wanted to visit the park for years and didn't want to leave the state without going there this year. We are so glad we made the visit. The lake is incredibly blue. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the US as light passes through water, color is absorbed, first red, then orange, yellow and green. Only the deepest blue gets scattered back to the surface where we see it as the color of the water.

The 33-mile Rim Drive circles the lake, with many viewpoints of the water. We spent a good part of the day looking at the lake and reading more about the huge volcanic eruption that caused the collapse of 12,000 ft Mount Mazama 7,700 years ago. I took many photos, though without a helicopter I couldn't get the postcard view of the entire lake.

This is Wizard Island, a volcanic cone created by an eruption after Mount Mazama collapsed.

This is the Phantom Ship, a lava formation created very early and then revealed when Mount Mazama collapsed, leaving the large caldera called Crater Lake.

Deer and Frogs

We spent the last six days at the Crooked River Ranch RV Park in Terrebonne, OR, just north of Redmond. Arriving on Labor Day, the park wasn't crowded and everyone there was older and childless. It was so quiet and we had a great site. What we most enjoyed was the wildlife. Early each morning when we walked outside, cottontail rabbits bounded away in all directions. And a small herd of deer lived in the park. We could watch them eating mornings and evenings.

It seemed they grew more comfortable with the campers each day and this morning all seven were quite near our trailer. I was able to photograph them while I stood outside.

And through the rear window of the RV.

What a treat! We spent two months at the White River Wildlife Area and only once had a deer in our yard. On our morning runs, we saw deer tracks, but never the deer. Then we moved to a commercial park and saw them each day.

What we did see often at White River, in addition to the cows and the diggers, were small frogs. This is the best photo I got of them. It was sitting on John's chair next to the RV.

Shop Till You Drop

        Over three of the last four days we have shopped till we dropped.  You can tell we have been in the boonies for quite a while.  When we arrived here Monday afternoon, we asked where we could go grocery shopping.  When the woman on the front desk said they have a Super Wal-Mart here, our eyes lit up.  We haven't been in one for over four months.  Although we only needed some lettuce, as soon as we were set up, we headed out for Wal-Mart.  Fred Meyer, where we have been shopping in Oregon, is a general merchandise and grocery store, like Wal-Mart, but the prices aren't as good.  We ended up buying way more than lettuce.

 

        On Tuesday we drove to Bend, where we shopped the Mill District shopping area—a newly developed "life-style" mall with beautiful landscaping and a number of restaurants—both fast food and up-scale. I bought a pedometer at REI and we picked up a sandwich in a deli.  Then we were off to the factory outlet mall for new running shoes at the Nike store.

 

        Wednesday we hiked at Smith Rock State Park and never darkened the door of a store.  We made up for that yesterday, when we drove to the small tourist town of Sisters.  There the streets are loaded with art galleries, boutiques and t-shirt shops.  We didn't buy anything except gifts for our grandchildren.  However, it sure was good to window shop.  We have not come across real tourist havens in Oregon.  On the whole, that is good.  But we both enjoy shopping, even when we don't buy anything.  So Sisters as a real treat.  And the scenery on the drive there is great.  The Cascade Range is in view the whole way.  Beautiful!

 

Roundup!

Yesterday we had a front row seat for an honest-to-goodness cattle roundup. The field in front of our RV has been the pasture for 49 cow-calf pairs belonging to Brian, a local rancher. He leased the grazing land for three months from the wildlife area. The lease is up at the end of August.

When we learned we would be here when he moved the cattle, we knew we wanted to watch. Brian said they brought the cattle here by driving them down the road, but he thought they would take them back home by truck. However, about 1 pm yesterday the cowhands began arriving—10 men and women on horseback and one man on an ATV. Most of the horses were brought in by horse trailer. Two women rode their horses here.

When everyone was assembled and the route out of the field, through the wildlife area to the gate, then down the road was explained, they rode out across the field, driving the cows and calves around the back of the pond and toward an open spot in the fence. But nobody told the cows the fence was open, so they went right around the pond, back toward the open field. There were two cow dogs and I heard one of the men yelling to his dog, "back, back." The dog ran through the cows and attempted to turn the herd around.

Finally they got the cattle to stop and turn around. Once the cows realized the fence was open, they quickly left the field and were gone down the hill. They left so quickly, we decided to follow for awhile and see what happened next.

We caught up to them as they approached the wildlife area gate. There is a cattle guard on the road, but a large gate next to the road

was opened so the cows could go around. Most of them went the right way. However, some of Brian's calves ducked through the fence into the adjoining field where Larry has been grazing his cattle. We guess the calves saw those cows and grass and decided they liked it better there.

The cowhands stopped the herd on the road while Brian and another man went into Larry's herd to catch the calves. We have watched calf roping events at rodeos over the years and now we know the skills—picking up the calf and throwing it to the ground—used in the rodeo have practical value. Brian didn't rope the calves, but he did grab them by the legs and carry them, one at a time, out of the field—under the fence.

One calf decided it didn't want to leave our pasture and ran back up the road the way he had come. One woman on horseback and the man on the ATV—with some help from John—tried to stop the calf. However, it eluded all of them and returned to familiar ground. After the rest of the herd was settled in their new pasture, Brian and his wife returned, bringing their horses in the horse trailer. They rode into the field, looking for the calf. We didn't see the outcome, but they later drove off and haven't returned today, so they must have found the calf.

Herding cows is dusty work. And many of the cowhands weren't dressed like the cowboys of old. But it sure was exciting to watch the roundup and cattle drive. It was a first for us.

What a Great Day!

What a great day's work on Wednesday, our last day volunteering at White River Wildlife Area, Tygh Valley, Oregon. We both got practice in driving and using the fork lift.

First on the schedule was repositioning the large flower box near our host site. The large wooden box sat on three log slices. They had begun to settle into the dirt and rot, so the box was slowing tipping. Using the fork lift, John picked up one end of the box, then we removed two of the log slices and replaced them with large bricks. He then backed up, moved to the left and picked up the other end. Now the flower box again sits level and isn't in apparent danger of falling over.

Next we used the fork lift to move four large Oregon Cherry Producer orchard boxes. The 4 ft by 5 ft wooden boxes are lined with heavy plastic. We moved the boxes, one at a time, to an area behind the area headquarters where trash is burned and spare items are stored. They will be used to hold used wire—mainly from fences—until there is enough so the scrap metal dealer will come pick it up. We drilled six holes in the bottom of each box so they won't fill up with water when it rains or snows.

John had used the fork lift here once before. He is getting very experienced. Today was my first attempt. I was amazed at how easy it was to learn how to operate the machinery.

Josh, the area manager, has two rat terriers, Obie and Mandy. These two cute little dogs love to ride in the Polaris six-wheeler, no matter who is driving. Whenever they hear it start up, they run out to catch a ride.

When we stop for some reason, they may jump off and look for squirrels and diggers and mice, or they may sit there patiently, waiting for us to drive off again. What fun. They really seem to enjoy life here.

The day ended with a bar-b-cue for us, organized by the staff. It was good food, especially the homemade blackberry pie, made from berries that grow here in the wildlife area.

We have finished our two month commitment here, working three days each week. They ask that we work a total of 24 hours a week for our site—that means 12 hours each. The work has been interesting and we have developed new skills. It has been a real learning experience. We won't leave White River until Monday, when the Labor Day campers are headed back home.

We'll Miss This Place

We are really going to miss this RV site at White River when we leave in a week. It has been the absolutely most wonderful place to stay we have ever been in. We will miss the privacy, the quiet, the cows in our front yard, and the birds. We have our own private laundry 100 yards or so away.

The cows have been a lot of fun to watch. There are still some small calves that run and jump in the field. At five or six in the morning we could hear the cows waking up and bawling. Sometimes one cow will start and soon others throughout the herd talk back. Once or twice a day they all parade from one part of the field to another.

Three times we have had cows on our side of the pasture fence. The first one finally found her way back in by herself. The second and third times John opened the gate and was able to herd the cow back. One day this week we walked around their pasture to explore the irrigation ditches out there. When the ditch water is running, the herd's owner comes several times a week to change the direction of the irrigation water so the field remains green and lush. We have never before understood how that works or appreciated the work it takes to make it happen.

We will miss our view of Mt. Hood. The mountain dominates the horizon throughout north central Oregon, much more than Pikes Peak does in Colorado.. It is only 11,239 ft high, but it towers over the surrounding mountains in the Cascade Range. It is beautiful.

The sunsets here are also spectacular.

We watched a family of California Quail start to learn about the world just outside our RV. All too soon, the babies were able to fly and the whole family moved away.

But it was fun to watch the little ones walk in single file and feed on whatever they found on the ground. Then they grew to where they could fly away, instead of running, when we walked outside. As we drive the nearby roads, we see other quail families crossing the road.

One of the nest boxes on a nearby tree hatched a family of Western Bluebirds. First we saw the mother and father flying in and out with food for the babies. It wasn't long before the babies were learning to fly. Bluebirds have a distinctive flight pattern, dipping down then flying up again. For a while all of the birds—six or more—flew in and out of the same nest box. We aren't sure if that family is still around, but we often see bluebirds in the surrounding trees.

We also have House Wrens, Savannah Sparrows, the Black Throated Gray Warbler, hummingbirds, a pair of American Goldfinches and Chickadees in our yard.

The weather here has been mostly mild and comfortable. Some days have been too hot, too cool, or too windy, but on the whole it has been very pleasant to sit outside and watch the wildlife and enjoy the quiet. The RV is small enough, we like being able to live outside as much as possible. At Gnat Creek, where we volunteered in May and June, it was usually too wet and/or too cold to sit outside. Here has been almost perfect.

On Labor Day we will be leaving, re-entering the world of commercial RV parks and other travelers. We have missed all of the summer family vacation time, but it will still be an adjustment to be close to other people and their RVs. However, we have volunteered for four straight months and it will be good to be back on the road.

By the way, we won't miss the diggers when we leave here.

Running at the County Fair

Saturday we attended the Wasco County Fair in Tygh Valley. The highpoint of the morning was the run we competed in. We each won our division—5K for men and for women in the 60-69 year age group. Never mind we were the only people in that age group! One woman who is 72 competed in the 5K walk. Otherwise, we were the oldest people there. We had a great time. John ran his race in 30 minutes 26 seconds; I did mine in 35 minutes 38 seconds. This race was much better organized than the one we participated in during the Astoria Scandinavian Festival. And we each have a new shirt to show for our efforts. Thanks to our oldest granddaughter, Kylie, for getting me started in this.

In addition to running and walking divisions in the 3K, 5K and 10K divisions, there were also goat and canine divisions. Since this was at the county fair, the goat division really made sense.

We try to run (jog) three miles, three times a week, whether we are at the house in Colorado or on the road. I always seem to run faster on the track at the gym in Colorado. But I was really encouraged after Saturday's event. I was more relaxed and able to run a little faster than the past two times we have competed. I haven't figured out why I am uptight at a race. I don't care if I come in last, or even how fast I go. Just that I can do it. And Saturday it was much more comfortable than in the past. We'll have to find another one soon.

The Wasco County Fair is fun. There are 4H exhibits in livestock, cooking, crafts, etc.; adult crafts and fine arts and cooking exhibits, as well as commercial booths. This pig and her piglets were a treat to watch.

They have rodeos, a parade and a demolition derby. The fairgrounds include a large RV park and campground, so many people come and spend the weekend. We enjoy attending local and state fairs when we can. Last fall we were able to attend the Arizona State Fair. This is one way we are able to see how the locals live and enjoy life.

AKA Diggers

We are surrounded by wheat fields and Oregon Oak Trees and marvelous views of Mt. Hood. But no description of this area is complete if you don't know about the California Ground Squirrels. They are everywhere. When I walk from our RV to the small building housing the clothes washer and dryer, these squirrels dart away from me. When I sit in the RV and look out the front door, I often see two or more running across the yard.

According to the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mammals, these brownish squirrels with prominent buff flecks and rather bushy tail are between 14 and 19 ¾ inches long and weigh 9 7/8 to 26 ounces. They have one litter per year with 5 to 8 young, born in May. Their burrows with entrance mound and radiating pathways are 3 to 6 inches wide and 5 to 200 feet long.

Here they are very unpopular and everyone calls them diggers.. They eat flowers, dig holes everywhere—leaving mounds of dirt and undermining our RV site as well as the Quonset hut used to store grain and other supplies. They climb into the undercarriage of cars and trucks that aren't driven very often. One of the employees here, John, went out to his truck just before July 4 and it wouldn't start. He had to have a new wiring harness installed—cost $2500—because of the diggers.

When you look outside, you see activity everywhere, through the corner of your eye, on fences, trees and rocks, darting across the roads. The manager regularly goes out with his 22 rifle to thin the population.

This week, as we drove through the wildlife area with Aimee, the assistant manager, we passed four Asian men sitting next to their vehicles. Ed, another employee, stopped to talk to them. They had shot four of the diggers and cooked them over a propane stove. They were eating them for lunch. Quite a delicacy to them, apparently. It's not just down south in Louisiana and Alabama and Florida where squirrels are considered a real treat to eat.

They are very effective diggers. We have seen them move rocks 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, searching for food. The ground is riddled with holes for their burrows. When we arrived, I thought they were cute. Since they are everywhere, they now give me the creeps. Not enough to shoot them, though. I do wish we had more hungry hawks in the vicinity, however.