Day 96: Home again

We had an easy four-hour drive to get home, along I-64 and I-81 to Staunton, then east along I-64.  We arrived at the house to find many spiders had taken up residence in corners and waist-high weeds covered all the garden beds.  There will be lots to do over the coming weeks: unpacking the RV, doing laundry, weeding, cleaning out the spiders, and so forth.

Total distance:  13, 425 miles.  States visited:  Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Ohio.  Average mpg for the RV:  15.5.

Probably the longest drive we’ll take in the Navion, both in miles and in time.  It feels good to be home!

Day 95: St. Paul IN to Clifton Forge, VA

Wow, well over 400 miles today, and five states: Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia!

We got an early start (Check engine light still shining) and headed east through Cincinnati.  We picked up I-75 south to Lexington, then got on I-64---the road home.  We pulled into Douthat State Park near Clifton Forge, VA shortly before 6:00, in light rain.  Without reservations on a Friday night, I was afraid it would be full, but we were able to get one of the few available sites.

All that driving is tiring, but we'll have a fairly short drive tomorrow, home.  It will be great to take a shower, sleep in my own bed, and start the long process of unpacking and cleaning up.  

Day 94: Marion IA to St. Paul IN

Poor Ranger!  I think he had a lonely day on the road without Lola!

We left Tim’s early, but returned there about ten minutes later due to the Check Engine light going on.  Dan spoke to someone at a service place for Sprinter in Iowa City, and concluded that we could continue on home with the light on.

So south on I-380 to Iowa City, where we picked up I-80 east. We passed over the Mississippi River again at Quad Cities and then crossed Illinois, through Peoria, Bloomington, and Urbanna.  Miles and miles of corn fields, all brown by now.  We went through Indianapolis shortly after 5:00, having entered Eastern time zone again, and were slowed by traffic and road construction.  Around 6:30 we pulled into a private RV park called Hidden Paradise, the first part of which may be true---we had difficulty finding it---but the second part is certainly false.  It’s a park primarily full of seasonal campers, few of whom were around on a Thursday night in September, and our site is just a parking place near the shower house. 

Dan is getting itchy to be home, and we covered over 400 miles today.

Day 93: Still in Iowa

We spent another day at Tim and Pam’s, much to Ranger’s delight.  He awakes early and immediately wants to head into the house to play with Lola.

After a leisurely breakfast, we headed out to see their houseboat, bought earlier this year.  It’s a “fixer-upper” used boat, but Tim has been working on it for months, making steady progress.  The marina at which it is docked is on a large lake about 40 minutes from their house, and it has docks, a campground, a restaurant, and boat launch and storage.  On a weekday, it was very quiet and peaceful there. While Tim and Dan were checking some things on the boat trailer, I watched a flock of at least a hundred of white pelicans on the lake.

After some beverages and conversation, we went out for pizza for dinner, and it was some of the best I’ve had. 

The two dogs continue to enjoy each other’s company, running around the yard, barking at anyone who goes by, and vying for the attention of anyone who is handy.

Day 92: Happy dog in Marion, Iowa

Ranger is having a great time visiting Tim, Pam, and Lola.  He is up early, at the RV door, wanting to get to the house.  

The day was spent having a leisurely breakfast (great omelet, Tim!), doing laundry, fixing and cleaning the grill, and taking the dogs for a long walk.

 The fenced backyard is a real treat---plenty of space to run around and play (and bark in unison at anyone passing by!).

Day 91: Waterford WI to Marion IA

We had breakfast with Dugan, Lu, and Doug (Dugan's dad) at a local restaurant before heading out again.  So glad we made the stop to see their new home and to catch up on news!

We did the drive to Iowa in about four hours----overcast and very cool---and arrived at Tim and Pam's in time for dinner.  Tim is an excellent cook!

Tim had fenced in their back yard for their dog Lola, and Ranger is SO happy to be able to run around like crazy, especially with a dog companion.

Day 90: Waterford, WI

Yesterday’s drive was a short one, under three hours, so we took our time with showers, straightening up, and breakfast.  We had a short stop in Madison to pick up a replacement part for the grill, then headed to Waterford, arriving around 2:00.

We are visiting Dan’s cousin Dugan and his wife Lu, long-time friends.  They recently moved from their home of many years, an incredibly beautiful house on the Fox River with a great boat house that we stayed in whenever visiting.  They bought a condo in the same town and since May have totally remodeled it. They hope to find another condo or house in the Phoenix area in the coming months so that they can escape the Wisconsin winters and be closer to their three grown children ( who are in Phoenix, Denver, and Los Angeles).

So this is quite a lifestyle change for them, and we were curious to see how they were adjusting. Their new condo is also beautiful.  Just the main floor would provide comfortable living for two, with open living room, dining room, and kitchen, plus two bedrooms and two bathrooms, but they have also finished off the basement, adding a large family room, an office for Lu, an exercise room, and storage. They gave up their fabulous garden around the old house, but are pleased to have no yardwork to do.

As always, it was a most enjoyable time with them, lots of laughter and conversation, plus a great meal fixed by Dugan.  Lu and I took Ranger for a long walk around their neighborhood and are scheming to do a joint trip to New Zealand.  (Okay….improbable, but not impossible.)  We slept comfortably in the RV in their small driveway, thanks to Dugan providing the electricity.

Day 89: Still at Governor Dodge State Park

We finally awoke to a sunny day, though cold, in the low 40’s.  After allowing the sun to warm things up a little, we headed out for a hike.  We had not really planned it, but we ended up walking for four hours, covering almost eight miles of trail (which wiped us out for the rest of the afternoon).

There are trails here for horseback-riding, for cross-country skiing, for mountain biking, and for hiking, some of which overlap, some not.  We followed Meadow Valley Trail for much of the time, meandering up and down hills, with the trail at times grassy and at other times rocky.  At several places we saw lots of birds---probably the best bird-watching of the whole trip---though with leaves still on the trees we were not able to identify them all and most were fairly common ones: chickadees, flickers, bluebirds and blue jays, and so forth.

It warmed up to about 60 by late afternoon when we lit a campfire and relaxed before dinner.  It was a good last day at the park before we move on to visit family members in Waterford.

Day 88: Richland Center

Cold rain all day.  Upper 40’s/Low 50’s.  And rain…and rain.

Fortunately we did not sit around in the RV all day.  We had already planned to unplug and drive to Richmond Center to visit with relatives.  So at noon we arrived to visit with Dan’s aunt, Ruth Collins, along with her son Mike and his wife Mary.  Mary had fixed quite a spread for lunch: trout, salmon, potato salad, pasta salad, cheese, crackers, pickles….and brownies with fresh raspberries for dessert.

Ruth was kind enough to allow (wet) Ranger in, and he enjoyed the attention and the warmth of being inside a house.  However, he seemed convinced that there was some threat…cat? Another dog?...outside, so he growled, and paced, and checked windows, and barked on and off.  Pretty stimulating place, I guess.

In late afternoon we returned to our soggy campsite, and after such a large lunch, we had soup and sandwiches and a quiet evening of reading.  With clearing skies, the temperatures are supposed to drop into the upper 30’s overnight.  

Day 87: Governor Dodge State Park, Dodgeville, WI

It was a dark, dreary, cool day, with constant low-hanging clouds but no rain.  Temperatures stayed in the low 50’s.  Altogether an unpleasant day to be camping, even in a nice place like Governor Dodge.

What saved the day, however, was a visit from Dan’s sister Kak, who drove over from Madison.  We caught up on family news over coffee, then took Ranger out for a long walk along the park trails, and then had lunch before she had to return to work. 

Given the weather, it was a perfect afternoon for lounging and reading and napping.  In late afternoon, Dan started a good fire and grilled chicken.  The forecast for tomorrow sounds even worse, with higher chance of rain.  Oh well---it was a long stretch of good weather up until now!

Day 86: Forest City IA to Dodgeville, WI

The day started early, as we had to be up and prepared for a 7:30 appointment for the RV to be serviced.  Ranger and I took our morning walk around the parking lot at Lichtsinn’s in a light drizzle.  Once the Navion was in the shop, we all waited in the customer lounge area, which Ranger thoroughly enjoyed.  I let him wander around inside, and he was quick to discover that the friendly service reps at the counter kept dog treats in a particular drawer. 

By late morning, we were on our way again, with oil change complete and malfunctioning panel lights fixed.  The forecast was for a front to move in from Canada with much colder air, and indeed the wind rose and the temperatures dropped throughout the day.  Our route took us along back roads of Iowa, through corn fields and small towns.  We crossed the Mississippi at Prairie du Chien, WI, where we stopped at a grocery store and then continued on to Dodgeville.

We vaguely remembered having been at Governor Dodge State Park forty-some years ago, when we lived in the area, but I had not remembered it being so big.   There are two major campgrounds, with two lakes. Ours is about two miles from the entrance, and it is thickly wooded and on quite a slope,  making leveling a challenge.

The wind and cold made sitting outside unpleasant, so we had an inside meal of spaghetti and salad and spend the evening reading and enjoying the benefits of being plugged in and having the heater running.  

Day 85: Lake Vermillion SD to Forest City, IA

Dan commented while sitting outside the RV in the evening: “Humidity. That’s what’s different”.  And indeed, in moving from the west into the Midwest, we are back into humidity.

And humidity we had, in the morning---99%.  It was very foggy, and I waited for the fog to clear as the sun began to shine.  No luck.  After a late breakfast and packing up, I waited for the fog to clear as we left the area around the lake, heading for the interstate.  No luck.

We traveled through the rest of South Dakota, past Sioux Falls, in the fog.  As we headed across Minnesota, the fog became less dense, though the clouds remained.  The weather forecast was for rain overnight, possible thunderstorms as a cold air mass moved in from Canada, with tomorrow’s temperatures about 20-25 degrees colder than today.

The GPS took us along some narrow farm roads, south into Iowa, and into Forest City, IA, the home of Winnebago/Itasca---the “birthplace” of our Navion.  We have an appointment early tomorrow (7:30) for routine maintenance.  Meanwhile, we’re camping in the Lichtsinn Motors parking lot in Forest City.

With rain threatening, we gave up ideas of grilling our dinner outside and went for a lunch/dinner at a sports bar within easy walking distance and had a cold beverage and a meal---pizza for Dan, a salad for me.  Now we’ll spend a quiet evening, waiting for the storm to hit and getting some sleep before the early morning appointment.  Not much fun for Ranger, but at least they will allow him in the customer lounge while the Navion is in the shop. 

Day 84: Wind Cave National Park to Lake Vermillion State Recreation Area SD

Today we passed from the west into the Midwest.

The view by the end of the day was of cornfields, soybeans, and wide expanses of farm land.

The day began with views of the grassy, rolling hills of western South Dakota.  We passed through the pretty town of Hot Springs, where many of the buildings downtown were built in the late 19^th century from the local red rock.  We took Route 79 north to connect back to I-90 near Rapid City, riding with the Black Hills off to the west.  Then it was mile after mile of plains, dry and featureless.  We passed the usual numerous highway signs for Wall Drug and rode on past the town of Wall.  Shortly after that, we passed the turn-off for Badlands National Park, but we continued on I-90 so we did not see much of the scenery of that area.  Gradually, the dry range land gave way to farm land.  All in all, we traveled about 380 miles today, which was considerably more than our usual.

We stopped for the night at Lake Vermillion State Recreation Area, a little west of Sioux Fall, South Dakota. The park is about six miles south of the interstate, so it is quiet out here.  The registration process for the park was frustratingly slow, done on the telephone mounted at the entry booth, but once in, we found the park to be very nice, clean and fairly new.  It has electrical hook-ups, no water, but it is good to be able to turn on lights to read and so forth. The evening sky was full of swallows diving around the edge of the lake.  There are only a few other campers here; there is a full moon rising; Dan says the showers are decent.  Ah, life is good!

Day 83: Buffalo WY to Wind Cave National Park, SD

It was an easy day’s drive, only 200 miles, with the first part on I-90 in eastern Wyoming.  Flat, dry rangeland with not much to see except the occasional antelope and quite a few cattle.  The posted speed limit was 80 mph!

We stopped for some groceries in Gillette, then at Moorcroft we took Route 16, heading southeast toward the Black Hills.  As we approached the Wyoming/South Dakota border, trees finally reappeared, just lots of conifers, but still they gave a bit of shape to the land and some interest.  In South Dakota we were slowed by road construction as we entered Black Hills National Forest and the road became windy as the hills became steeper.

At Custer City, we headed south on Route 85 to Wind Cave National Park, our destination for the day. Entering the park, we immediately saw lots of prairie dogs and also along the road were bison.  The campground is tucked into a valley with some trees, and it’s a little odd in that the RV sites are set up parallel to the road.  Dan had quite a time finding one that was level enough, but after some struggle we were parked and set up. 

Having arrived around 2 o’clock, we had a relaxing Sunday afternoon.  The thermometer that was in the direct sun measured 108, but there was a breeze and shade, so it was pleasant.  There are trees and shrubs alongside our site, so Dan watched birds up on the hill while I read and Ranger lounged in the sun, enjoying the lush green grass.  In late afternoon, Dan built a small campfire, and while sitting around it, we watched a doe and two fawns make their way along the hillside, munching on the shrubs and at one point being about fifty yards from us.  Better than TV!

We visited with the couple next to us for a while in the evening.  We had noticed that they had neither RV nor tent, and it turned out that their tent had been totally destroyed in a windstorm in the Badlands.  They were traveling from Florida but they decided to push on, sleeping in their car.  A little strange, but they seemed very upbeat about it all.

Tomorrow we cross South Dakota. 

Day 82: Yellowstone to Buffalo WY

How many different ecosystems can a person pass through in a day?  Lots, as yesterday showed!

We left Canyon Campground fairly early (31 degrees) and went south along a park road that went through open prairie, with quite a few bison to view.  The road followed the Yellowstone River---some ducks and Canada geese along it.  

At Yellowstone Lake (which is huge) we turned east on the road to the east entrance; that road ran along the lake shore.  When we stopped briefly to clean the windshield, we could hear coyotes howling in the distance.  A short time later, we came upon many cars pulled over to the side of the road (sure sign that there is a critter to see) and there was a grizzly bear in the field,  not far off, entertaining the park visitors.  

Once it left the lake shore, the road rose into mountains which were covered with the remains of trees from a wildfire---that went on for miles.  Upon leaving Yellowstone, we entered  Shoshone National Forest, so it continued to be mountainous and wooded.  (I noted that the campgrounds there permitted only hard-sided campers due to the prevalence of bears in the area.)  Gradually the road went down into a dry, open prairie as went got to Cody WY.

The stretch between Cody and Greybull was typical western desert, flat and rather boring, mile after mile.

After Greybull came the surprise of the day.  We took Route 14 toward I-90 near Sheridan, which looked rather windy  on the map.  It went right through Bighorn National Forest, and it was a spectacular road!  The western end began running along a creek with cottonwood along it, while the road itself was wedged between towering rock walls.  


It gradually rose in a series of switchbacks and traveled along the edges of cliffs for miles.  We stopped for lunch at a place called Shell Falls, which the explanatory signboards described as an oasis, very green and lush.  Continuing on, we ended up on high plains, real "cowboy country" with warning signs about "watch for livestock on road".  And yes, we did have to slow for cows that didn't seem to mind the cars at all.



As we approached I-90, the road went down and down and down in a series of switchbacks.  From the entry onto the interstate, it was a short drive to Buffalo, Wyoming, where we are spending the night at a very nice private RV park.  The owner made several suggestions for dog-walking areas, so Ranger and I got out and stretched our legs after the long drive (about 250 miles) and enjoyed feeling WARM after our visit in Yellowstone.  

Some photos from Yellowstone

Now that I have fairly strong internet, here are some pictures from the past few days in Yellowstone National Park.

Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River

Us at Artist Point in Yellowstone

Upper Falls 

Day 81: Yellowstone…another day

Another great day at Yellowstone, though the weather continues to be very cool, 30 at night, 60 in the day (but no rain---hurray!)

We returned to the Grand Canyon after breakfast to check out the north rim.  We took the North Rim Trail from Grand View to Inspiration Point, a little over a mile, and a very different trail from the South Rim---through spruce and fir forest, with occasional glimpses of the canyon itself, with fewer hills to climb.  Returning to the RV, we gave Ranger a brief walk, then hiked in the opposite direction on the North Rim Trail to see the view from Lookout Point.  The Red Rock Trail started at that point, going down into the canyon to give a close-up look of the Lower Falls.  Dan opted out, but I went down---which was fine on the trip out, quite exhausting on the trip back up!

One of the few places in the area where Ranger was allowed is the Canyon Village (restaurants, shops, and so forth), so we went there next to give him a longer walk.  While there, we bought lunch and ate outside in the sun, which by then was feeling very warm. 

In the afternoon we again did some touring in the RV, going south toward Yellowstone Lake.  The road followed the Yellowstone River and went through open area where we saw many bison.  We stopped at a place called Mud Volcano and looked at some of the thermal features.

We did a bit of bird-watching at the lake, checking out the Lake visitors area and the Bridge Bay marina along the way, then turned around and drove back, again seeing bison.

We had a good hot campfire which was much enjoyed as the temperatures again dropped close to freezing.  

Day 80: Yellowstone

It was a cold first night at Yellowstone, 30 degrees outside, low 40’s inside.  We did crank up the furnace for a while to take off the chill as we dressed and had breakfast, and the sun warmed things up fairly quickly into the 50’s.

We went to the visitors’ center at Canyon Village first and got some tips from a ranger about hiking trails and places to park the RV. (I had noticed coming into the park that quite a few of the parking lots and picnic grounds specified no trucks, trailers, or RV’s.)  She led us well: we drove to the South Rim Road and parked at Artist Point---plenty of room.

The view from Artist Point is featured on many paintings and posters of Yellowstone, and it is simply stunning---a view of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, with all the colored rock walls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as backdrop.  It looks much like The Grand Canyon with rock spires and lots of tans and reds and various shades of brown in layers.  I took lots of pictures which I can’t post yet, due to limited internet, but I’ll add some later.

From there, we picked up the South Rim Trail and hiked along the canyon for a little  more than a mile, lots of ups and downs and plenty of spectacular views, and reached the viewpoint for the Upper Falls, smaller but still beautiful.  With Ranger being stuck in the camper while we hiked, we returned to the RV and found a picnic area in which to walk him and have a light lunch.

In the afternoon, we decided to drive to another area of the park, and took a northbound road toward Tower Falls.  It turned out to be a spectacular route, up through a mountain pass.  We were on the lookout for animals, and over the course of about a two-hour drive we saw mule deer, goats, bison, and even one wolf!  I also saw one grizzly bear, but it was down in the woods, off the road, and as Dan was driving the winding route, he kept his eyes on the road.  We did not actually stop to take the short hike to Tower Falls due to the fact that the place was mobbed with tourists and the parking lot was packed, as were the shoulders of the road for some distance.  We did enjoy a limited view of the rock formations around the falls and the view of the vistas across alpine meadows.

Upon our return to Canyon Campground, we pulled in at the office and took turns getting a HOT shower, which felt fabulous!

Day 79: Bozeman to Yellowstone National Park

We awoke in Fowlkes’ driveway with temperatures back down in the 40’s.   I gave Ranger a short walk, but he was eager to get back and get into the house.  He bounded in and immediately ran around to find Marjorie!  We all gathered in the kitchen for coffee and tea and more conversation, and then moved to one of the sun porches for a big breakfast.

Marjorie’s garden was truly amazing, full of perennials, herbs, and vegetables, covering most of the side yard.  She gave me the tour of it, and I made notes of several perennials that I may want to try growing at home.  Then we relaxed in a porch swing alongside the garden for more talk and some bird-watching.  Her sunflowers had been very successful, and they were full of little birds, eating the seeds.

Around noon, it was time to leave.  They travel to Florida frequently in the winter, so we may connect with them again down there.

We had only about ninety miles to drive to get to the north entrance of Yellowstone.  It had been years since I had been there, and it was as wonderful as I remembered….but also as crowded with tourists!  I had expected that since summer was gone and schools were back in session, it might be less so, but especially around Mammoth Springs, the traffic was heavy and parking spaces were not to be found.  Leaving there, we could take either of two routes to our campground, and I picked the wrong one, putting us on a road with road construction delays.  (Other than that, it was a nice route.)  We finally arrived at Canyon Village at around 4:00.

This is a huge campground, with almost 300 sites, and the sign at the entry indicated that there was no vacancy for tonight. (We had reservations, so we were fine.) When we registered, we found out that our site is in the J loop, way up the road from the office and showers, perhaps a mile to a mile and a half!  The site is, however, a good one, just a bit of a slant that required leveling, under thick pines.

As the sun went down, so did the temperatures, so a campfire was a welcome addition to our evening activities.  We had chatted with people nearby who recently bought a used Navion, a few years older than ours, and they wanted to learn more about our experiences traveling in it.  So they came over to the fire to visit and we had an enjoyable time.

There are no hook-ups at this campground, so we cannot use our little electric heater. With forecast of a low of 30, we’ll be burning up some propane with our furnace tonight!  

Day 78: Missoula to Bozeman, MT

It was again in the 40’s when we woke up in Missoula at the KOA.  There was no reason to rush in the morning as we had a fairly short drive ahead, so we had breakfast, showered, did some grocery shopping, and filled both diesel and propane before heading east on I-90 at around noon.

Two hundred miles and four hours later, we pulled into the driveway of Charless and Marjorie Fowlkes in Bozeman.  This was something Kelly arranged; we had never met them.  They are the parents of a good friend of Michael and Kelly, and the two of them had stayed at Fowlkes’ when they drove east from San Diego last year.  Kelly felt sure that we would enjoy each other’s company, so she emailed them and they encouraged us to stop in.

We started with a brief tour of their unique house, which they designed and built themselves (literally).  It is heated by solar energy, with huge windows on one side within which are a series of large white tubes that are filled with water.  The sun heats the water which warms the house. There are heavy curtains that automatically roll down to cover the windows when a thermostat indicates that more heat is being lost than gained through the windows.   Since it does get very cold in the winter in Bozeman, they have a wood stove as back-up for those days when it is cloudy and/or below zero.  In addition, the house is designed with small gathering areas on each of three floors and with several decks that looked out on the woods behind and the beautiful garden on the side.  It is “upside-down” in the sense that the bedrooms are the bottom, then various other rooms on the second floor, and kitchen and dining at the top where it is sunny and (in the summer) warm.

We relaxed on a shady deck and had cold drinks. (It was in the upper 70’s after that cold start to the day.)  Charless and Dan talked boats… and more boats…and more boats.  We heard about their adventures traveling all over the world and camping/boating all over the US; they have been retired since 1999.  Then we had a delicious dinner and more conversation, and Marjorie and I walked Ranger on the paths of a nearby park.  Then it was time to plug in the RV and go to bed.

Ranger took to them immediately and seemed to enjoy having a whole house to walk around in after all these weeks in the little RV.  He also enjoyed stretching out on the deck and surveying the neighborhood from his sunny perch.  All in all, he behaved himself admirably!

Day 77: Washington to Idaho to Montana

This was one of the prettier drives of the trip, from Fields Spring State Park, along Route 12 through Idaho, to Missoula, Montana.

Shortly after leaving the Clarkston WA/ Lewiston ID area, Route 12 followed the Clearwater River, aptly named.  The river wound between mountains, and so did the road, of course, making for slow driving but beautiful scenery as we left the dry brown fields behind and got into forested area.

About a halfway across we entered Clearwater National Forest and for many miles there were few towns, but  higher mountains and many rocky creeks.  The road now followed the Lochwa River, another rocky, fast-running river, which looked like a postcard setting for people fly-fishing, and indeed we did pass quite a few people doing just that.

A long drive up took us over the top of Lolo Pass, over 5000 feet, and then we wound down again, crossing into Montana, into a new time zone, and toward Missoula.

Even with the time change, we arrived early enough to check into a KOA, do laundry, and have dinner. It was nice to have it stay light until almost 9:00 again.

Day 76: Still at Fields Spring (Labor Day weekend)

A cold morning, one when staying in a warm bed would have been nice.  However, Ranger needed his walk, so we headed out in the 45 degree air.  I ran the furnace for a little while on our return, to take the chill off inside the RV.

This continued to be an amazingly quiet state park on a long holiday weekend.  This morning, a number of people camping on the loop left so we were down to just four or five occupied sites.  That did change over the course of the day, however, as new people arrived to fill in.

We took a shorter hike today, about an hour and a half, again following some of the cross-country ski trails.  We did have fairly good luck with bird-watching, considering how few birds we have seen along the way on this trip.  There were turkeys and grouse, as we have seen regularly at this campground, but also a towhee, a pewee, and a sapsucker.  Still no sightings of chukars, which I had hoped to add to the bird list for the trip.

The temperatures remained in the low 60’s all afternoon, but with the sun shining, it was comfortable reading outside… and napping a little as well.

If I walk over near the park office, I can pick up emails on my phone, both gmail and MBC mail, but it’s not enough to post my blog, so I’ll have some catching up to do tomorrow when we are in Missoula, Montana.  Meanwhile, the temperatures are already dropping after our dinner of cheeseburgers and beans, so I think it will be another night of snugging down under the warm blankets for a good night’s sleep in the quiet of Fields Spring. 

Day 75: Fields Spring State Park

I awoke, looked out the window, and there were about six ruffed grouse pecking along the ground in our site.  Nice start to the day.   Ranger and I also saw quite a few turkeys on our morning walk.

After a slow start to the day, breakfast and reading, we headed out about 11:00 on the trails.  Much of our walk was on cross-country ski trails which are wide and easy to follow.  As our goal was the top of Puffer Butte, it was uphill for about an hour, with some confusion as to where we were, as the paths criss-crossed all over the area.  We did eventually reach the ski hut at the top, where we had a great view of the folded mountains in the distance with larger peaks in the distance. 

The hike down was, of course, easier, though the 2 ½ hours of walking left us ready for some relaxation.  So after a late lunch, we rested and read for much of the afternoon.  The weather was partly cloudy, with a few threatening clouds passing overhead from time to time but no actual rain, and the temperatures were around 70.

In late afternoon, we noticed that our neighbors had started a campfire, and yes, the campfire ban had been lifted.  We visited with the group of guys who were here for a weekend of fishing (young man, his father and his two uncles) around their campfire, and later the couple in the trailer across the way also came over.  So it was a festive evening around the fire.  Joe fried fish that they had caught just a few hours before, and they were delicious.

Day 74: Memaloose State Park (Mosier OR) to Fields Spring State Park (Anatone WA)

It was a day of long hot miles and wide dry expanses.

We left Memaloose fairly early, knowing that we had about 300 miles to cover.  The route continued along I-84 and followed the Columbia River.  A stop in the town of The Dalles allowed us to restock groceries and fill with diesel and we continued on our way.

There was a striking contrast between the blue of the river and the brown of the hills on either side of it.  The hills were dry and rounded with some dark rock outcroppings. There were several large dams along the way, and there were large barges transporting loads along the Columbia.  Wind farms were frequent along the ridges.   After almost 100 miles, the road left the river and we drove through typical western landscape, flat and dry, taking I-395 northwest and connecting with Route 730.

Route 730 again ran along the Columbia River, and here the contrast with blue and brown was even more pronounced.  The road ran high above the river, and in one place we passed a marina with sailboats and saw people windsurfing----both seemed strange in this desolate landscape.  Eventually the hills became lower again, and we were back to flat, dry land.

Where the Walla Walla River entered the Columbia, we turned onto Route 12 heading east.  This was agricultural land, with rolling hills and small farming towns.  We weren’t sure what crop had already been harvested here, perhaps wheat, but the fields had been cut and there were many boxy straw bales piled along the way.  There were no rest areas and really no place to pull off for lunch, so we refueled both RV and us at Walla Walla, a rare lunch at  McDonalds.

Where Route 127 went off to the north, the hills began to increase in size, and the road began to be windy again.  We climbed to Alpowa summit (2785 feet) and the long, long drive down hill from there ended with, once again, the surprising blue of a wide river, this time the Snake River.  At the town of Clarkston, on the Idaho border, we turned off on state route 129 for the last 27 miles.

That road started out fine, but after about five miles, it turned into the hills and climbed…and climbed…and climbed, switchback after switchback.  When it seemed we could go no higher, the road straightened and flattened, and we were, I assume, at the top of a butte.  Shortly before we expected to see the park, we noticed that there was the dark green of trees up ahead, and yes, Fields Spring State Park is shady and green.  When we stepped out of the RV at our site, the air was cool. 

This is not a park you would just happen upon----it’s way off the beaten track.  The campground host said that it would not be full for the holiday weekend (amazing), even though there are only twenty sites.  Indeed, by nightfall, there were only about six sites occupied (others had reserved signs on them, so a few more may arrive still).  The host explained that this park gets its greatest use in the winter months when it’s very popular for cross-country skiers.   At this time of year, of course, the ski trails are hiking trails, so we will get out and about a little tomorrow.

Meanwhile, while Dan was chatting with some neighbors about fishing, Ranger went crazy barking and pointing toward the woods behind the RV.  There was a group of ruffed grouse moving through the underbrush.  We also saw a flock of wild turkeys, and the campground host said we would also see chukars.  So the bird-watching here will be somewhat better than in some other places we have been on this trip.

No electricity, no water hook-ups here, but what a contrast to our campsite at Memaloose.  After dark, the only light to be seen was at the bathhouse----no car and truck headlights shining into the RV window.  And total silence! 

Day 72: Memaloose State Park

It was a quiet day of relaxation, rest, and catching up on odds-and-ends.  The day started out cool enough for a long walk with Ranger, and while it got up into the upper 80’s, it was not nearly as oppressive as the day before.  I organized and labelled photos from the trip, washed hair and washed dog, and read in the shade.  We looked over the route for the coming days.

Considering that there are really no activities available here, the park has been surprisingly busy, especially with tenters.  I guess with this being so close to the holiday, people are squeezing in a little more vacation.  The park does, understandably, seem to attract an older crowd, with far fewer kids running and biking around.

That’s about it.  Tomorrow will be a long day of driving. We’ll be spending Labor Day weekend in the southeast corner of Washington state, close to the Idaho border, and I’m guessing we will not have either cell service or internet, so it may not be until next week that I can post any more news of the trip.  

Day 71: Milo McIver to Memaloose State Park

The day was hot, hot, hot!

The drive began as one of those where we just trusted the GPS to get us where we wanted to go.  I knew we needed to end up on Interstate 84, heading east, but the route it gave took us through back roads, past Christmas tree farms, blueberry patches, and what appeared to be bedroom communities for Portland.  We did eventually get to I-84 and drove through some beautiful areas of the Columbia River Gorge.  The river was wide and blue, with mountains on either side, lots of greenery, and some weird rock formations.

As we traveled east, the land leveled out a bit, still hilly but not as rough, and it began to look drier and more like “The West”.  We arrived at our reserved site at Memaloose State Park in early afternoon, and getting out of the RV, the heat hit us.

Memaloose is a strange little park, located on the Columbia River between Hood River and The Dalles.  We ended up here for two nights largely because sites at other state parks were impossible to find, and it looked nice, right on the river.  Well, it’s not really on the river; there is no river access due to a railroad track that runs between park land and the water.  To reach the park, we had to pass it, go to the next exit, backtrack on I-84 west, get off at the rest area, and the park road began at one end of the rest area.  The entry took us downhill toward the river, into a grove of trees which provided some shade (thank Goodness!).

Memaloose’s claim to fame is its location along the Oregon Trail.  The name refers to the island in the river, just offshore, where Native Americans buried their chiefs.  So the story goes.

The park is wedged between the highway and the railroad track, so depending on where one’s campsite is, you hear either highway noise or train noise.  Our site happens to be one along the highway which is very close by but above us, due to the slope of the land.  So, yes, we do hear trucks and cars pretty much constantly.  There are no hiking trails, but it’s too hot to hike. There’s no swimming or boating or fishing.  I guess it’s a place to simply relax.

And it’s hot.  Did I already mention that?  The campground host said that the previous day, the temperature had gotten to 102.  High today:  96.  Hot.  Dry.  However, there was a good breeze, so we stretched out in our recliners in the shade, drank many cold drinks, and read. 

When it was still 86 degrees in the RV after dark, we gave in and started up the air-conditioning.  AHHH!  Lovely!  Sure glad we are not in a tent!

Day 70: Milo McIver State Park

Having two nights reserved at this park, we had a full day to explore.  We set out hiking at about 11 am, heading for the other side of the park.  The park is in two sections: ours has the campground, fish hatchery, lake, and trails, while the other side (Riverbend) has picnic grounds and a disc golf course. 

The two sides are divided by a large hill, so the first part of our hike, about 1 ¼ miles, was uphill.  At the top, there is a large dog area and a memorial to Milo McIver.  From there it’s all downhill (mostly on hiking trails on the way out) to the other section, until one is on a path that runs along the Clackamas River  at the bottom of the hill.  At the top, one gets a good view of both the river and of Mount Hood, the highest peak in Oregon.

The day was very hot, so by the time we had gotten to the boat launch at the far end of the park, Ranger was happy to get into the river.  The trek back up the hill was agonizing, but fortunately the last part was all downhill.  We were more than ready for a cold bottle of water when we arrived back at the RV after around six or seven miles of hiking. 

All three of us collapsed for the rest of the afternoon, two of us enjoying showers to get some of the sweat off.  It’s now around 7:30 and the temperature has dropped to 80, so at least it should cool off enough to sleep well tonight.  

Day 69: Montesano WA to Estacada OR

Today's drive was a relatively short one, only about 150 miles, so we slept in a bit, took the dog for a walk, and then left Lake Sylvia State Park, traveling east on Route 12 to connect with I-5.

About 90 miles south on the interstate and we were in the Portland OR area.  We are now at a state park southeast of the city, Milo McIver State Park.

We arrived early enough in the afternoon to allow some exploring before dinner.  This is a fairly large park along the Clackamas River.  It is full of hiking and equestrian paths, and we followed one to the boat launch at Estacada Lake, formed by a large dam.  People were fishing, swimming, and kayaking on what seemed to us (after the past months) a very hot afternoon.

Below the dam, we followed paths along the river to the Clackamas Fish Hatchery, where we saw a pool of thousands of little salmon and tanks of larger ones.  A trail looped back to the campground from there.

The campsite is quite nice, and the campground is FULL of families---lots of kids on bikes and scooters.  As mentioned, it was a very hot afternoon, so I'm back to shorts and t-shirt.  

A fairly low-key day, but  pleasant.  We are here for two nights, so we'll have time to walk the trails more tomorrow.  

Day 68: Port Angeles to Montesano, WA

It’s hard to imagine a better day than today.

We left our campsite at Salt Creek early and traveled along Highway 101 in a counterclockwise direction.  Rte 101 goes around the perimeter of Olympic National Park, with side roads leading into the park, but none connecting in the middle.  We rode along Crescent Lake---huge lake, with a windy, narrow road following its shore, and then on to Forks, WA, setting for the Twilight books. 

Then we took the 18-mile long park road into the visitors’ center at Hoh Rain Forest.  What a fabulous place!  It is, indeed, a rain forest, with extremely tall trees, thigh-high ferns, and lots of lush undergrowth.  There were all sorts of epiphytes (like Spanish moss in Florida) on the trees, adding to the green.  The trees were very thick, creating a dark area underneath, with shafts of sunlight occasionally peeking through.  We took two short hikes, totally about two miles, and then rescued Ranger from the RV. (Dogs are not permitted on hiking trails in national parks.)  We had a nice lunch in the picnic area and then proceeded on our way.

Hoh Rain Forest definitely makes my “Top Three” for places we have visited on this trip!

Continuing on Hwy 101, we rode alongside the Pacific Ocean for about ten miles or so, gray and foggy on this particular day, but still lots of people  (and dogs) walking along the beach.  We went through Aberdeen, where we picked up US Route 112 for about ten miles, ending up in Montesano, WA.

We are staying at a small state park, Lake Sylvia.  The campground is small and for the most part full, with lots of families in tents.  There’s lots of activity around us: kayaking, fishing, swimming, and just playing.  It’s a pleasant place to stay for one night, as we head south toward Oregon.