It was 48° when we woke up. We got our chairs, a snack, Rocket’s leash, and we drove down the road a few miles to Clackamas Lake, OR. Earlier in the week, we spotted this location which was more of a marsh with a stream running through, than a lake. Where forest road 57 and 42 meet the lake, is a triangular area for parking surrounding by beautiful meadows. Here, we thought, will be a good spot from which to watch the solar eclipse. We wanted to be near the totality zone in Oregon but didn't want to be near the crowds at Madras, OR - a town of 7000 where 100,000 were expected to descend. And we didn't want to be near cities like Portland, Salem or Bend. So we chose Mt. Hood National Forest at its southern reach which lies just on the northern reach of 100% totality. There are 7 campgrounds here on Timothy Lake that are managed by PGE (Portland General Electric) - they built a dam and harness the lake’s water for power. We scouted the area a week before the eclipse and discovered that all the campgrounds were booked Thursday-Monday during the eclipse, but we didn't mind. We preferred the dispersed sites in the forest nearby, and there were quite a few. We found a handful that were suitable for our rig and planned to drive down early Thursday from Parkdale, where we were camping with friends Tuesday and Wednesday. We got our first choice and slowly watched these sites begin to fill up for the weekend. The one we chose was a half mile up a gravel road from Gone Creek Campground and was big enough to park several RVs, but we had it all to ourselves. It was a sunny opening in the forest with a fire-pit (we couldn't use due to fire ban) and also shaded areas where we put our hammock. Previous campers had broken many bottles, so we did quite a bit of glass cleanup, but we put our area rug down, our awning out, and our lawn chairs in the sun. We got solar power every day (no rain for weeks here), and Rocket was especially happy because he had his own private stream running under the road about 30 yards away. Neighboring campsites were about a quarter mile away so it was quiet and private with no standard campground rules or fees. Rocket chased chipmunks and wandered to the creek when he wanted a drink; we were all content Timothy Lake lay about a mile away, and two days we put our kayaks in at the Cove Day use area. The first day, the hosts from the Oak Fork Campground called to us from the boat dock saying we needed to hug the shoreline because there were two Cessna planes dropping in every 7-8 minutes scooping up water to fight a fire near Madras. It was thrilling to watch them work but meant we couldn't paddle too far or across the lake. That was OK because we swam and played with Rocket and kept to the shoreline. The planes worked all afternoon the first day, and when we put in after the solar eclipse (day 2), they were again scooping out water for a fire 6 miles west of the lake. By the time we left Tuesday morning, the skies were getting smoky but had been smoke-free the whole weekend. (I understand Madras was smoky all weekend.) From Oak Fork Campground and Hoodview there are sites on the shoreline with a stunning view of Mt. Hood ($22/night), and we could see why the campgrounds were sold out. Children and adults had standup paddle boards, floats, pontoon boats and fishing rods. The afternoons were warm, and the water refreshing with gorgeous scenery. There's a trail around the lake for hiking and biking and also hiking trails nearby in the forest. One day we hiked a nice flat forested part of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail), about 10 miles. According to the Oregonian newspaper, the eclipse would begin around 9:03am in our area with 100% obscuration at 10:16, and the whole passing of the moon ending at 11:37. We arrived at the junction of roads 42 & 57 at 8:45am and were surprised to see about 75 other cars, a park ranger directing traffic and kids, dogs, campers and groups gathered. Still we got a prime viewing spot, set up and began conversing with neighbors. I had a sweatshirt and long pants on as it was cool, but as the sun warmed us, I shed the sweatshirt. But nearing 10:00 I put it back on because it got really chilly as the moon moved between Earth and the sun. We had bought our glasses to watch this momentous occasion, but no filter for the camera. However, Terry put the lens up to his eclipse approved glasses, used his fingers to cover the area around the lens where light could get in, and took some marvelous pictures. What an event it was! Folks were casting shadows on the pavement, taking pictures, with some kids drawing and coloring, others playing in the stream. As the skies got darker and the air cooler, crows cawed and flew towards their nests, and people began to ooh and ah. Heads titlted to the sky, everyone seemed in awe of this cosmic event. And then very quickly after several minutes of darkness, most of the crowd left! There was still an hour left to watch the passing of the moon, and the two young guys next to us who drove down from Seattle stayed and chatted with us as we took more pictures. And then, it was all over. Just think - how often does our country celebrate and share in a nationwide really big event that's not a tragedy? In the 20th century, 3 times solar eclipses cut across the US in the early 1900s over a 30 year period, but sparse populations were in the path to witness them. And the two most recent solar eclipses didn't make much landfall or were hard to see due to bad weather. With this solar eclipse, millions gathered in the 60-70 mile-wide path to witness in person while untold millions watched online or on TV. We are so glad we had the opportunity to choose our viewing spot. It was special to be in the national forest, in a beautiful spot with a small crowd of strangers who were in awe for this celebration. When we left the Mt. Hood National Forest, we headed south to Crater Lake, OR passing through Madras, only 45 miles south of us. We saw the constant stream of RVs and campers heading north, the vast fields where many had camped, the left over trash bags and port-a-potties and a few stray campers still parked. The skies were hazy with smoke, and we could smell wood burning. As we continued south, the traffic thickened and became intolerable. Finally we pulled off and spent the night in a snow park along with another dozen folks. The next day we went to Crater Lake - a spot we tried to go to Spring, 2016 but snow kept the road closed. The lake rests in a caldera formed 7,700 years ago when a volcano collapsed and is reportedly the cleanest large body of water in the world! The 33 mile road encircling the lake is one of America's most scenic byways with spectacular views. But on this attempt, smoke kept us from seeing, staying and enjoying it! We drove around the lake, took some hazy pictures, had lunch, and then moved on. We’ve spent the last 4 days in the Lassen National Forest in Northern California. The forest service campground (Bridge) is about 20 minutes outside Lassen Volcanic National Park ($10/night no hookups). There are several more campgrounds outside the park too…we wanted to camp at Hat Creek Campground, but were too tired to drive further and stopped here! There's a roaring stream (actually Hat Creek) popular with trout fishermen, right near our site - #17. We love walking the trail by the stream and listening to it in bed at night. The current is too swift for wading or swimming, but Rocket has found shallow parts to wade in. We've driven the 30 mile road through Lassen Park (the “a” pronounced like lasso), watched the visitor center movie, and even hiked to the top of Lassen Peak for far reaching views. This park was designated in 1916 after the volcanic activity here. A local businessman, Mr. Benjamin Franklin Loomis knew the volcano was going to erupt and was able to take 6 pictures on June 14, 1914 switching the glass plates out of his camera and capturing phenomenal photos of the first volcanic eruption on the U.S. mainland in historic times. With more eruptions in 1915, these stunning photos were used to help Congress recognize the significance of the area and declare Lassen a national park in 1916. There are 4 types of volcanoes: Shield, Cinder Crater, Plug Dome and Composite; all four are found here. Part of the Pacific Rim, volcanoes like Mt. Lassen, and Mt. St. Helens in the Cascade Mountains as well as Mt. Shasta and Mt. Rainier lie on continental plates that form a ring around the Pacific Ocean. Eleven of the 17 Cascade peaks are responsible for all volcanic eruptions in the continuous 48 states….this is a very volcanically active region. In some areas of Lassen there are bubbling mudpots that smell like rotten eggs as hydrogen sulphide gas, water, microscopic thermophiles and volcanic rock beneath the surface mix and push steam and bubbling mud to the surface. Fascinating to witness as long as it's not a major eruption! It's been an interesting week filled with a cosmic event and seismic shifts, and now we head further south into California stopping first at Lake Tahoe…for fervent blog readers, note we’ve not had any mice in the RV for over a week so that's good; although, we did catch a few we let go in the Mt. Hood region!
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As we continued our southern journey out of the smoke from Montana and Washington, we passed Mt. St. Helens. We drove down the eastern side on Rt. 25 - a scenic route. We stopped in the Ranger Station on Rt. 25 and watched a film about the volcanic activity here on May 18, 1980 when a 5.1 earthquake tore off the entire north face of Mt. St. Helen. Also we drove by the Clearwater Valley and read plaques telling that the seismic activity caused a lateral blast to sweep through the valley leveling trees and depositing 6-14” of pumice and ash on everything. The forest service and Mother Nature have worked to restore what is now a beautiful area nurturing wildlife in the stream, valley and forest. As we peered into the valley nearly 40 years later, we felt safe from a volcanic eruption, but the volcano is recharging and small earthquakes below the surface are being monitored by the US Geological Survey. The woman at the ranger station (I don't think she is a ranger) said it would likely erupt when her children's, children's, children were alive…but I can't find accurate predictions online for a possible future eruption. Let's just say I won't be investing in real estate within 50 miles of this mountain! When the smoke finally cleared, we were in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Carson,WA not far from the Columbia River. We discovered that many of the forest service campgrounds near Carson could not accommodate RVs bigger than 25’ (ours is 31’). But near Panther Creek Campground are some really neat dispersed (free) sites without hookups. We parked in one that was at the end of a short road, really close to the Pacific Crest Trail, the campground, and a bubbling brook. We decided to stay for 4 days and then head across the Columbia River into Oregon where we met up with friends David Wallwork and Mark Cornelius. While we were in the forest we did some hikes between 4-8 miles, giving our bodies a bit of a rest. And on Saturday, 8/12 we went to a fun music festival in Stevenson, OR. The town is a quaint town with gorgeous views of the Columbia River, showcasing some hot spots with dependable winds for kite boarders, windsurfers, sailboats and all kind of watercraft. We enjoyed watching dozens of kiteboarders at a time while we listened to a mix of music. The festival ran for 10 hours, giving each group about 1.5 hours, and the acts seem to get better as it got later. We were happy to find such a neat setting for a free music festival and one that welcomed Rocket too! While in the forest, we talked to some through-hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and admired their dedication. The trail runs from Mexico to Canada spanning 2650 miles, taking most people 5 months to complete….that means they are often hiking 30 miles/day!!! There were some young scouts doing “trail magic” which means they camp out in the campground and take food down to the trail offering hikers oranges, cookies, cold water, a mail drop (they'll take your letters to the post office) and even dinner items. We hope to find some trail magic when we hike the Appalachian Trail next year! We hiked bits of the trail here and further north in Washington…nice sections, but there are some really difficult and steep parts in the Cascades. Next we headed south crossing the Columbia River at Hood River bridge and entering Oregon. We decided to camp in the Hood River Co Park near Parkdale, and our friends David Wallwork and Mark Cornelius from California met us there in their RV. They had been in Portland, OR - not far from us - and were headed back to CA, so together we camped and hiked 2 days. It's always nice for us to connect with friends in our travels, and David and Mark are good company and good cooks, as well as great conversationalists. We enjoyed some delicious smoked salmon and roasted veggies! For dessert I made another Huckleberry pie after Terry and I found a good crop of berries in the Gifford Pinchot Forest (you have to go online and get a free permit if you pick there). David and Mark’s dog Shannon and our dog Rocket get along well together too, so hiking with the dogs and hanging out was easy for all of us. One day we all hiked about 8-9 miles on the Timberline Trail (also a piece of the PCT) on Mt. Hood. We were all taken aback by the beauty of the mountainside wildflowers, snow in parts, streams, forests and stunning views showcasing more mountain peaks in the distance. The temperature was perfect for hiking - about 65-70° - and the blue sky, cloudless. After our hike, there was a solo singer/songwriter playing guitar on the deck of the ski lodge which was a nice end to our hike. Terry and I determined we would return later in the week and ski the mountain. (We had a blast skiing in 65° weather and watching some amazing ski jumpers practice.) Mt. Hood is the only lift serviced mountain in North America to spin the lifts all year round - something we just couldn't pass up- skiing in August. As David and Mark headed back home, we headed south - further in Mt. Hood National Forest and closer to the 100% totality path of the solar eclipse. We are now camped in a dispersed spot with lots of privacy but close to Timothy Lake for kayaking and swimming if we want this weekend. Monday, we'll head to a beautiful meadow and stream created by beavers many years ago and take our approved glasses and watch the eclipse with Rocket. Maybe some other forest campers will be there too. Oregon and this particular area are said to be hot spots - especially close to Madras and Bend, but we will have the enjoyment of the event without having to fight the crowds. Next blog…our impressions of the eclipse and hopefully we'll capture some photos!
Last Friday, the plan was to stay 2 more nights along the Kootenai River, that is until we woke up to strange sounds early that morning. Terry woke me abruptly asking “Do you hear that?” I did, but was so groggy that I didn't comprehend what I was hearing. Terry eager to determine, got up and went into the kitchen/living room. There on the arm rest of the sofa sat a creature with beady eyes, huge ears and a long tail…a creature who had just run along the top of a cabinet. Somehow this mouse had gotten into the RV and was trying to get into the chips! Terry said several times “I don't know what to do.” In the past when we had mice under the RV in the storage areas, we put our have-a-heart trap with peanuts in it, caught them, and relocated them a few miles away. This one was in our living space, boldly perched right across from Rocket on his couch! I suggested Terry throw a towel over it and then grab the towel and shake it outside, which he did. But the big eared fellow had slipped away before he scooped up the towel. Now we were unsure if the mouse went out the way he came in, or was hovering under the seats. We took out all the chips, granola, cereal and nuts from the cabinet he raided - one that had a gap in the top I was unaware of. I discovered a single bite in the bag of Chili Cheese Fritos and threw out the whole bag, and a single bite from the Family size Ruffles bag and threw out everything below the bite and around, keeping about half the chips. Terry must have awakened as soon as the mouse began to raid our supplies. We stored everything from that cabinet in a plastic bin that had previously held office supplies and files, and I took the trash to the campground bin, contemplating the situation on the long walk; I decided the mouse had tainted the campsite, and I wanted to leave. Terry agreed so we began packing up the kayaks, solar panel, rug and chairs…all the while wondering where our intruder was lurking. At one point, Terry turned on the engine. He also looked under the hood. He checked under the seats while I stood at arms length, telling Rocket to “get the mouse!” We put our have-a-heart trap in the cabinet, loaded with Planters Peanuts which we have found mice across the country like. Then we pulled out of the site, hoping out intruder had run out of the RV and back to his home. You see I do have a passion for wildlife, and I don't mind seeing animals up close, but I am not fond of mice, and I especially don't want them in my larder. We hooked up the car within 25 yards of the site and checked that the brake lights were working. And that's when I saw our new found friend. His body was lying on the road under the RV. He must have fallen from the wheel/hub cap (Rocket has shown us mice like to seek refuge there) or been killed on the engine block….we will never know. This made me so very sad. I didn't want the little fellow in our RV, but I didn't wish him dead either. I felt he sacrificed his life for a Chili Cheese Frito, one he never got, evidenced by the one tiny slit in the bag. Now we had to leave the site we wanted to remain in for a fun weekend, and knowing the little guy lost his life put a damper on things too. But we pushed on. Smoke from wildfires in Canada had begun to descend on northern MT, and we decided to head West hoping to find a smoke-free spot. We entered Idaho and considered Sandy Point, but a music festival meant everything was sold out, including campsites - no George Thorogood for us. We pushed on into Washington and we stayed at a county park in the woods for the night. Next day, we decided to move on to North Cascades National Park for some hiking with views, but the smoke was even thicker there. We saw pictures in the Visitor Center and knew there were beautiful jagged snow covered mountain peaks in the distance, turquoise lakes below, and majestic evergreens all around us…but seeing them was difficult as they were shrouded in smoke clouds. We stayed at the campground managed by the park but actually situated in the Ross Lake Recreation area. It's a nice spot on the lake with sites right on the water, but ours was in the moss covered trees. This campground was particularly noisy with whiny babies (I still don't know why camping with babies is fun), car alarms, rowdy campers, but one night I awoke to a sound in the coach. I was pretty groggy and only heard it for a minute before I fell back to sleep. In the morning, I realized I had put the Planters Peanuts can in the former snack cabinet, thinking we were rid of our mouse. After all I saw his body on the ground in Montana. (We also had moved the have-a-heart trap back to storage.). The rim of the can was chewed on, and we surmised the mouse had a friend who was hitchhiking cross country. Now we used the nuts as bait and put the have-a-heart trap back in the cabinet. Next morning we had caught our hitch hiker. We drove him up the road about 10 miles on our way to a hike, opened the door, and let him hop away. In the beginning of our trip, we baited the trap and left it in the storage bins in the hope we could keep mice from eating the wiring in the coach. Then we realized we were catching mice because we were luring them with peanuts! Now we no longer leave food in the trap, and these 2 mice are the first we've seen in a year. We also bought mice repellant packs to put in the storage bins — they have mint in them which I guess mice don't like….probably time to replace those! Rocket is especially anxious when he hears and smells mice, often alerting us to their presence below the coach, but he's not as effective as a cat. Our camping neighbor here has a beautiful cat on a leash that I told him we might have to borrow! Here in the Cascades, we hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail one day. We were delighted to hike this piece, especially since Rocket could join us. Dogs are also allowed on several other trails in the area, because the park boundary abuts wilderness and recreation areas plus national forests that surround 3 huge dams which harness the Skaggit River, generating power for Seattle. (Typically dogs aren't allowed on national park trails.) We would have stayed longer and enjoyed the wonderful Cascade Mountains, but the smoke clouds that obscured our views also brought the smell of smoke into the RV, our clothes and hair; air quality was poor or unhealthy each day. Hiking in the forest actually afforded some relief as the trees provided a canopy and generated oxygen…but once on the slope-sides or back at the campsite, there was that fire smell. Terry had migraines and I had congestion...time to move further away from Canada, so we came south to Mt. St. Helens. We read about the eruption in 1980, watched the NPS film and talked to the ranger in the visitor center as the smoke clung to the mountain, giving us hazy views. Then we moved on, further south. For the weekend, we are camping in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest just north of the Columbia River Gorge. Here there’s no wood smoke smell but still hazy skies. The smoke-filled skies have been a nuisance to us and others, but I'm conscious that elsewhere it's had a devastating effect on folks who've lost lives, property, and businesses, and created other hardships. And while it may seem obvious, it's another reminder for those who smoke cigarettes, that tossing butts out of the car or onto trails or streets can have devastating consequences. Rangers tell us that most fires are started this way. Of course there are the campers who don't heed warnings when things are dry or who don't fully distinguish their fires, but we all need to understand the ramifications of our actions. It's interesting to be in the forest in the northwest and see the moss dripping from everything, to see rushing waterfalls and to know that in the surrounding area, things are really dry. Moisture gets trapped in places, but leaves are falling and trees are stressed…they need water.
As I reflect back on the last 6 weeks, I realize from ND to MT, from Waterton in Canada to Washington, we’ve only seen rain twice - both times in the evening. We haven't even bothered to carry rain gear on our hikes. But things are so dry, I would really welcome a rainy day for Mother Earth. We found two gems in Montana - places we hadn't researched nor been recommended to visit, but places we now highly recommend! Most people know that part of Yellowstone is in Montana, and that Glacier National Park, MT is worthy of a visit - both parks we love. But we had friends from Maryland spending a vacation in Flathead Lake, MT and arranged to meet them there for a few days…and what a special place; and we had a great time. We've been told that the locals and people who regularly vacation on the lake don't talk it up; they like to keep it a secret. It's a place renown for growing wonderful Flathead cherries on land that surrounds a huge, clear, beautiful lake - refreshingly cool when Summer brings hot temperatures. If you go in July/August, you MUST try the local cherries and the huckleberries if you can find them (go early to the farmers market in Polson - Fridays 9-1pm). The second Montana gem we discovered is the Kootenai River….but first Flathead. Our friendship with the Whitcomb family goes back more than 30 years. Michael Whitcomb went to JMU when I did and was a big brother to my sorority, Sigma Kappa; but he's known Terry since they were kids. After graduation from JMU, back in D.C., my roommate Kathy, Michael, and I got together one night to play Trivial Pursuit. Little did we know, that evening would change my life in a most dramatic way. After the game, we went up the street from Michael’s house to a local pub in NW D.C. - Windsor McKays. It was there Michael introduced me to Terry, and the rest is history. Fast forward 33 years….and Michael and his wife Jamie brought all their 4 children (Maggie, Mary Kate, Dennis and Sean) out to Flathead Lake along with 2 of Maggie’s friends. We stayed at the Finley Point State Park, about 7 minutes from their house and got to share meals (including awesome Huckleberry pies Jamie made), boat rides, swimming, and fun activities as well as chilling over cold beers in a beautiful, relaxed setting. Another JMU alum and former roommate of Michael's, Michael Norton, also came to visit a few days. Flathead Lake is only about an hour south of Glacier and there's lots to do; for us it was just great to see old friends and hang out together. One day we went water rafting (minus Terry who worried about his back on rapids). This was a really fun day on the Flathead River. We didn't get thrown from the raft but enjoyed swimming in the calm sections, navigating around the “hole,” “ledge” and “pinball” rapids, AND we even watched an Eagle fly overhead and a black bear wander the shoreline. There was an incident with a dead fish involving 2 brothers and their sister, but it was still great fun. One evening we went to an open house with Jamie's niece, Kelly, who was staying at her father's place on Flathead. We had been taking Rocket with us to swim, boat, and hang out but left him for a few hours at the RV during the potluck open house. When we returned just after 10pm, he had ruined the screen door but not been able to exit because the main door was closed, so he jumped through the passenger (my) side window screen, bending the frame and tearing the screen. We had left windows open because it was hitting 90° some days but we didn't dare leave the main door open after he broke out when thunder clapped in ND. We think he abandoned ship (RV) in response to firecrackers across the lake. Our camping neighbor knew his name and lured him with a piece of ham, then tied him up to a chain we had for him when outside at our site. It's hard to decide whether to feel sorry for him - perhaps he was scared; we know he doesn't like loud noises - or to be mad at him for retaliation because he was left behind! Either way, Terry had to buy more screen and repair both window and door. When we left Flathead, we headed for the Kootenai River, a couple of hours west. This is a wonderful spot for kayaking, hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. We camped at the Dunn Creek Flats Recreation area managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, right on the river below Libby dam. It's a free spot without hook ups, and I think it was nearly deserted because while there was a water pump, it was out of order. It didn't matter to us because we carry 60 gallons of water, plenty for a few days. We took several hikes from there in the Kootenai National Forest near Libby, MT, visited a few tourist spots (like the ancient cedars & Kootenai Falls where scenes from the REVENANT and THE RIVER WILD were filmed), and kayaked on the river several days. The heat was sweltering- in the 90’s - but we cooled off in the river which was a chilly 55°. In the evenings, we ran the generator and blasted the AC for 30-60 minutes to cool the coach, but overnight the outside temperature dropped to low 50’s - cooling everything off until afternoon. At both Flathead and the Kootenai River, smoke began to obscure views but not be overpowering. It was coming down from Canada where there are hundreds of fires burning. Still, the Kootenai turned out to be a great spot to see Eagles, ospreys, bighorn sheep, turkeys, and a plethora of wildlife. The slogan there is “Lowest in elevation, highest in recreation.” It was a wonderful place for us to stumble upon - another of Montana’s gems. We had planned to stay a few more days, but then there was the incident with the mouse and the Chili Cheese Fritos… a story for another time. Stay tuned for my next blog to learn what that's all about!
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AuthorFormer documentary film producer, wife and mother of one...I'm taking time off to see the US with my husband Terry. Here's where I'll write about our adventures RVing until the money runs out! Archives
August 2021
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