It needs to be done by April!

Living in an RV for the summer requires preparation. There are the obvious changes – move the clothes in, put the groceries back in the cupboards, take extras back to storage, etc. – and there are other things not as obvious but just as important.

I have a spring “to do” list. I have been working sporadically since January to complete this list. It goes something like this:

1. Purge the closet. One of the most limited spaces in an RV is the closet. Each season requires a review and a purging of the unnecessary. Did we purchase something new? Then something has to go. Shopping on our September Oregon trip made this a crucial step in preparing for the coming summer.

2. Scan the memories. I have always been a scrapbookker. My bits and pieces go back to high school days – a napkin, a wedding invitation, that tidbit from the paper about a friend, an obituary. I still hang on to those things in a file throughout the summer, but the items are scanned and organized on my computer before heading out for the next season.

3. Clean the files. Anyone who keeps financial records knows how full the files can become from January to December. After the January bills arrive, I review each file in the drawer and clean out the previous year’s information. That way my one drawer has sufficient space for another summer.

4. Complete tax returns. The dreaded income tax forms are easier to deal with while I still have a large table to spread things out and work on them. So I complete them as soon as the T4s have arrived, but I mail them at the end of April!

5. Back up the computer. RVs are vulnerable to more hazards than a traditional house, such as wind, collisions, etc. If tragedy were to strike, I want to have access to everything I need to get us back up and running. I also do not want to lose my pictures in such an occurrence. So I move most of the photos to a small external drive that goes with us, and back everything up to a larger external drive that we keep in our storage unit. Then I save the essentials to a small flash drive to keep in my purse. It’s a two-day operation!

With my five-point list complete, I can now do the final sorting and packing for our return to “home”. The piano was already loaded on Monday while we had available help. The RV also had its maintenance check on Monday. Friday (tomorrow) evening we’ll be camping again!

Life is good on the Oregon Coast

Casting cares to the wind, the decision was made. Our friends and us would spend two days together on the Oregon Coast. There would be no mention of everyday concerns – health, financial or otherwise. It was time for a break, time to have fun!

We started at Newport where the male sea lions, who spend their summer mating along the California coast, had returned for the winter months. Their loud barking and territorial behavior attracts thousands of visitors. They lay on large anchored wharfs to soak in the sun. Watching them squabble as they vie for position is entertaining.

 

We then ventured out to the tip of a peninsula to visit the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse on the Oregon coast.

 

“The light has been active since Head Keeper Fayette Crosby walked up the 114 steps, to light the wicks on the evening of August 20, 1873. At that time the oil burning fixed white light was displayed from sunset to sunrise. Today, the fully automated first order Fresnel lens runs on commercial power and flashes its unique pattern of 2 seconds on, 2 seconds off, 2 seconds on, 14 seconds off, 24 hours a day. The oil burning wicks have been replaced with a 1000 watt globe.

The nightly vigil of watching the light is gone as are the resident keepers and their quarters, but the staff of the Bureau of Land Management, who are now responsible for the tower, guide you through the lighthouse with tales of yesteryear” (www.yaquinalights.org).

All four of us climbed the 114 steps to see the lens at the top and hear the guide’s stories and descriptions of lighthouse operation. It was an unforgettably unique experience!

We stopped at various scenic views and lookouts as we meandered along the highway. Each was unique and each was beautiful. An interesting item at most stops was the large sign about what to do in case of finding tsunami debris. In our hotel room was a map for the tsunami escape route.

We overnighted in Manzanita at a cozy motel only a block from the ocean. Spindrift Inn was built in 1946, modern and clean but with antique charm. The morning walk down the beach was delightful. We purposely chose quaint, out-of-the-way restaurants to add to the adventure, resulting in some unique dining experiences.

Another stop was at Hug Point, where we explored caves and streams and each had a picture taken to remember the spot. I have since learned that the name comes from before the highway was built, when stagecoaches or wagons had to travel along the beach and hug the point even at low tide.

 

A hug at Hug Point!

Our last stop was at Fort Stevens State Park, former site of a military fort that operated for 84 years, from the Civil War to World War II. Time was limited, but we had a quick glimpse into the past from a military view. On the museum grounds was a garden where families could plant a rose bush in memory of a veteran.

 

The mini-trip ended with pizza at St. Helens, Oregon. It was within sight of Mt. St. Helens, Washington, the mountain that erupted in 1980  and was as close to that location as we reached during the trip.

What a great two days we had. The sightseeing and camaraderie made for sweet memories!

Everything's rosey in Washington Park!

When we first arrived at Portland, Oregon, our friends wanted to know what we would like to see. Our request was that they show us their Portland, the places to which they go for joy and inspiration.

So on a hot, September morning we headed up a curvy, hillside road through shady trees to Washington Park, the site of the International Rose Test Garden.

 

Wikipedia captures the concept of this rose garden well:

“The International Rose Test Garden is a rose garden in Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, United States. There are over 7,000 rose plants of approximately 550 varieties. The roses bloom from April through October with the peak coming in June, depending on the weather. New rose cultivars are continually sent to the garden from many parts of the world and are tested for color, fragrance, disease resistance and other attributes. It is the oldest continuously operating public rose test garden in the United States and exemplifies Portland's nickname of the City of Roses.”

As we exited the car, one could smell the fragrance of roses in the air. For hours, we strolled through row upon row of roses of every color and type. Some were climbing on trellaces, some were in groups, prolific and small, some were on single bushes, hugely layered.

There were smaller “gardens” within the Garden, each with a theme: Shakespeare, miniature, formal, etc. Each was different, all were gorgeous.

In one area, volunteers were busy deadheading the plants. They considered the roses “not at their best”, waning toward the end of the season. But for we who had never seen the garden in June, it was breathtaking!

  

A brick walkway in the garden, The Queens’ Walk” displayed bronze stars with names, one for each queen of Portland’s Rose Festival since 1907.

Before leaving, we visited the Rose Garden Store. That is where one can buy anything with a roses theme – clothing, jewellery, stationery, dishes, teas, honey.

The International Rose Test Garden was definitely a place of joy and inspiration!

                                                                                  (photos by Edith H. Doell)

A day on the Mt. Hood Scenic Loop

There were four trips we especially desired to make when we moved into our RV in 2010. Three had been accomplished, so we were determined to complete the list with an adventure to Oregon.

After hours of driving through Washington wilderness, we headed west along the Columbia River to Portland, Oregon. There we reconnected with friends we had not seen in person for over thirty years. It was quite a reunion!

On our first day of exploring, they took us on the Mt. Hood Scenic Loop.

Our first stop was a viewpoint overlooking the Sandy River. This river also flowed past the campground where we stayed. The marker claimed it to be the location of “the first house west of the Cascades”. Whatever the reason, it was a beautiful spot.

Heading further down the loop, we took a short side trip to Mt. Hood, the highest point in Oregon and the location of Timberline Lodge. This beautiful stone and timber building was built 75 years ago. It boasts of 70 guest rooms and 34,000 sq. ft. of space, including restaurant, lounge areas, gift shop, etc. It is used as a ski lodge, hotel, and mountain retreat. We wandered through some of the Lodge and admired the craftsmanship.

 

The road then took us through an area of orchards. We stopped at a fruit stand to look around, then continued to Hood River, where we had lunch. Turning back toward Portland, we next explored the Bonnyville Fish Hatchery. Though the hatchery was between seasons of full operation at the time, we did see the feeding pond stocked with rainbow trout, rearing ponds, and a walk-through display of sturgeon.

From there, we followed Hwy 30, “Historic Highway”, a narrow paved road with many sharp turns featuring several waterfalls, the highest of which is Multnomah Falls at 611 feet. We did not venture up to Benson Bridge, a walkway that spans the falls between the upper and lower cascades. But the view left one in awe of the beauty and force of nature.

 

The final stop of the day was Crown Point, a unique viewpoint. The highway winds around the focal point, a large stone structure named Vista House.

 Within Vista House one can climb stairs and view the majestic scenery of the area. It would not be difficult to spend hours at that place, taking in the features of each direction, watching the boats on the Columbia River, and enjoying the light breeze.

 We did not have hours to spend, so after admiring the views briefly we returned to “headquarters”.

**Stay tuned for part 2 of the trip, discovering Portland, city of roses.