July 24, 2016 - We didn't hit the sprinklers!

This is our second stop at Doodie and Dave’s since arriving on the west coast with Molly and Scoop. On our first arrival we carefully pulled straight into their driveway embarrassed that we blocked all cars. This time we whipped that baby around and backed in first time as Dave threw his body between Molly and his sprinkler system.

Because they are the best people ever and it was Denis’ birthday, the Myer’s spent the day helping to clean and organize Scoop after his week of four-people travels. Amazing how four people can make an RV infinitely dirtier than two. While at home, when I have one, I am not a fan of disinfectant wipes because they are expensive and wasteful, I find they are great for a quick wipe down of Scoop's innards. The Myer’s were happy that part of the cleaning process was not emptying our waste tanks into their storm drain. Thank God we were done early afternoon. It got up to 106° in Redding. The peanut butter in Scoops cupboard was liquid…note to self: where to not store peanut butter in the summer.

July 23, 2016 - The Fender-less Trail Angels

One of the best things we found about boondocking in truck stops is that you are forced awake and get an early start. Our goal for the day was to get to Doodie and Dave’s house in Redding via Crater Lake National Park. News reports say that the National Parks are very popular this year and I think most of them were in Crater Lake this Saturday. We were thankful that we are now pretty comfortable with where Scoop and Molly can fit and that most drivers will steer clear on narrow winding roads.

I think I neglected to mention that Scoop is missing his passenger-side fender. We first noticed it was gone a couple weeks ago. Denis insists he knows exactly when I scraped it off cutting a gas station departure too tight, but he opted to say nothing so as not to hurt my feelings. Funny, that he hasn’t been mum since I discovered it was gone. And given the narrow roads, construction and congestion in Crater Lake I imagine the fender wouldn’t have survived the day today. Jayco was very helpful when Denis called to order a new fender, I tried to get him to get two…just in case.

Amazingly, not far from the Visitors Center, we found a pullout suitable for the rig complete with a beautiful vista. Lunch was leftover pizza that we promised our waste-not daughter-in-law we would eat. As we were enjoying the vista a weary backpacker was passing. Denis asked the older gentleman if he was a through-hiker and he was. He had started the Pacific Crest Trail at the Mexico border in May. He was on the downhill part of his journey with only 800+ miles left to go. Denis saw him glance at the pizza, offered him some and it was gone in a flash. Denis is planning to hike part of the John Muir trail and Tahoe Yosemite Trail later this summer so they had lots to talk about.  We refreshed his water, and off he went with a little more spring in his step. 

July 21, 2016 – It’s a 10! Jessie Honeyman State Park

Denis and I hope to retire some day to the Oregon coast. We have our eye on Brookings and looked at a lot while we were passing through. Once Denis is through with this extended paid vacation we are hoping for just one more good gig to see us through to retirement time. Maybe we should get our own RV campground.

We had never been to Jessie Honeyman State Park before, just outside of Florence, Oregon, but I bet we will be there many more times. Rarely do you find a state park that has RV hook-ups , but this park did and the campsites are phenomenal. Privacy abounds even though they have 300+ sites. Angel helped Denis to repair our worn and dragged bikes so they could ride around the campground. Laine and I hiked up sand dunes that made our butts burn.  And we were able to kayak in a beautiful little lake. This spot is a 10!

July 20, 2016 – Thank You Forest Keepers

Laine’s second request for our Northcoast trip was a hike through Fern Canyon. The first time Denis and I hiked this canyon some 37 years ago we were chased by elk across the sand dunes. We were sad not to see any elk on the dunes this trip, but it saved me from showing how slow I’ve become. Fern Canyon was just as beautiful and amazing as the first time I saw it. It makes me truly thankful for our National Park Service and other stewards of our natural wonders that work hard to maintain these beauties for future generations. As we travel the country in Scoop and Molly we plan to hit every National Park we can.

We also walked through Lady Bird Johnson Grove. How small and humble you feel amid the giant trees. Laine won the Banana Slug Spotting contest by being the first to spy the slimy creature. Her reward? A banana slug magnet for the fridge. Then it was off to Arcata to see if our old haunts were still there. Many had changed names but the familiar scent of Humboldt Homegrown still wafted across the square.

Lucky day for Laine. Besides finding the first Banana Slug, she found a four-leaf clover.

July 22, 2016 – Boondocking at Jubitz

In a short day we went from a picturesque 10+ campsite to the Jubitz Truck Stop in Portland complete with showers, movie theater and an inviting hooker. This was the end of our journey with Laine and Angel, we were handing the girls over to their Alaska hockey buddy, Daddy Caz. He found us Jubitz, not far from his house.  This was our first experience in boondocking. Boondocking is the RVer term for parking overnight without hook-ups, usually not in a campground and usually free. Popular boondocking locations are Walmarts, truck stops, rest areas and the curb in front of your relative’s house.

That's Scoop and Molly in the middle!

As Denis swiftly backed Scoop between two semis, our trucker neighbor emerged from his cab to assess our arrival. He had obviously had a few too many and looked like he did it regularly. He walked up to Angel’s window in Molly, looked in at Fu and said, “What kind of f*&$ing dog is that? That is the most beautiful f*&$ing dog I’ve ever seen.” He wasn’t done there.

He had advice and comments for all. He asked Denis, “How old do you think I am?” Denis, looking at the bedraggled aged man and guessed, “72.”

“F*&$ you,” said the trucker. “I’m only 68.  How old are you?”

Denis replies, “56.”

“You look like you’re 62,” spouts the trucker.

By this time Daddy Caz has arrived and we are all amusedly watching this exchange. The trucker then asks Denis, “Y’all wanna see my bamboo?” and points toward the back of his truck. Hum, where is this going?

Denis, always game for amusement says, “sure.” And follows the staggering man to the back of his semi. The rest of us, rather fearful for Denis’ safety timidly edge to the back of the truck as well. The trucker opens his back doors to reveal…drum roll … Bamboo. It’s really a truck full of 10’ bamboo plants in five-gallon pots.

“Ma’am would you like a sprout?” he asks me. I politely decline and he says, “Those f*&^ers in Salt Lake pay top dollar for these things. Grows like weeds here.” We escaped to dinner with Daddy Caz.

After dinner Caz and the girls drove us back to Jubitz. We pulled in quietly hoping our trucker buddy was sleeping it off. We tip-toed into Scoop and fell asleep to the purr of generators.

July 19, 2016 – The Maiden Voyage

Today the plan was to drive the two hours straight from Myers Flat to Trinidad, put Scoop in his resting spot and take the kayaks out for their maiden voyage and afterward head back to Arcata for dinner. The plan worked for the most part. Our RV spot in the Emerald Forest Campground

was a tight fit, but the redwoods towered around us. We even had our own stinky slinky hole: all fluids flowed freely.

After lunch we headed to Big Lagoon to enjoy a magnificently sunny day in our new kayaks. Laine and Angel are pros at kayaking from their days in Juneau and were helpful in giving us tips for unloading, loading, boarding and disembarking from the kayaks. In fact, they were both telling me how to get in the kayak at the same time. My right leg listened to Laine and went one way and my left leg listened to Angel and went the other. Result was my knees in the water, no part of me in the boat. Now that I don’t listen to anyone, I always end up in the boat.

It was just too darn beautiful on the water and in Trinidad, we never made it to Arcata, we enjoyed a fish BBQ in our campsite in our Emerald forest.