Back at Home and A Fallen Hero

Just wanted to thank all of you for your most enjoyable comments on my blog last night.  I had a great time reading about how all of you do tater salad and dawgs and burgers.  Seems like everyone has their own special way…and isn’t that how it should be?  How boring if we were all alike…but really, MIRACLE WHIP??? Oh my, that’s almost sacrilegious (just kidding)!!

We spent the night at 7 Feathers RV Park last night – just too tired to make it all the way home.

As we neared our exit from I-5 to home, we noticed an extraordinary amount of traffic.  Then we noticed the exit ramps to  one of the main thoroughfares were blocked.  We spotted two helicopters low in the sky…unusual for Eugene.  As we passed under an overpass decked with flags, I remembered.

Last week one of Eugene’s finest lost his life for no good reason…but then there never is a good reason, is there?  Officer Chris Kilcullen had pursued a vehicle that had ran a red light.  He finally caught up with the female driver and pulled his motorcycle alongside.  She took out a gun and shot him point blank.  WHY???  Apparently there is some instability in her life but I do not understand how ANYONE could behave in such a manner.  I did not know the  officer but I grieve for him, for his family, and for our community, that such a tragedy could occur.

So today was the Celebration of Life and processional honoring Officer Kilcullen.  Although this is a tragedy beyond understanding, I am heartened to see the community come together to honor this fallen hero.  Everyday there are men and women who put their lives on the line to protect and serve, not only in our cities, but our military men and women as well.  Honor them and thank them any chance you get.
 
Political considerations aside. we all owe a debt of gratitude to these brave individuals.  Who would have thought a traffic stop would mean death for a young father and husband?  The potential for danger is there anytime one of these public servants do their job.  I am glad at least, that most people nowadays honor those who serve rather than treat them the way we treated out Vietnam vets.  God Bless and be with the family of Officer Kilcullen and all who serve.


In other news…upon arriving home we found things in good shape.  We only had 14 messages on the phone (I thought everyone knew we were gone!) and our held mail was slightly under half a ton!!



I was a little disappointed that our rhodies and azaleas were not in bloom yet, but I guess the weather had something to do with that!  Just too dang cold.  Some of my other perennials are looking good…the Columbine, is in full bloom, the peonies are looking good and have some HUGE blossoms, most of the hostas are looking good, but one has been the all day buffet for the slugs!  Gonna have to take care of that little matter – it’s an ongoing battle here.


So we will spend a couple of days cleaning up and unloading and reloading then it’s off to see kids and grands in Portland for a couple of days.

P.S.  Just decided to listen to the phone messages before I forget.  The reason there were so many messages is Russ’s former mother-in-law (whom we have sorta adopted) fell and broke her hip while we were gone.  She was 88 on the 27th of April.  She is in a re-hab facility right now and we will have to help her make some decisions about her long term care and housing.  This will not be easy.  Prayers would be appreciated if you are so inclined!

Thanks all and good night.

I Wouldn’t Treat a Dog Like That

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

NO, no one has been mean to our dogs…better not!!  However, last night we did something we have not had an opportunity to do yet on this trip.  We started a nice fire and roasted HOT DOGS!  Now, I know food is near and dear tot he hearts of most RV bloggers so tonight’s post will focus on that savory subject (but no scones or biscuits!).

So, first matter for debate…how do you roast your doggies?  Do you use the “two-prong” one dog method (on the right) or do you load each prong with its own dog?



And are they done when they are just starting to sizzle or do you like your dogs with a bit of “crunch” to them?  How do you roast YOUR dog?

We had planned to do this a couple of nights ago and I made tater salad to go with the hot dogs.  Alas, the planned night was too cold so we ate the tater salad anyway and fried the hot dogs.  There was just a tiny bit of salad left and, being the marvelous wife that I am, I let Russ have it…but he let me have the last hot dog bun so I guess we’re even.



Oh yum!  So how do you make your potato salad?  Hot or cold?  Mustard or not?  Eggs?  Dill pickles?  My daughter makes hers without onions!!!  Can you imagine?
Just had to include a photo of my boy sitting out and enjoying the fire with his daddy.  I didn’t know his expression would be so perfect so I didn’t really try and frame the shot.  When I saw how beautiful he looked (yes, I know I’m prejudiced!)  I had to do what I could to make a nice portrait of my Rusty.

Rusty cleans up pretty good, doesn’t he? 

We started the day with a nice breakfast, again choosing to eat at Donna’s Deli.  I think she should start a franchise cuz her food is sure good.



You can tell this is Russ’s plate by the peanut butter and pepper.
 

Then we went for a short drive on Hwy 44.  We went about 30 miles to the little community of Shingletown.  It’s a beautiful drive from Old Station and we had a great time just enjoying the scenery.  In Shingletown, we found a modern grocery store and decided to stop and see if we could find a ready made sandwich or something for lunch.  Inside we found a deli that served made to order sandwiches and freshly made burgers and fries, as well as the usual deli items.  I ordered a half turkey sandwich and Russ got the burger and fries.  Then we drove about 3 miles to the Shingletown rest area and had our lunch…which was very, very good!


So how do you like your burger?  Well done, raw, with onions or without, mayo???  Enquiring minds want to know.

See the little creek in the back?  The dogs loved that!



Have you ever wondered about the expression “bump on a log?”  Here’s your answer.

Sorry Russ!!  

This rest area was more like a park and we enjoyed the stop AND the lunch.  If you are ever traveling on Hwy. 44 between Redding and Old Station, I highly recommend the grocery store deli in Shingletown…don’t know the name but it’s the only game in town!  Can’t miss it.

These little beauties were blooming at the rest area.  Looked online and I believe it is a Mahonia.


Back home, it was time for dinner.  I purchased some steak while we were in Bishop last week.  Note to Jerry and Suzy:  buy your meat before you get to Bishop…it is EXPENSIVE. 

Thanks to Al of the Bayfield Bunch for telling us about the Movie Museum in Lone Pine awhile back.  When we went there I saw some Wyoming Steak Rub that I thought looked good.  Turns out, it was PERFECT for this steak.

Russ wanted to try his hand at cooking the steaks.  His apron says “WARNING: Men Cooking”.  You’ll soon see why.



A very special “Thank You” to RED for the baby grill.  It was a Christmas present…and he even put it together for us.  He knew we would have it inside out and backwards if we tried to do it ourselves.  Thanks Red.

I soon took over and sent Russ back to do what he does best…make big fire!



The steak turned out fabulous and we gobbled it down.  Then it was time for that all important camping tradition…the Marshmallow Burnt Offering.   This is how Russ does it and this is why I don’t let him cook.




And this is how it is done by an expert!



Sadly, we must leave here tomorrow.  Fishing season opens on Friday and this spot is reserved for the weekend.  But we enjoyed it immensely and are certain that someday, we shall return.

Max and the Bayfield Bunch

I had another post all ready to go and then I read the Bayfield Bunch.  My post for tonight will wait until another day as I only want to express my heartfelt sympathy to Al and Kelly in their loss.  Rest in Peace Max and hope you and Checkers are together again and in perfect health. 

The Sun Came Out!

Yesterday was cold and rainy almost all day.  A great day to go to Redding, we thought, since it was too cold to sit outside.  We didn’t get too far until the rain turned to slush and then to real snow, but it didn’t seem to be sticking to the road.  Then we saw the flashing lights!  All of a sudden there were a couple of inches of slushy snow on the road and the lights were a coming from a police car that had stopped to help a motorist who had slid off the road.  Okay, I don’t want an In ‘N’ Out burger that bad!  As soon as I found a place, I turned around and we headed back to the barn.  Spent the rest of the day just listening to the rain and taking short walks during breaks in the storm.

Today the sun is out and it is beautiful.  Russ got up early and cleaned out the fire pit and before I knew it, he had a fire going.  There is something about the smell and crackle of a camp fire that brings back all the good memories from my childhood. 

I call this photo “The Old Man and His Dog.”  OOOOPS! That’s MY dog!  HIS dog wants to stay inside all the time!


So I fixed breakfast and Russ and Rusty had some bonding time around the campfire.

We were going to try Redding again today but why waste a perfectly gorgeous day going to the city?  There are paths to explore, creeks to wade in (for the dogs anyway), campgrounds to scope out and pictures to take.  Which would you rather have…the elusive In ‘N’ Out burger, or all this beauty?

We chose to take a drive of only about 10 miles, but in that ten miles we stopped at two campgrounds and two picnic areas.  There were a couple more campgrounds, but they were not yet open.  No description is necessary for the following photos.  All these were taken at various places along Hat Creek.  The water is simply amazing, clear and burbling and loaded with fish.  We saw several spots where I am sure there were big fat rainbows just waiting for the worm.  Too bad we decided this year to give up the fishing poles.  But we still remember and every once in a while, the urge to toss a line in the water is almost unbearable.

Come with me now and walk along the banks of the wild and wonderful Hat Creek.  If you listen carefully, you may hear the water as it rushes over the rocks, the chirrup of the scampering ground squirrel, or the raucous call of the crows.























 




 



And just for fun, a photo Russ took of three green pocupines sitting on a log with a swamp alligator in the back ground getting ready to pounce.

And as shadows lengthen and the day begins its slow journey into night, we find ourselves back at the camp site, listening to the bubbling of the creek and enjoying the warmth of the waning sun.  You could almost imagine that it is 200 years ago and you are alone, camped along the stream, enjoying the beauty of nature…until you realize I am writing this on a computer, Russ is reading his Nook, and just a few feet away are all the comforts of modern life wrapped in thirty feet of wood and metal!  Oh well, it was a nice image while it lasted.  Hope you enjoyed visiting Hat Creek and I hope you can find your way here someday to visit in person.

Yeah, he cheats a bit with the logs but we have some "real" wood too!!

Hat Creek

I had a couple of people ask about the music notes in my last post.  To get these characters, just hold down the alt key and type 13 for the single note and 14 for the double note.  You can google “special keyboard characters” and get all kinds of lists for making special characters…♥

We woke up yesterday to a stormy morning, rain and snow mixed, along with some light wind.  It was like that pretty much all day but since the low temp was 37F, the snow showers were really an empty threat.  We took some nice walks during the sun breaks and let the dogs run a bit.  I took a few snapshots but the creek has really inspired me to get out the Nikon and try to get some good shots.  It’s rainy and cold here again today but it is supposed to clear up tomorrow and so then I will get out the Nikon.

Here are some snaps around the resort.

Welcome to Hat Creek Resort.



The Old Station post office is on premises.



I love to look around little country stores.  This also doubles as the office. It wasn’t open yesterday so we have yet to look inside.

 

When we arrived on Saturday evening, the manager was driving along on his golf cart and the office was already closed.  He guided us to our site and said he would catch up to us in the morning to get us registered.  He drove by a couple of times yesterday when we were out and about and each time he waved and kept on going.  This morning Russ was outside when the wife walked by on her way to open the store and they visited briefly.  So, we have been here two nights and have yet to register!  Trusting and friendly kind of folks!

This is the creek near the entrance.  Make no mistake, a “creek” may sound innocent enough, but this is not the kind you wade in.  This is a swift and deep creek, full of rocks and tree limbs…and big fat trout!  You do NOT want to fall in or mess around with this water.



I don’t think this is functional but I include it here for one of my sisters…you know who you are!!



This resort has everything you could possibly want in a creek side facility.  It does not have a swimming pool and a lot of cable channels (although it does have cable TV) but it has activities designed to keep you active and outdoors.  There are even corrals if you are the horsey kind!  It is surrounded by forest service land so plenty of places to walk or ride your horse.  There are laundry facilities and showers but I think I would recommend that you use the shower in your own RV!!

There is a well maintained sand volleyball court, a paved basketball half-court, a tether ball pole, and some nice horse-shoe pits.



There is a deck built out over the water for those needing an accessible place to fish.



There is no shortage of places to walk and enjoy nature.



The hollow log inspectors are on the job.



This is a volcanic area and the evidence of that is everywhere.  Chunks of lava, large and small, dot the landscape.



  The tenacity of life is amazing and this little tree is just a small example. 



We are enjoying having the water so close.  This is just a few steps from our door.



And here is our Therapy, happily enjoying her time in the woods.  Look at that huge rock fire pit.  I can hardly wait for the weather to clear a bit so we can build a fire and cremate some hot dogs and marshmallows.


  
I have limited bandwidth here so have to be careful about my internet usage.  We’ll see how much I get dinged on this post and that will give me a guideline of how much I’ll be able to upload.  We had no internet yesterday and I discovered I have an addiction!!  I didn’t get the shakes but it was close.  Oh well, I don’t drink, smoke, chew, or even watch much TV so I guess I won’t worry too much about it!!  See ya…

♪ ♫Heaven, ♫ I'm In Heaven♫ ♪....

This will be short and sweet because I am in heaven!  Arrived at Hat Creek Resort in Old Station, CA this evening about 5p.m.  This resort is in the Lassen National forest not far from Lassen National Park.  There is almost no one here...fishing season doesn't start until next Friday so until then it will probably be kinda quiet around here.  By the time we got set-up and went for a long walk in the forest and alongside the creek, I only had time to take one picture.  This is what we see from our front door.

There will be more tomorrow...but for tonight, I am just going to relax and enjoy this special place.

Conspiracy Theory???

Before we left Mina this morning, Russ went out and got a few last minute pictures.  We truly enjoyed the Sunrise RV Park in Mina and would not hesitate to recommend it.


While we were having breakfast, Poppy decided she needed a nice cozy den and so she managed to wiggle around and get down on the floor of the front passenger seat.  It was tight but she liked it!  Yes, she was able to extricate herself without help.



We took off headed for Fernley but saw many interesting sights on our journey.  Our journey today was so enjoyable.  I told Russ I feel like seeing things I have never seen before somehow makes me appreciate life and feel more alive.  There is an odd excitement that comes from being able to say, “I am somewhere I have never been before, seeing something that is totally new to me.” 

These are the sights we observed on our way out of Mina.  I have never seen such a sad state of disrepair as I have seen in Nevada.  It is everywhere.  I am not casting aspersions on these folks…I don’t know their story.  Perhaps it is the lack of employment, perhaps the collapse of the mining industry, illness, or other misfortune.  But it just seems so pervasive.



Hawthorne is the next town of any significant size.  I didn’t realize the military connection to Hawthorne, but it is a big one.  As we began to near Hawthorne, we started seeing hundreds of humps of earth, which upon closer inspection, appeared to be some kind of bunker.



We immediately went into conspiracy theory mode and started thinking of all the ways those bunkers could be connected and what they might mean.  Roads into the hills became secret paths into the center of the mountains.  Those mountains could hold anything, from secret weapons to space ships.  The Alien Highway is in Nevada somewhere.  There could also be underground tunnels, secret hiding places for military or government officials, testing facilities for space aliens…it boggles the mind.  This is a fiction writers PARADISE.  The ideas just rolled off our tongues faster than we could spit them out.

There were also big buildings which we theorized were storage facilities for bombs and other explosive devices.



The possibilities are endless…you decide!  I do know we got a little spooked when we started seeing signs advising motorists that they could not bring explosive devices into town…and then we saw signs advising which way to go if you were hauling hazardous material!  Watch the slide show for more on Hawthorne.



At the outskirts of Hawthorne is a nice RV park called Whiskey Flats.  We had other plans for tonight but it did look like somewhere we could spend a night.




And for those of you who remember the photo of Rusty with his nose in the air vent hyperventilating at the start of our adventure, I am happy to report he has settled down nicely and now sleeps most of the trip with only occasional looks out the window.



As you leave Hawthorne, you are on the shores of Walker Lake.  Many have theorized that the military conducts secret tests on experimental submarines in this lake.  The lake used to be 500’ deep but it sure looks like it is shrinking.



As we got closer to Fallon, the landscape began to change.  Suddenly there were green fields, and cattle, and nice houses.  Apparently there is a reclamation project in Fallon that has turned it into a little oasis in the middle of the desert.  This is where I found the nicest Wal-Mart I have ever been in.  On the outskirts of Fallon we stopped at the county fairgrounds and had a nice lunch in Therapy.  Donna’s Deli was the order of the day and boy oh boy, does she make a mean sandwich…on Original Sheepherder Bread no less.  YUM!





 
Camping is available at the fairgrounds…$7 for boon docking and $12 for water and electric.  I would not hesitate to stay here for an overnight, but we had other plans for tonight.

From Fallon, it was only about 25 miles to our destination for the night, Desert Rose RV Park in Fernley, NV.  Since it is right before you get to Fernley, I can’t tell you much about the town but the park is great.  Although it is right on the highway, they have a concrete block wall that acts as a sound barrier.  You could definitely hear the road but it was not overly obnoxious.  This is a nice CLEAN park with concrete pads and grass at every site.  There are two rows of pull-throughs and back in slots at the outside edges.  The sites are not overly long so if you are driving a big rig and pulling a toad, you would likely need to unhitch to fit into a space.




The facility itself is great.  No picnic tables or fires but there is an excellent club house with laundry, games room and the best shower rooms we have seen.  There are about 50 cable channels if you like TV and internet is included but it is a bit on the slow side.  I am wondering if I will be up all night uploading this blog!!  Watch the slide show for more information.  The cost was $31.65 with an Escapees discount and a $2 charge for the dogs.  Internet in included.  They also honor 50% off Camping Club and Passport America…gonna have to look into that.

And so ends another exciting and wonderful day in our journey in Therapy.