Summer time, and the Living is Easy

My sister, Laila, and I felt the need for some quality “Sister’s Time” and so we loaded up the old men and the old dog in the van and headed up the McKenzie Highway.  The weather could not have been more perfect….well, maybe a little cooler.  The sky was cerulean with nary a cloud in sight.  Our high temp for the day was 89F.

One of our favorite drives is up the McKenzie Highway. We traveled this route not too long ago but this time all our stops were different from last time.  We could do this drive many times and still find different places to stop each time.

Today Laila was in search of a present for a parking attendant at the U of O basketball arena.  This lady is always so nice to them and Laila found out she collects Christmas trees. So today our first stop was a quaint and curious shop on the McKenzie Highway in Blue River, OR, called Christmas Treasures.  This store is open year round and has every type of Christmas decoration imaginable.  Laila found what she wanted and Russ put on a happy face!



Not too much farther along, we stopped at Harbick’s Country Store.  This store is next door to and owned by the folks who run Takoda’s Restaurant.  After our last visit to the restaurant, Russ decided we would dine elsewhere today!  More on that a little later.
Harbick’s Country Store is not just a “store”, it’s an experience.  They have a little bit of everything from corn dogs to RV sewer connections.  Knick Knacks and do-dads share space with cereal and lawn rakes.  Of course there are the usual ice cream bars and sodas, but so much more.  It’s great fun just to stop there and look around.



Brian found a way cool hat…but I guess standing under a hanging basket of flowers would make anyone cool!

Our next stop was Belknap Springs but I am going to hold that over for tomorrow along with our lunch stop and skip on over to Clear Lake, our turn-around point for the day.

Clear Lake is an exceptionally clean and clear lake fed by snow melt from nearby Mt. Washington as well as two seasonal streams.  This lake is the headwaters for the McKenzie River and is the only source of drinking water for the 200,000+ people in the Eugene area.  Our drinking water is some of the best in the nation and I can attest to its clean and cold quality.

Linn County runs the old fashioned resort and marina at the lake.  No motor boats are allowed as that might damage the purity of the lake.  The exceptional clarity of the water makes this lake a popular destination for scuba divers (Brr). 

Here ya go Sue and Mo!  Looks like your kind of place.

When I went down to the lake to snap the picture above, I surprised a little water snake and I watched as he skittered quickly over the water.  I wasn’t quick enough with the camera but that little fella could MOVE!

The “Elders” took a rest on the restaurant /office porch.

When Russ has a camera in hand, nothing else draws his attention.

 

I think this boat will not be going in the water again.

Coldwater Cove, a forest service campground is at the south end of the lake.  It has lake access but limited views of the lake from the camping sites.  I didn’t see too many sites that would accommodate an RV over about 24’ but the host site wasn’t too bad.



That’s enough for today, but tomorrow I’ll tell you about Trailbridge Campground, Belknap Springs, and Finn Rock Grill (oh YUM!).  See ya down the road.

Sisters

Sisters, Oregon that is.  We arrived and are nestled into our camping site at Sisters City Park…more on that in a minute.

Our day started early with both of us up and awake before 5:30A.  It still took us over an hour to finally get on the road but for us, that was still early.  The drive along the McKenzie River is always beautiful and today was no exception.  One of the sights we enjoy is the Goodpasture Covered Bridge.



We wanted to get to Takoda’s for breakfast and that is about an hour from our house.  It was a beautiful morning and we parked and gave the dogs a little exercise before we got breakfast.  There is lots of parking at Takoda’s and plenty of room to walk the dogs.


The weather was so nice that we enjoyed our breakfast outside on the patio.  Russ perused the menu while we listened to a gentle waterfall, the call of the birds, and the occasional roar of the 18 wheeler going by on the highway that’s just beyond the fence!  All in all, the ambiance of the pond and the flowers and that beautiful willow far outweighed any traffic noise.



There are about a dozen tables on the patio but only one other one was occupied this morning.  The breakfast did not disappoint and we enjoyed every bite.  It was a bit spendy but they do have smaller portions for a fair price if you are so inclined.  Russ was not so inclined!!



Harbicks Country Store is next door to Takoda’s and is owned by the same folks.  This store is a must see.  They have a little bit of everything, including deli fast food if you don’t want to wait for restaurant meal.

















There is something for everyone at Takoda’s and we found this selection of books that no camper should be without.  If you’re there Nellie, you can guess which ones we picked for you!


The Sisters City Park is at the east end of town with easy access off the highway.  They feature full hook up sites with both 30 and 50 amps available.  The cost to seniors (60 and over) is $30 for a 30 amp site and $34 for a 50 amp site.  It can seem a little crowded by evening but the sites are actually well spaced and don’t feel all that close.



There were quite a few empty sites on the side closer to the highway.
 
There are restrooms and showers in the park.  A bridge across Whychus Creek connects the campground with the day use area.  There is access to the creek but it can be a bit steep.  Right now the creek is flowing full and swift and that water is COLD.  The pups didn’t seem to mind!






And here we are.  The grassy area is the doggie area but it is not fenced.  Leashes are required but I did see a fella playing Frisbee with his dog earlier and no leash police appeared.  The highway is not too far away so caution is the word regarding leashes.

  
There is no internet provided by the park but I found a hot spot that works pretty well.  Hopefully I can get this uploaded and visit a few blogs while I’m at it.  If not, I’ll see ya on the flip side.