Wednesday, September 10, 2025 – Waterwheel RV Park and Campground – Chiloquin, Oregon

Well, sometimes it isn’t raining when you break camp, and then sometimes your poor spouse who does the outside work like dumping the black and grey water, undoing the freshwater hose, unhooking the electricity, etc. etc. gets soaked. But that was not the case this morning. It was actually sunny and warm. 

So, off we went.

Now, there is a reason why our camp was called “Mountain Gate”. Because as soon as we left camp it was, up, up, up and into the Siskiyou Mountains. And what a scenic drive we had again today. And then it was time for a break. So, we stopped at a rest stop for lunch. As we were sitting in the trailer enjoying our sandwich, the sky decided to dump on us. Pouring down rain and hail. Yes, hail!

And yes, that is hail on the grass in the first picture. And as you can see, the rain/hailstorm was a downpour. A good reason to sit for a bit and let the storm pass over before heading off.

We waited for it to stop for a few minutes before we once again headed north. But in just a few miles, the rain had all but stopped (for the time) and we were able to enjoy the amazing countryside.

Our run today was beautiful.  That is the only way to describe I-5 to Weed, California where we turned off onto SH 97. And then all the way to Chiloquin, there was something lovely to capture our attention. Going around Upper Klamath Lake was just grand, although driving through rain was not the ideal way to enjoy the ride. But by the time we got into camp, the rain had stopped. So, setting up camp without rain was a blessing.

Then I spent a bunch of time getting ready to serve spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread to the 6 of us.

Our campground is quite small. But the sites are flat and some backup to the Williamson River. Very nice.

After dinner it was back to our trailer (we had dinner in T&P’s trailer because they had room for all 6 of us) for me to write up today’s drive and to get yet another early to bed. I sleep more when we are in our trailer than ever at home. Somehow, my body just lets me know that there are not any pressing things that must be done. That basically it’s just fine if I relax and take it easy.      

Thursday, September 11, 2025 – Waterwheel RV Park and Campground – Chiloquin, Oregon

After a quiet morning, breakfast dishes but a distant memory, and the truck gassed up, we headed for Crater Lake National Park.

We had been to Crater Lake before, but it had been at least 25 years. So, the awe and majesty of the park left us breathless once again. Even before you go through the park gate, the canyon of Annie Creek is a wonder unto itself.

The walls of Annie Creek Canyon are primarily made of volcanic materials, including columnar scoria (cinder – a hardened, frothy volcanic rock) and volcanic. These formations are the result of Mount Mazama’s catastrophic eruption and the subsequent geological processes. 

A lovely waterfall in the Annie Creek Canyon.

Atop the scoria, layers of petrified volcanic ash and buff dacite pumice can be found. These deposits are remnants of the massive eruption of Mount Mazama approximately 7,700 years ago.

The canyon also contains interesting volcanic spires, particularly along the southern portion. These formations, known as fossil fumaroles, were created when hot gases escaped through the pumice deposits, cementing the ash and making it more resistant to erosion. Annie Creek has since eroded the softer surrounding pumice, leaving the spires behind. All this even before you go through the National Park gate. Amazing. Then it’s into the park you go. And unlike most state or national parks, we drove right up to the entrance station. No line. Unbelievable.

And then it’s up, up, up a very windy but well-maintained road. And through beautiful forests.

Crater Lake National Park features four main forest zones dominated by different coniferous trees: Ponderosa Pine at lower elevations, transitioning to Lodgepole Pine higher up, then Mountain Hemlock around 6,000 feet, and finally Whitebark Pine in open woodlands at the highest elevations. Other conifers include Douglas Fir, White Fir, Western White Pine, and Alpine Fir. Some deciduous trees and shrubs are also found in moist areas and the underbrush.

And then you get your first glimpse of this magnificent natural lake. Unlike many lakes, there are no inlets or outlets, making Crater Lake one of the purest water lakes in the world. At 1,943 feet, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest in the world. It is also one of the snowiest places in America, often getting over 40 feet of snow annually. A few pictures of this beautiful lake.

This upthrust in Crater Lake is called The Phantom Ship. Those spikes aren’t all trees. They are rock.

It is truly a magnificent natural wonder. And we feel blessed to have been able to see it in fairly decent weather. It wasn’t sunny and bright, but neither was it pouring down rain or too cold to be outside. As the old saying goes “you pays your money and takes your chances” and we got lucky.

Just outside the park entrance, the Annie Creek Restaurant (and gift shop) magically appeared. And since it was after 2:00 pm, we were hungry. Just as we were seated, T&P and J&M appeared. So, table for 6, please. And I must say the Bacon, Blue cheese, Bison burger Andy and I shared was one of the best burgers I ever had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into. The meat was thick and cooked to perfection. And the onion rings were plentiful and marvelous.

Then back to camp after topping off the gas tank and making a few, short, exploration side trips.

Once in camp reality reared its ugly head. Time to do laundry. So, on that happy note I will leave you to strip the sheets off the bed and count my quarters to see if I have enough.

After the sheets were safely back on our bed, it was time for dinner in Tim and Phyllis’s trailer. Wonderful ribs that Tim had prepared and had spent the day in a crock pot, along with mashed potatoes, risotto, and fresh veggies.

After dinner it was back to our trailer to read until the words became blurry and my pillow was calling me so loudly, I was afraid it might wake up our neighbors.

Another fabulous day in Oregon.

Friday, September 12, 2025 – Bend Sisters Garden RV Resort, Bend, Oregon

We had a leisurely start to our day, because we didn’t have all that far to go. So, at 11:00ish, we pulled out of the Waterwheel RV Park and back on to 97 going north. This is a very interesting stretch of road because at one point there is only one slight bend (about 10 degrees) in the road for almost 20 miles. You could practically take your hands off the wheel and take a nap if there weren’t other vehicles on the road to take into consideration. And except for a slight rise when you get just outside Bend, there is very little change in elevation the entire way from Chiloquin to Bend. Lots of trees along the way, and the area does not appear heavily forested.

After going through Bend, it’s a short drive until we take the exit to start our ride west on 20. And, as was not our experience the last couple of times we were in the area, it was lovely driving through Bend because of the new and very improved 4 lane road.

Last year when we were here with Todd and Cindy, it was a total mess. Construction all along the way through Bend. Now it’s smooth sailing. And the turn off to Sisters has also experienced wonderful new road improvements. Where there used to be lights, they have been replaced with traffic circles. So, smooth sailing all the way to our camp. And what a camp it is. Beautiful grounds including a man-made lake. And our sites are lovely.

After an enjoyable afternoon of reading it was time for dinner. I served guacamole, salsa, and chips for happy hour. Then Jim served a fantastic pollo al crema over rice. And for dessert, Phyllis brought us each, a mini-ice-cream bar. Just so you know, we do not go hungry when we camp. In fact, all of our waistlines are expanding at a very scarry rate! But we are on vacation. So, let the fun continue.

Then off to our own rigs to honker down for the night. Rain was predicted, so all chairs and little tables ran for cover. Assisted of course by their respective owners.

At one point during the night the rain was beating on our roof. But only for a short time. But loud enough to wake me up. Ah, the joys of a real roof over your head rather than a canvas tent. But I put my time in when I was younger with wet tents, moist sleeping bags, wet dogs, grumpy wet kids, and cooking under a tarp. But those memories remain some of my fondest. But at our ages, roughing it means having to use ice cube trays in our trailer instead of having a fridge/freezer combination at home with an ice maker.

Saturday, September 13, 2025 – Bend Sisters Garden RV Resort, Bend, Oregon

Today was very special. We were invited for lunch at our dear friend’s Tim and Susie’s camping site on the Metolius River. So, after a lazy morning we headed west on 20 through Sisters, then continued northwest on 20 until we turned right on to 14 after a few miles.

On 14 we drove north through Camp Sherman to the Smiling River campground. And followed the camp road until we found Tim, Susie, and Timber, their Brittany Setter waiting for us.

After saying hello and catching up a bit, we took a short walk along the river to see where they had happy hour every evening (unless it was raining of course). Then back to sit and talk about our adventures and hear what was happening to mutual friends. (And why I didn’t take any pictures of this lovely couple and their fabulous camping spot is beyond my comprehension. But sometimes I just get lost in the moment because I am having such a wonderful time. This was one of those times.)

Then lunch was served. A wonderful, curried chicken salad (I asked for the recipe), fresh bread with honey butter, crackers and a wonderful cheese, and chocolate for dessert. Yum, Yum, YUM!

After saying goodbye to our friends, we drove back and did some grocery shopping at the Ray’s grocery store in Sisters, (Nice store BTW.) Then back to camp to sit around and decide where to have dinner.

We ended up in Sisters at the Three Creeks Brewing Company for pizza.

After dinner it was back to camp, and since it was dark, we decided to call it a day. And what a nice day it had been.

As I was drifting off to sleep, I remembered to say thank you to whichever deity might be paying attention, for all the blessings I have been given throughout my life. And right at the top were our dear friends we are currently traveling with, and our dear friends we were lucky enough to visit today.

Sunday, September 14, 2025 – Peach Beach Resort, Goldendale, Washington

After a tasty (if I do say so myself) Patti MacMuffin (toasted English muffin, meat of choice (today’s meat – link sausage), sliced sharp cheddar cheese, and a fried egg, we leisurely broke camp because today was once again a short travel day on a road we knew very well. Our destination being Peach Beach, one of our favorite places to park our trailer. 

But, while I’m on the subject of traveling pulling a trailer or driving any other type of RV, I must tell those of you who have never had the pleasure, that it’s simply not at all like driving a car. The entire time you are behind the wheel you must remain vigilant. No playing lookie lookie, no getting into any kind of serious conversation with your passengers, no eating a messy sandwich and dreaming of tonight’s steak dinner etc. etc. Not every driver out there knows or remembers that if you are pulling a trailer or driving a large rig, it takes much longer to stop or get out of the way of your foolishness. And believe me, there are lots of foolish drivers out there. And it is never more apparent than when you are hauling or commander of a very large rig.

Another aspect to be aware of when you see or are behind a RV, is that the driver may not know the location of their next stop. Oh, they know it by name, but not by ever having been there before. So, if they slow down, it may be because they will be turning soon. They just don’t know exactly where that turn will present itself.

So, when we consider how far to drive in one day, we try to keep it to around 150 miles. Just because it is a totally different experience when you are in a vehicle that takes every bit of your attention every mile of the way. So, the shorter the drive, the better. That doesn’t always happen, but it is our goal. That and switching drivers whenever the driver becomes the least bit fatigued. Which is happening increasingly as we fight our way into the golden years. But enough about traveling etiquette, and on to the trip itself.

When we left the beautiful Bend Sisters Garden RV Resort, we headed east to catch 97. Then north through Madris and right at the 97/14 junction where our road (14) brought us down to the Columbia River in Biggs, Oregon.

Then a short crossing of the mighty Columbia and a quick right into the entrance to both Maryhill SP and Peach Beach.

I happened to be driving at the time and was met by the camp hostess who not only checked us in but presented us with 2 wonderful peaches. How nice is that?

Then after getting all set up, all 6 of us sat in our comfy camp chairs between T&P’s trailer and our trailer to enjoy the afternoon. As the dinner hour approached, Phyllis brought out warm crostini topped with brie and jelly for us to enjoy along with our “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” libation.

Then it was time for Jim to grill a marinated tri-tip, to go along with baked potatoes (Jim) and peas salad that I had prepared earlier in the day.

After dinner I provided the gang with cookies and chocolate.

So, as you can imagine, another fine meal.

But by the time we had consumed dessert, my body was letting me know that I had had enough fun for one day.

So, back to our cozy little trailer to read until the sentences failed to make any sense at all. I was first in bed, but after about 10 seconds of tossing and turning, I was gone for the night. Andy tells me he was right behind me but far be it from me to know if that actually happened.

Another wonderful day in paradise!

Monday, September 15, 2025 – Peach Beach Resort, Goldendale, Washington

Today was another fun day, especially because we were going to have lunch with daughter Ursala and her husband Soroush. Yeah!

So, after a quiet morning of reading and writing, we left to meet the kids in The Dalles. When we arrived, we were thrilled to find out that both Nika and Jaleh (our granddaughters) were free to join us. Nika has her own dance studio and Jaleh has various interests including working part time at the White Salmon hospital as a clinical dietitian. It was just wonderful being able to spend time with daughter Ursala and family. We simply don’t see any of our kids as much as we would like. Not when one lives in Salt Lake City, 2 in Keiser, Oregon, and one in White Salmon, WA. But they all lead happy lives. And what parents could want more than that for their children. Of course, I miss seeing them more often. But being as busy as we are, they might never find us at home anyway. So, time together is precious.

From left to right, Nika taking the selfie, Soroush, Ursala, me, Andy, and Jaleh.

After saying goodbye, we did some provisioning and gassed up the truck. Then back to camp to sit outside our trailer and read until it was time to fix dinner.

Jim had brined, then marinated, the pork tenderloin I had brought along to BBQ. I made mac and cheese and cut up some heirloom tomatoes and a cucumber we had purchased at a local fruit stand. Phyllis warmed some bread, so another great meal was had by the 6 of us.

By the time we finished our picnic dinner, it was dark. So, to our individual rigs we hastened. To wash our dishes and hunker down for the night. What a great time we’ve had again while camping at Peach Beach. And as always, I can’t wait to come back here again.

Tuesday, September 16, Ellensburg KOA Journey, Ellensburg, Washington

Since we had a fairly short run today, we dawdled through breakfast and hitching up. Our aim – 11:00 am, the parks official checkout time. Plus, we simply didn’t want to leave this lovely park any sooner than necessary.

But at the stroke of 11:03, we were driving out of this wonderful campground, past one of the beautiful peach orchards, and turning right onto 97 for the short uphill pull away from the Columbia until we meet highway 14 heading east and west. Then left onto highway 14 for about 100 feet. And another quick right back onto 97 for   the long uphill drive to Goldendale.

After Goldendale, we rolled through semi forested areas, some agriculture (but not much) and miles of seeing nothing but dessert terrain and occasional trees lining the Satus Creek after we start down into the Yakima Valley.

But along the way there is an obligatory stop that we always make. And that stop is for a bit of Greek food at St. John’s Monastery (Greek Orthodox) and Bakery.

The Holy Monastery of St. John the Forerunner was founded in 1995, when local Doctor Gerald Timmer donated his 48-acre property to the Greek Orthodox Diocese of San Francisco for the foundation of a women’s monastic community.  
Geronta Ephraim, a priest-monk and former abbot from Holy Mount Athos, Greece, was contacted to help establish the monastery in Washington. (“Geronta” in Greek means an “Elder” or “Abbot”.) Already the spiritual father/elder of 11 monasteries in Greece, 1989 he began the work of establishing monasteries in North America.  There are now 17 such monasteries in North America. These communities have prayer for the world as their primary profession, and then to provide spiritual guidance to the faithful and help preserve the Holy Traditions of the Church through exemplary Christian life and devotion to God.

In their shop you can expect to find fabulous Greek food, (our favorite is their gyros with extra tzatziki sauce). But all the baked goods are delicious. You can also find, jams, jellies, candy, Christian icons, and fabulous espresso drinks. (Andy never takes a pass on their coffee drinks. They are always amazing!)

After our brief lunch, it was back in the car for me to take a short nap (luckily Andy was driving at the time) and to arrive at our destination about 2:30 pm.

We decided not to unhook since we would only be here for one night. But while Andy was attaching the electric and water hoses, I decided to turn on the air conditioning. After a short 7 minutes or so, the electricity went off. Then it was try to fix the problem.

Now, if you don’t know us well, you might be surprised to learn that we are the least mechanical couple you will probably ever meet. And if it had not been for Jim, we would still be trying to replace fuses in the trailer’s electrical panel with no success. In fact, both of us had gotten down on the floor to have a go at putting 2 new fuses in their respective receptacles. When, had we known what the heck we were doing, we would have just reset the main breaker switch, and the problem would have been immediately resolved.

But thank heaven Jim knew what to do. So, now Jim is on our floor and has taken the facing panel off (2 screws) and flipped the main switch and retrieved the fuses we both dropped in trying to get them properly seated in their receptacles. And now, we have electricity again. So, after everything was back on again, Andy decided to turn on the air conditioner. And after about 5 minutes, the same thing happened. But at least now he knew how to fix it. And not to turn the air conditioner on.

While we were discussing what could be the problem, both Tim and Jim thought it might be that the air conditioner coils and filters were probably coated with dirt.

So, there will be no air conditioner for the rest of the trip. But a thorough cleaning of the air conditioner added to the list of items to be looked at when we take the trailer in to be winterized. Who knew we should clean our air conditioner? Oh well. Live and learn.

After all this excitement, we decided to go out for Mexican food. Since both T&P and A&P decided not to unhook our trailers since we were only spending one night in Ellensburg, Jim ferried us to and from a nearby Mexican restaurant.

By the time we all arrived safely back in camp, it was time for my tired old body to call time out! So, after reading the same page in my book about 4 times, I took my evening pills, brushed my fangs, changed into my pajamas and after tossing and turning for about 10 seconds, I spent a good 10 hours in the land of nod.  

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 – Icicle River RV Resort, Leavenworth, Washington  

All together now, all together now……left to right, J&M, T&P, and A&P

Because we were still hitched up, I took my own sweet time getting dressed and getting breakfast on the table. So much so that we were 15 minutes late getting out of camp. Since most of the campground was already empty, the camp police did not come by and ticket us or charge us or in any way push us to hurry up. In fact, I don’t think they would have noticed if we had stayed a couple of hours. No nickel and dimming us in this campground.

However, for our next campground, we would have had to pay a $25 fee to arrive early. We chose instead to take our own sweet time getting to Leavenworth. So, instead of heading right to camp, we went into Wenatchee, and I made sandwiches as we sat under a shade tree at the Wenatchee Confluence SP.

After lunch, while we were driving north to Leavenworth, we were a bit apprehensive. Wenatchee had clear skies. But over Leavenworth there was what looked like one huge white cloud. Wildfire smoke. And the closer we got to our destination, the more we could smell smoke in the air. In fact, while Andy was sitting outside after we had gotten all set up, a cinder landed on his arm. And T&P’s picnic tablecloth was blessed with ash that had floated into our campground to say hello.

Every hour or so, a helicopter would fly fairly low directly over our RVs. It felt like we were either in a war zone or on the set of Mash.

After spending a leisurely late afternoon reading and napping, we enjoyed a wonderful chili and cornbread dinner provided by T&P.

Then, after a bit of dessert and after dinner libation, it was once again an early to bed for me.

I must state that I rarely get home from a trailer trip, tired. I sleep longer in our trailer than I ever do at home. But I do know that my bath scale is just gleefully waiting to once again prove that fresh air does not necessarily equate with weight loss. Quite to the contrary, in fact. Because on trailer trips we always eat as if calories don’t count when we’re on vacation. Now of course we know that isn’t true. But at our ages we have fooled ourselves for so long now that old habits are hard to break.

But there will be a reckoning the moment we set foot in our home. No more Cheetos or Fritos until our next trip. More salads and less desserts. Reality will once again raise its ugly head. (And people wonder why we travel so much. We blame it all on Cheetos and Fritos.)

Another wonderful day on the road.

Thursday, September 18, 2025 – Icicle River RV Resort, Leavenworth, Washington 

After a great night’s sleep, we woke up to, what seemed like, less smoke in the air. And for me, the knowledge that we would be seeing our dear friend Linda this morning.

Linda and I have been the dearest of friends now for almost 45 years. And since she lives in Leavenworth, we don’t see each other nearly as much as either of us would like. But when we do see each other, it’s like we have never been apart.

And this morning T&P were serving all of us, including Linda, brunch. A yummy breakfast casserole and English muffins. I contributed a bowl of fresh peaches and blueberries to go with homemade granola. And one lone bran muffin and my favorite breakfast bread to round out the menu.

After brunch Linda headed back to her home since the next day, she and two friends were flying from SeaTac to spend a week in the Big Apple (NY City.)  So, she had things to do to get her home ready for another great adventure.

5 good friends who have known each other for a very long time. Left to right – Mr. C. Mrs. C. Linda, Margo, and Jim.

After Linda left, I climbed in the trailer to get caught up on this travel report. Next thing I know, I’m in my favorite camp chair and trying not to fall asleep. (I’m getting quite good at napping. All it takes is a comfy chair, and a really good book, and I’m sound asleep. One of the joys of being not only retired but old.)

And since we were going out for dinner, I had the whole afternoon to be lazy. BTW, I’m getting quite good at being lazy.

About 4:30 pm we left for the bustling berg which calls itself Leavenworth. We had reservations for 6 at Larch. An Italian restaurant. We each ordered a different dish, and they were all very good. So, I highly recommend this dining establishment next time you are lucky enough to be in this Bavarian village.

Then back to camp for ice cream bars and for those so inclined, an after-dinner tipple.

But as soon as it was dark, my pillow started calling me. Since it was only 8:00, I decided to ignore the pillow’s siren call, and read for about an hour. But eventually I felt that my pillow had the right idea. So, off to bed I went, knowing full well that it was the last night in the trailer. And the last night’s sleep without our kitty Max slammed up against me with his constant demands to pet me, pet me, pet me. But I would not trade that silly kitty or his brother Miles for the world. Our boys are a constant reminder that we aren’t only responsible for ourselves. But that other critters (human and not) depend on us for their good life too. If only certain politicians and their slimy compatriots understood that we are all in this together, and to feel truly free and fulfilled, we all need to help others find the same contentment.

But for the life of me, I can’t understand why some supposedly intelligent people can’t understand that we all do better when we all do better. How hard is that to grasp? And what do they lose or have taken away from them by helping others? What they do lose, is being able to look in a mirror and think to themselves – I’m proud of who I am, and what I’ve done, and how I’ve helped. And if there is a better feeling than doing the right thing, I have yet to figure out what that could possibly be.         

Friday, September 19, 2025 – home

Left Leavenworth at 10:15 am. Heading west was easy. But it was amazing to see how much traffic was on highway 2 coming east. Especially this early in the day. I would not have traded places with any of those poor folk just trying to get where they were going. What a mess!

Along the way we stopped at our favorite highway 2 drive-in (Alpen) in Startup. Shared a burger and fries and chocolate milkshake.

Then back on the road to get to our trailer storage facility, unload all the perishables, along with our toiletries, computers, and most importantly our pillows.

Then after being home for a couple of hours, it was to get back in a vehicle, and drive to Oak Harbor for Andy’s gig with Herding Kats at Orlando’s BBQ.

By the time we were heading home, at 10:30 pm, we were both very tired. We basically kept a running commentary going the whole way home to keep each other awake. I’m still not sure who was actually driving, but whoever was behind the wheel managed to get us home safely.

Then to bed and had anyone been witness to our sleep that night, they might have mistaken us for two snoring logs. I honestly don’t think I even rolled over once during the 10 hours I slept. And the same goes for Mr. C.

So, what did I learn or rediscover on this trip:

We live in a beautiful part of the world

Camping on the Columbia River is heavenly

The Oregon coast is magical

Redwood trees are huge and magnificent

San Francisco is a really cool city to visit

The wineries in the Napa Valley are so prevalent that none are flourishing the way they were 20 years ago. Napa Valley is home to more than 400 wineries, with some sources citing over 500, making it one of the most concentrated wine regions in California. And the wine produced there, some of the best and most expensive. So, according to our hostess at Regusci Winery, sales are way down. Not only at their winery, but throughout the entire valley.

The Bend and Sisters, Oregon area is a wonderful place to spend several days

Crater Lake is a magnificent natural wonder     

Peach Beach is still one of our favorite places to camp

Fresh peaches are a gift from the Gods

FROM NOW ON, STAY LONGER IN ONE PLACE. DO LESS DRIVING.

And the best thing of all – being reminded by all the wonderful places we were lucky enough to visit, how well and truly blessed we are. And how we wish everyone could make that same statement.

I hope you have enjoyed riding along on yet another adventure. And as always – peace and love to all.