Emigrant Lake Park Ashland Oregon

Well we moved about a week ago and have been spending a very nice week

at a county park campground just outside of Ashland, Oregon.

Our home since last Monday has been Emigrant Lake County Park.

Our camp loop is called "The Point RV Park"

Nice sites on Emigrant Lake, we have a great view, nearly deserted campground

and full hookups with 50 amp service.

I also have a super strong Verizon signal so getting work done here is a breeze.

Site 16 Emigrant Lake - The Point RV Park

A view of our side from across the loop. 

The view from the front windshield.

The nicest site in the campground is site 21 a long pull-thru at the tip of the point.

The problem was that like so many places these days - some Turkey

(not the Thanksgiving kind) reserved the spot for the weekend and then never showed.

Site 21 Emigrant Lake - The Point RV Park

Just outside of the park boundary are some beautiful homes and wineries. 

Downtown Ashland is very cool.

A college town and liberal bastion in Southern Oregon,

it is known for its Shakespeare Festival, its arts scene, and generally

eclectic and interesting mix of inhabitants.

Ashland has become a retirement destination for cash flush retirees from

Southern California, and the housing prices have grown to match the influx

of those seeking a more laid back lifestyle.

Numerous fine eating establishments along with shopping of all types

line the attractive main drag thru town.

Running off the main street is Lithuia Park the Crown Jewel of Ashlands

many town parks.

The ice skating rink at the entrance to the park.

We arrived in town past peak fall color in this area so we did not get to

see the park in full bloom, but it must be incredible in the Spring and Fall because it

was lovely still at this late date.

Over 100 acres of both manicured and wild areas, it began life in the late 1800s

and contains Japanese Gardens, Formal Rose Garden, trees of all types and

has Ashland Creek running right thru the middle of the park.

One of the several beautiful reflective pools in the park.

Another beautiful spot to hang out.

On Thanksgiving morning we had a beautiful sunrise.

Kate prepared a delicious Thanksgiving Feast!

Turkey Breast, Stuffing, and all the trimmings.

(Notice the Doodles in the background)

Dinner is almost done and still in the background the Doodles are waiting

for a handout.

Today is our last day and this morning a Bald Eagle took a perch in a tree

not too far away.

Tomorrow - Weds - we are wheels up again for a 3hr trip down Interstate 5.

We are working our way slowly to Ron & Maxines for the holidays.

Our next stop is Red Bluff, Ca, then on to Napa before we invade R&M's place.

We are looking forward to some warmer weather and drier conditions.

Escape to 7 Feathers

Well we got blown off of the Oregon Coast.

While Winchester Bay was quite beautiful...

the 70mph winds got to be a bit much!

So...  we relocated from the coast to 7 Feathers in Canyonville, Oregon.

The map below shows the route.

For some perspective:

The bottom of the map is the California State Line.

The top is Portland, Oregon.

We had planned on staying here for 12 days but after 7 days of rain and

hurricane force winds we decided that we wanted to go somewhere that we could walk the dogs

without fear of them being blown away.

Seriously...

The locals are used to this.

We saw them sitting out side in all but the worst rain.

Our campfire ring was filled with water, but a guy nearby was sitting there with his

campfire going in a downpour.   Ugggg!

We had closed up the slides  due to the high winds and were living in a tin can.

The forecast was for at least 10 more days of this....

Our house was shaking from the wind...  and our doodles were soaked!

Time to re-evaluate!

Before we left however...  we needed to make one final trip to the beach.

With thousands of miles of fetch - the Pacific is an impressive ocean.

The storm waves were impressive.

Not exactly a good day to go swimming.

The winds at this point were about 45kts and we were getting sandblasted as we walked. 

So...   one of the GREAT things about this Full Time Lifestyle is....

If you don't like the weather.....

MOVE

We decided to head inland away from the coast.

The drive from Reedsport, Oregon to I-5 follows the Umpqua River

and is very scenic.

Our destination for the next 7 nights was 7 Feathers RV Resort.

Most of our West Coast Followers know 7 Feathers very well and no explanation is necessary.

Our East Coast followers however might not be as familiar with 7 Feathers.

Its owned by a Native American Tribe and consists of a Casino, 

Truck Stop, and RV Park.

The folks at 7 Feathers do it right.

The park is well laid out, has wonderful amenities, is landscaped beautifully,

and maintained impeccably.

When you arrive, you pull under a portico to check in, so if it was raining you would not

even get wet checking in.

Someone is always there to open the door for you.

When you check in - someone will lead you to your space.

The spaces are well laid out, decently spaced, well landscaped, and

have all the features...

Cable TV, 50Amp FHU

Kate and I have gotten into a routine.....

 3pm (6pm work time on the east coast)

Head to the clubhouse for a dip in the pool and hot tub.

The pool, hot tub (on right) showers in the rear. 

Another view of our site.

Our plan is to hang here for a week.

The weather wont be perfect, but at least we can have the slides open and get some

walking in with the Doods.

Not sure where we'll go after here but the rough plan is Ashland, Or,   

There is an interesting county park on a lake (Emigrant Lake) that I have been eyeing, 

and Ashland looks like it could be an neat artsy town with

Then down to

Redding or Red Bluff, California, then  after that, perhaps Napa Ca for a bit before 

we head to Ron & Maxines for the holidays.

Meanwhile...

Thank you everyone for the emails about Gracie.

Finally after a month  - she seems to be getting better.

She is back to barking at dogs on TV and is starting to be her old self again.

I have been nursing her for a month now and I looks like its starting to pay off.

We were worried but I think we have finally turned the corner.

Thanks again for all of your concerns.

A stormy visit to the Oregon Coast

On Monday Nov 6th I braved the Portland rush hour traffic to pick Kate up

at PDX.   She was returning from a week visiting her Brother & friends on

the east coast.

Then Tuesday morning it was wheels up after 5+ weeks in McMinville.

Our destination for the next 12 days was the

Winchester Bay RV Resort.

Its in Winchester Bay (or Reedsport) Oregon.

The map below shows our 160 mile route.

McMinnville to Reedsport, Or

Taking Oregon Route 18 west from McMinnville, we crossed thru the Coast Range

and enjoyed the quickly dwindling remnants of the Fall Colors

Oregon 18 thru the Coast Range

Then it was south about a hundred miles or so on US 101 along the coast.

We were lucky in that our travel day was dry.

It had been raining for several days before, and has been raining on and off since.

Winchester Bay RV Resort Entrance

The park is quite pretty.

50amp full hookups with waterfront sites on the Umpqua River right where it

empties into the Pacific Ocean.

From our perch here we can watch the waves breaking over the breakwater about

1/2 mile directly in front of us.

Site 59 Winchester Bay RV Resort

A 2 mile walking path winds around the perimeter. 

The Park is on a peninsula.   On one side the ocean, and the other the Marina.

Our side is just beyond the far tree.

We took advantage of dry weather to let the Doodles stretch their legs, 

and stopped to admire this interesting bench.

The stormy conditions made for an interesting sunset one night.

Oregon Coast Sunset

The beach is being pounded by the large storm waves.

Storm Waves - Oregon Coast Reedsport

We are at the northern limit of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

Its a big ATV area with miles of wide open beach and huge dunes.

Oregon Dunes NRA

Right on top of the hill next to the park is The Umpqua River Lighthouse.

Umpqua River Lighhouse

The Marina is also the base of the Umpqua Coast Guard Station.

We have enjoyed watching them practice thier operations.

One night they were dropping rescue swimmers right in front of the Bus and

retrieving them.

It was pretty cool watching the big helicopter hovering in the blackness, 

not more than 50-100 yds from where we are parked.

While in McMinnville, in addition to a new stove top and over the range microwave,

I surprised Kate with a new expresso maker.

After totaling up our annual cost of Nespresso pods, I decided that it was time to

break down and get a super-automatic machine.

A years worth of pods just about pays for our Jura E8.

Jura E8 Superautomatic

Maybe I need to break my coffee roaster back out of storage and start roasting again.

Meanwhile Kate has started the Christmas season.

Ho Ho Ho!

We are here in Reedsport (or Winchester Bay - what ever they call it) for another week.

The weather is supposed to get extreme starting tonight with 40 mph winds and gusts

to 60mph.   It will be pretty much from the front of the bus so that should help mitigate

the effects, but I might pull in the slides none the less.

Meanwhile we've been nursing a sick Doodle.

While in McMinnville we had vet appointments for both dogs, with annual vaccines.

Then - a week later - in preparation for our trip to Europe on the Queen Mary in May,

I had new euro - microchips inserted in them,  followed by rabies shots.

Even though they were not due for the Rabies shots - it is required by the UK and

I had to have it all done now to get our paperwork started.

Gracie has not taken well to all of this.

She had been limping and unable to bend over to eat or drink.

I had to hold her plate up to her mouth for several days.

That was solved by time and some anti -inflammatory medicine (Meloxicam)

but now she has a stomach and digestive upset going on,

so she is back on a rice and boiled chop meat diet for a few days.

The poor dog has not been herself for almost 2 weeks.
(she's not even barking at all the animals on TV)

Hopefully she will bounce back soon from this.

Till then we'll make sure she gets plenty of rest.

Gracie Doodle