POSTCARDS
Stephanie is one of those persons who can fit a lot of words onto a standard size postcard -- usually by writing sideways, around corners, and even upside down if she can find some extra space. Most of these go to family and friends. But some of them -- those which document our RV adventures -- find their way onto this portion of our website...
Postcard from Lakeview (Tommy Modem-seed)
May 6, 1996
We came back to one of our favorite camping spots, Junipers Reservoir. This spot is 10 miles west of Lakeview, Oregon -- a small and delightful mountain town some 90 miles east of Klamath Falls. There is a lot of ranching here, and cattle, horses and sheep are in every field. Fun at this time of year, the "baby time". Small calves, foals and lambs are everywhere.
Junipers is an 8,000 acre working cattle ranch. There are lots of hiking trails, in the hills and around the reservoir. Geese, sandhill cranes and myriad ducks are on the water; antelope and deer are in the hills; and there are many small "critters", ground squirrels and the like.
The park is laid out so that every site faces outward, whether toward the reservoir, the forest or the pasture. In the center, there is a large grassy area, the restrooms, laundry and a large covered "meeting area". The restrooms deserve a mention; with white shag rugs on the floors, very large shower stalls, and a hair dryer attached to the wall, this is almost better than home!
Everywhere we travel, Tom asks the park owners one of two questions. Either "If I mention the Internet, do you know what I am talking about?", or " If I asked you if this park is modem friendly, would you know what I mean?" He has quite a good success rate, in fact, he is the modern equivalent of Johnny Appleseed, only he is planting seeds for modem-friendliness. This morning, he met with the head of the Chamber of Commerce here when he stopped in at the local computer store. This woman had been uncertain if Lakeview should join the Internet world and have a home page and the owner of the store had been trying to convince the Chamber to set up a page. It appears after talking to Tom that they may in fact now do so.
And they should! With such an outstanding RV Park, a splendid golf course just outside of town, Goose Lake for fishing and hunting just 15 miles south of town, this town is a wonderful spot to visit.
Postcard from Highway 299
May 4,1996
Highway 299 heads east from Redding and winds through the hills, gradually climbing. Pretty soon we left the affluent suburbs, and found ourselves where the family pets are horses, cattle, goats and sheep. The street names reflect this change, we passed Shady Meadow Lane, progressed to Hootenany Street, and finally arrived at Buzzard Roost.
The road climbs through several passes, between 4000 and 5000 feet, but it is a gradual climb and there are only a few really steep grades. The scenery is breathtaking. Today the peaks of Mount Lassen and Shasta were white ghosts against a pale horizon. And as we gained altitude, the mountains grew more and more clear and even more beautiful. Each valley has its own river, and everything was lush, green and idyllic.
There was one discordant note in all this. We drove for about 30 miles through the "Fountain Fire", one of the largest burned areas I have ever seen. We attempted to drive out to a Vista Point which would explain the causes of the fire, but it was located offroad on a narrow dirt trail. However, at a subsequent stop, we met a woman who has lived in Fall River Mills for 4 generations. She explained that the fire was deliberately set in 1992; the firefighters waited too long to begin fighting it, and this delay and shifting winds resulting in thousands of acres being burned, many people losing their homes and the town of Burney, with a population of more than 3000, nearly being lost.
On this route in northeastern California, wildlife is abundant. We noted antelope and deer, and many birds, the most unusual of which is the Sandhill Crane. These large birds were once almost extinct, but have been brought back to the point where they are becoming a nuisance in some parts of the country.
All too soon we arrived in Alturas, and headed north on 395 for Lakeview, Oregon.
Postcard from Monterey
May 2, 1996
When California's interior valleys experience hot weather, the coast is usually cool, and often foggy. But these past few days have been clear, with only a light ocean breeze - in short, delightful.
Monterey and its neighbor, Carmel-by-the-Sea, are towns where one can buy everything from art to t-shirts. Monterey is much larger and more commercial than is Carmel, where there still are no house numbers, and everyone must use a post office box. And the 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach with its beautiful homes and many golf courses is a must see.
A few miles north is the Marina Dunes RV Park, a great find so close to town. It is practically on the beach. Just outsideits gate there are sand dunes to wander, and it is only a short stroll to water's edge. A bicycle path to Monterey is very popular with cyclists and skaters of all ages. The hang-gliding school on the beach today had two students sailing around; one managed to stay aloft, the other kept landing and patiently walking back up the bluff to try again.
The Monterey Aquarium!! This aquarium focuses almost entirely on those fish found here, with an occasional special exhibit. One tank shows fish living in the kelp "forests" which abound in the bay; another displays the different fish found at various depths. The sea otters turn somersaults, the jelly fish,( "jellies"), ranging in size from pennies to dinner plates, wave with the currents. The sharks cruise their tank, watching other fish and curious humans with their expressionless eyes. This is the largest tank, where sharks swim with, among others, salmon, sturgeon, halibut. Fed twice a day, the fish are sufficiently satisfied with this schedul that they refrain from eating each other! Crabs and clams crawl and burrow on the bottom of the tank. Tahe tank is encircled by large glass windows, with one special window showing this watery world as seen from a fishes eye!
Tomorrow we are off for the Northland again. The next postcard will be from an out of the way spot, somewhere en route.
The Redwood Highway - California
April 28, 1996
This is one of the special drives of the United States. The trees are immense, with some having trunks 10 feet in diameter, and soaring hundreds of feet . There are whole groves of these giants! The words awe-inspiring, breathtaking, and unbelievable spring to mind. How does one describe the Redwoods? - I cannot. They must be experienced.
We spent the night in Arcata, a small town just north of Eureka. The Mad River Campground is a full service park, all paved and level sites. There is a restaurant located on the premises, so I enjoyed a night away from the kitchen!
We had explored the Nature Preserve in this area on an earlier visit, so the next morning we opted for the Mad River Dunes and seashore. The weather was cooperating nicely, and we had a great walk along the beach, watching the ocean.
Then off to Benbow RV Resort and golf course. This very nice park is located right across from the hotel of the same name, and, in addition to a nice swimming pool - open at his time of year! - is situated on a 9 hole golf course. And if you are an RV guest, you may play as many holes as you wish for a reasonable daily fee.
I visited the Benbow Hotel as a child, and was delighted to see that it has changed very little. Afternoon tea is still offered, and while the dining room no longer requires coat & tie, I would feel awkward in shorts. Two dinners out on two consecutive nights!
Tomorrow we're off further south toward Monterey.
The Redwood Highway, Oregon
April 26, 1996
We had heard various reports about this road; that it was spectacular, a good alternative when the Siskiyous were requiring chains, and also that it was winding and very difficult to handle with a trailer. We decided to see for ourselves.
Highway 199, the Redwood Highway, begins at Grants Pass, and travels along the Rogue River before climbing into relatively modest elevations of the Siskiyou Mountains. Farmland quickly becomes woodlands which soon begin adding redwood to the woody mix.
Our first stop was Cave Junction, Oregon. We left the 5th wheel at the most accommodating Visitor Center and drove the 20 miles to Oregon Caves National Monument. The road climbs an additional 2,500 feet on this journey, through some of the most beautiful forest we had seen. The gray squirrels are plentiful, as are the scrub, gray and stellar jays.
The Monument is quite small, comprising, in addition to the Caves, a hotel and visitor center. The hotel, the "Oregon Caves Chateau" is large, lovely and charmingly old fashioned. Both the hotel and the Center, as well as some of the homes we passed on the road, have the perfect siding for this area - tree bark! It looks great.
We did not get to visit the caves, but did poke our heads in the entrance. They look perfect, - cool, damp, narrow and a bit scary. We will visit next time.
Postcards from Sisters, Oregon
April 24, 1996
En route to Monterey, CA, vainly trying to escape the rain that has inundated our Islands for the past several weeks, we came tonite to Sisters. This town is located 20 miles east of Bend, Oregon, on the eastern slope of the Cascade mountains. It is a fascinating town, one I especially enjoy when the other tourists are absent. Now the restaurants and specialty stores are open, and you are still likely to meet only the local folk. At 3200 feet, Sisters is surrounded by eleven mountain peaks, which still have winter snow. A most picturesque spot.
We stayed at the KOA, which offers the ultimate in modem friendly - phone service at your site for a nominal fee. (Of course, phone + modem = e-mail.! ) Unfortunately, the service would not be activated until 1 May.
This park is HUGE!! In addition to a large pool, spa, and mini-golf, there is also a children's trout fishing lake within a five minute walk (still on the property). Also the KOA adjacent to the Sisters Rodeo grounds - this year the first June weekend.
While such a town in such a setting can be quite busy later in the season, it is worth a visit at any time. Put Sisters on your itinerary!