Seventeen Years on the Road

 

Looking back, the start of our full time RV lifestyle seems like just a few years ago. 
We’re still surprised to look at the calendar and see that we’re close to beginning our 18^th year on the road!

 

Ah, the memories!  This will be a long post as we look back from our snowy departure in Dayton OH to our current location.  And what a journey it has been!

After 30 years and eleven moves during my Air Force career (plus two more in civil service) the thought of settling down in one place had no attraction for us. We enjoyed traveling, exploring, and learning about nature and history.  And we knew that just traveling would eventually get boring, so we began our travels looking for volunteer jobs that were in interesting places and promised new things.  And boy, did we luck out!

After spending the winter traveling throughout the southwest, we headed North to Montana where had been asked to be the first “resident” volunteers at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in Stevensville, Montana.  We accepted without ever having been there and on our drive down the Bitterroot Valley to the refuge we had our doubts.  We settled in on a dark, rainy day with little visibility and went to bed with concerns about the location.  But opening the curtains the next morning, we discovered we were in a verdant valley surrounded by snow covered mountains. 

A herd of Bison was visible in the distance and we watched a coyote trot by with a pheasant in his mouth!  As it turned out we had lucked into the best possible location with a friendly, helpful, and patient staff.  Here we learned to be “birders”, gave tours, taught children’s school groups, and even taught a class on duck identification.  It was the start of our love affair with US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) and the incredibly dedicated people that manage our wildlife refuges.  That summer we hiked, fished, and explored the beautiful Bitterroot Valley.

 

This summer we again volunteered for FWS at an Oregon State Park near the California border.  Once again, we had the opportunity to set up spotting scopes overlooking the water and "sea stacks" to observe wildlife.  Our favorite location was Arch Rock, where helped visitors see and understand Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, Black Oystercatchers, and Osprey chicks.  The viewpoint that we spent the day at was simply magical - how could we not love what we do?

Over the years we’ve volunteered at seven wildlife refuges, six state parks, a BLM Natural Area, and a Nature Conservatory Preserve.  All have been memorable and fulfilling.  We’ve learned to be “Junior Ranger” instructors, museum guides, marine mammal and shorebird interpreters, and I even learned how to become a “tide pool guide”.  We’ve made friends with staff and other volunteers that we still visit across the west today. 

We’ve become part of a community of travelers.  We’re asked how we can live without being in a community; we explain that we are – but our community is spread throughout the west.  At our current location, the park hosts a weekly potluck, happy hour, and other events that bring us together.  And we all have something in common – our homes have wheels.  Each year we visit with old friends that have become our “road family”. 

Volunteering has allowed us to spend time at locations we were interested in exploring; four summers on the Southern Oregon Coast, two summers in the Bitterroot Valley and surrounding mountains, three in Northern Idaho, another two in the Black Hills, and winters in Southern Arizona, Northern Washington, Las Vegas, and what has become our favorite year-round location, the Southern Oregon Coast.  At each location, we’ve had the time to explore and learn about the area and wildlife.  And of course the restaurants and casinos!

 

We’ve also taken a couple of years off and just traveled throughout the country. There are so many interesting and beautiful things to see – we never get tired of our ability to travel. Over the years we’ve stayed at and reviewed over 480 campgrounds, but one of the perks of volunteering is that we’re given a free full-hookup site.  Whether it’s a state park or refuge we’ve always been pleased with the quality of our site; volunteer coordinators go out of their way to make us comfortable and to encourage us to return.

 

Some of our highlights:

Brenda had never seen a moose in the wild (I had that opportunity while serving in remote Alaska) and so in Montana on our days off we’d drive logging roads in the mountains in search of a sighting.  It took us three months and countless gallons of gas.  And often we’d return home to learn that a moose had been sighted wandering around the local supermarket parking lot.  Since then, we’ve seen plenty of moose, especially in the mountains of Wyoming.

 

At Farragut State Park in Northern Idaho where we spent three summers as the “program hosts”, we were two of 54 volunteers.  It was a great place to work, largely due to the exceptional volunteer ranger.  But best of all were the potlucks!  It wasn’t unusual to see three banquet tables set up for food….and another two for desserts! Our RV site in the forest on Lake Pend Oreille was one of the best we’ve ever had.

 

As Artillery Museum hosts on the North Washington Coast, we had the chance to visit Olympic National Park and Forks, the famous setting for the “Twilight” series.  Throughout the small town were signs pointing out “Bella’s” high school, supermarket, pharmacy, etc. Leaving town and traveling to neighboring La Push, there were signs warning us that no “vampires” were allowed past the treaty line, and coming back, no “werewolves” were allowed.  A restaurant server told us that at the height of the “Twilight” fever, they were flooded with over 12,000 teenagers every weekend, almost exclusively girls.

 

On the magical Southern Oregon Coast, we watched thousands of seals and sea lions congregate on a reef just offshore.  The barking of the California Sea Lions, roaring of the Steller Sea lions and Elephant Seals, combined with crashing waves and screaming gulls was a sound we’ll never forget.  We’ve watched a Gray Whales feeding, Orca pods cruising, and Peregrine Falcon and Osprey chicks learning to fly and hunt. 

 

Our travels have included a walk on the movie “Field of Dreams” baseball diamond, a visit to the town setting of “Northern Exposure” (Rosyln, WA), a stop at the place where the music died (Buddy Holly crash site near Clear Lake, IA), “Dances with Wolves” film sites in the Black Hills, seldom visited ghost towns, historic sites, and back roads that led to amazing views.  We bought our Leg Lamp (it's a major award, you know) at the Christmas Story House in Cleveland, and visited Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills, film sites for movies from "Gunda Din" to the "Roy Rogers show", to "Tremors".

 

And so many more; too many to write about here.

 A full time RV lifestyle is not all rainbows and Unicorns.  A motor home like ours is as sophisticated as a space station, and driving the country’s rough roads can play havoc on delicate systems.  Any part that has the words “motor home” in front of it means the price is at least doubled, and remember, this is essentially a big truck with a diesel engine and air and hydraulic systems.  A single tire, replaced at least every seven years, is $600 (and we need six).  Living on the road is no more inexpensive than living in a regular house; there are upkeep costs, TV & phone bills, parking fees when traveling, and when traveling we average 7.5 MPG – with diesel at $5 or more per gallon, moving can be very expensive.   But the upside of travel is worth the cost.

 

Over the years, we’ve come to appreciate nature in a way we never could in our working lives.  Passing on our knowledge by teaching children has become a passion; as our first volunteer boss liked to say; “we’re raising a generation of “”flat screen children"" and if we don’t get them involved in nature, we’ll lose our parks and refuges”.  An old friend summed up the change in our lives a few years ago when she said “my God, you’ve become tree-huggers!”  And yes, yes we have.  And we're better for it.

 

I sometimes reflect that my working career was a means to an end – the end being the last 17 years of our traveling lives.  We feel fortunate to be living our dream, and hope to continue as long as our health allows.  This winter we’re spending time in Mohave Valley, AZ at the “Happy Together RV Resort”.  If you happen through the area, please plan a visit!  We’re not sure what next year holds for us, but we hope you’ll continue to follow along with us on our journey!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're Still Here!

 It has been a long time since I've posted on our blog, and we're still living our dream although we haven't been doing much of anything new.  After a couple of months in the Coos Bay area, we moved south to Brookings, on the California border, for a summer of volunteering for US Fish & Wildlife as Marine Mammal and Bird Interpreters.  We arrived on May 1st, and have settled into a routine of showing visitors the local wildlife and doing a few programs on the weekend.

We're at Harris Beach State Park, a place we've been twice before.  Our last visit in 2017 was memorable; it was the year Brenda had heart surgery and later we had to evacuate due to the threat of a wildfire.  So far this year all our memories are positive!  Our site is surrounded by blackberry bushes, crocosmia flowers, and wax myrtle.  Hummingbirds, mostly Anna's, are frequent visitors to our feeders, so much so that I have to refill our four feeders every other day.  We're also visited on our seed feeder by Song Sparrows, Black-Capped and Chesnutt-Backed Chickadees, and the beautiful but noisy Steller's Jay.  The park furnished us with a beautiful full-hookup site in the trees.  In exchange, we teach the "Junior Ranger" (kids 6-12) on Saturday mornings and have a nature walk and amphitheater program on Friday and Saturday nights. 

Junior Rangers demonstrating the size of a Blue Whale

Harris Beach is a beautiful, tree covered park lush with plants, many of which are still flowering.  All sites are paved and most have full hooks, and many have a view of the ocean.  Each site is separated by hedges and other plants to provide privacy.  The selling point for us is the climate - temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s, with many sunny days.  It hasn't rained since mid-June and probably won't rain again until mid to late September.  Everything remains green, though, thanks to the late night/early morning marine layer that brings in heavy fog.  

This year we discovered a first - a Peregrine Falcon pair had made a nearby rock their home and produced two chicks.  This was the first time in years that they've been seen here, and their presence caused quite a stir among the birding community.  We watched as the chicks rapidly grew; soon they were practicing flying by jumping up and letting the wind keep them aloft.  The parents both brought them food - on one occasion we watched as the adult tore pieces off of a pigeon and fed the chick.  It wasn't long before they fledged, and shortly after they left the area for the summer.  Hopefully they'll be back again next year.

Peregrine Falcon Chick

Chick Being Fed by Adult

 

This year we've been spending time at Arch Rock Viewpoint, about 10 miles north of the park.  It's a beautiful place - Arch Rock is not only interesting to look at but has a number of Pelagic Cormorants on nests.  We've been watching as the chicks have hatched and been fed by the mother.  They grow fast and soon will be flying.  Along the trail to the viewpoint the ground is covered in wild Lilly of the Valley with an occasional wild Iris poking through the Lilly leaves.

We're enjoying our stay here; the weather, although cool on most days, is a wonderful alternative to the 100+ temperatures in most of the nation.  As usual, we're grateful to US Fish & Wildlife for the opportunity and for the great support.  We've met so many great people while showing them the wildlife along the coast.  We'll be here until September 1st when we'll return to the Coos Bay area for annual medical appointments.  We'll be back on our blog soon, so come back and visit!

 

The Year in Review - 2021

2021 was the year of our "Golden Anniversary Tour", a year that Brenda and I celebrated our 50th anniversary with a grand tour through the West.  Even with a late start due to COVID, we managed to travel nearly 10,000 miles! 

(If our route looks confusing, it's because while in Idaho in early August, our large slide-out room became disabled, and we knew it would require complete realignment at the Winnebago factory in Forest City, Iowa.)

Our travels started on the Oregon Coast where we spent seven months hunkered down during the pandemic and waiting for our second COVID shot to be available.  Once on the road, we stopped in Medford for annual servicing on our motor home and then crossed the Cascades for a week in a park south of Bend.  From there, we explored the Cascades Lakes Scenic Byway as it wound through the Eastern side of the mountains.  It's a beautiful area of lakes, forests, and tall mountains.  

Traveling further east, we stopped in the neat little town of John Day where we visited friends we met while volunteering, toured the Kam Wah Chung Heritage Site, and then headed for Baker City for a week's stay. 

Baker City is a historic town or around 10,000 at the base of the Elkhorn Mountains.  The downtown area is immaculately maintained with plenty of shops and restaurants:

Baker City was a great place to stay while exploring the area.  We started with a trip to the Sumpter Valley Dredge, a structure that is an amazing example of engineering during the Oregon gold rush.  Now on a pond, the dredge once moved up the river, creating it's own waterway as it dug up the earth.  It is an interesting story; you can read about it here.  

Continuing up the road, it became the Elkhorn Mountains Scenic Byway.  The road wound through beautiful scenery; but if you looked close, you could see mining tailings everywhere in the forest.  This must have been an area of major activity, but not much remains today, except for a partially occupied "ghost" town of Granite:

Granite Ghost Town

A bit east of the Cascades is Oregon's volcano country.  There are cones, calderas, and lakes everywhere.  At Paulina Lake, the water-filled calderas are overseen by a viewpoint with a look back at the Cascades.

A short hike into the nearby forest was worth it for the scenery:

Venturing East, we passed crossed the Oregon Trail and headed into the southern Blue Mountains to the old mining town of Cornucopia.  The lightly populated town has an interesting history of gold mining and today is a starting point for trails both summer and winter.  The winters in this narrow valley are harsh; in the gold rush days the snow could reach the second floor of buildings and strand people for days.  

Road into Cornucopia

Cornucopia in Winter

Of all the beautiful places in Eastern Oregon, Joseph and the Wallowa Mountains have to be at the top of the list. On the banks of a lake with towering mountains behind, the nickname as "Oregon's Switzerland" is quite appropriate.  The small town of Joseph looks like a Hollywood movie set with its stores, shops, and beautiful sculptures. The surrounding area is dotted with brightly painted ranch buildings and green pastures and fields.  

 

From Joseph, we backtracked and then turned north into SE Washington and into Idaho for a stop in beautiful Moscow, a picturesque college town.  Then up to Northern Idaho for a stop at Farragut State Park for a visit with the volunteer community that we worked with over the past three years.  Then down I-90 to St. Regis where we visited with Rob and Syd, friends we first met while volunteering on the Oregon Coast.

Our next stop was Missoula where we had dinner with friends from our first volunteer experience over 15 years ago.  We had a great time reminiscing about our time together.  Deb, Bill, Jim and Heidi will always have a special place in our lives for helping to make our introduction to the volunteer life so special.

We left Montana and entered Idaho again, following the Snake river and spending time in Twin Falls.  No visit would be complete without a visit to the Twin, or Shoshone falls.  Although the water over the 212' falls was reduced this time of year, it was still a spectacular sight.  Looking down river, we could see the site of Evel Knievel's 1974 failed attempt to jump the canyon on his "skycycle".

  

Twin Falls is a favorite place for mentally unbalanced people enjoy throwing themselves off a high bridge.  Just outside the visitor center, we watched as jumpers prepared their chutes, walked out on the bridge, and leaped into space.  Amazingly, this is perfectly legal and no permit is required!

Base Jumping Bridge

 

West along the I-84, we spent a few days in Hagerman where we again crossed the Oregon Trail.  A short drive south took us to the aptly named "balanced rock":

We then backtracked to the east and turned south to the City of Rocks State Park, a wonderland of granite mountains and rock formations.  The Oregon Trail ran right through here, and at "signature rock" we viewed the names and dates of pioneers that originally passed through here.

It was here that our motor home's large slide failed to retract.  Looking under the slide, I could see that a large section of the frame had come loose.  I was able to line it up and get the slide in, but we knew that the only facility capable of lifting the slide and repairing and aligning it was the Winnebago factory in Forest City, Iowa.  So we changed our plans and headed to Iowa, but not before a stop in Star Valley, Wyoming to see our good friends Don and Betty who we met years ago while - you guessed it - volunteering.  

We took our time crossing Wyoming, Nebraska, and into Iowa, arriving at the factory in August.  After a few days wait, the coach was taken in, evaluated, and the next available appointment given to us.......on December 13th!  So we headed South through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas for New Mexico where we'd wait out the rest of the time until December.

We started by spending a month a park in a pistachio field in Tularosa, a small town north of Alamogordo.  We posted on our visits here before, so we'll just leave you with a picture of the church that typifies this small town's heritage:

We spent the next month in Las Cruces, one of our favorite towns.  Great weekend market, lots of dining opportunities, and ample shopping but still with the atmosphere of a small town.  In the distance, the Organ Mountains dominate the skyline:

It was chili harvest time, and so with Don and Betty (who had returned to their winter home in Benson) we headed for the village or Hatch, the chili capital of the known universe.  It's a small town, but lined with stores selling every iteration of chili you can imagine.  And no trip to Hatch would be complete without a stop at Sparky's and their world famous green chili cheeseburger.

On December 1st we headed north again, retracing our route to Forest City.  We left early to provide a buffer if we encountered bad weather, but were fortunate to have good weather all the way.  We turned in our motor home and checked into a motel just in time for a winter storm, but six days later when the repairs were complete we were on our way south again.

Once again, we headed for New Mexico for a brief stay, the headed west for a visit with our daughter and her husband in Rancho Santa Margarita, in the foothills outside of the LA basin.  We parked the motor home at a park in Desert Hot Springs since driving it through the traffic into LA was about as palatable to me as jumping off that bridge in Idaho.  We had a great visit, returned to the coach, and headed for Oregon.  We traveled up over Tehachapi, through Bakersfield, and then the drive up I-5 back to the coast.  We finally arrived at our starting point in late January, after 8000 miles and seven months of travel.  

You may wonder why we didn't visit Glacier, Yellowstone, or Yosemite National Parks.  We've visited them many times in the past, and no longer have any desire to fight the crowds, the traffic, or pay the high RV park prices.  And more importantly, we enjoy searching the back roads for beauty and history without the crowds. 

We traveled 8952 miles, burned 1220 gallons of diesel at a cost of $4315 and spent $7245 at RV parks.  And the memories?  Priceless!

We're relaxing right now but will be posting in the future on what we've found in the area.  Here's hoping we all have a safe, healthy, and enjoyable 2022!