Bridget is our guest blogger today.
“Okay, honey, remember what we talked about. Start off with the details about Fishermen’s Bend Campground and then tell your story.”
North Santiam River, 29 miles southeast of Salem, Oregon
“Got it, RVSue! Don’t worry. I know what to do.”
“Good. Then I’ll take Reggie on another walk . . . . ”
“Yes, great idea. Have fun. Take your camera. Bye!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
*Clears throat*
Hello! This is Bridget and I’m going to tell you about Fishermen’s Bend Campground.
Fishermen’s Bend is a very popular campground in Oregon. It’s on the North Santiam River. Okay, not exactly ON it. The river goes past it. More about the river later.
So. It’s popular. Don’t show up on a weekend and expect to get a campsite. It’s best to make reservations. RVSue hates reservations and refuses to make them, but, well, we all know how SHE is.
She has us living on the edge, let me tell you.
If you arrive Monday through Thursday without a reservation, try to get here in the morning. When we arrived there were only three sites left and a man was in line behind us. We took the longest site of the three. It was 30 feet and we are 34 feet long. Not US exactly, I mean the PTV and the BLT.
RVSue figures out a way to make us fit.
She backs in at an angle to stick the extra four feet of our rig past the concrete bumper-stop thing. That’s kind of breaking the rules. I don’t point that out. It’s been a long day and she might get mad and stuff.
This photo show the concrete bumper, our fire ring, and our electric cord (30 amp).
This photo shows the other side of the BLT. What a relief that RVSue didn’t hit the post!
Fishermen’s Bend is a BLM campground ($16 regular/$8 with discount pass).
There is nice, smooth pavement to walk on. It’s a hot day so RVSue hooks us up to the electric and turns on the air conditioner. Boy, I could get used to this! Reggie and I sleep a long time in that cool air.
RVSue even hooks up the television and watches a movie on DVD. Even more amazing, she takes a shower! (Thank God.) Reggie and I wait in the BLT.
Other things at the campground are water spigots, kitchen waste disposal drains, sewer hookup at sites, a dump station, a playground, basketball place, amphitheater, group shelter, cabins, and a river trail (One of the trail paths is paved for wheelchairs). Pretty nice!
If you want to know more, click this link: Fishermen’s Bend.
Oh, I almost forgot! RVSue wanted me to tell you that this is low elevation so it could be pretty hot in the summertime.
Now I’ll tell my story . . . .
Reggie, RVSue, and I go for a walk around the campground loop. People look at us as we go by. A lady says, “Oh, what a cute puppy!” meaning Reggie, of course.
At this one campsite, a dog comes running out. She’s about the same size as Reggie. Reggie acts silly the way boy dogs do, trying to impress. . . hopping around, standing on his back legs, showing off. It’s embarrassing to watch.
Here’s Reggie acting the fool.
I notice that this girl dog isn’t wearing a leash. That’s against the campground rules!
Finally RVSue pulls Reggie away from Little Miss Got-To-Be-Free and we continue on our walk.
Then a girl wearing a pink helmet rolls past us on her bike.
“I like your little puppy! He’s cute!” she calls out.
Goll-eee. Enough with cute Reggie!
The river trail is pretty.
We come upon two men and a woman. They each have a dog on a leash. Also two little kids are with them.
RVSue calls over to them, “My little dog is in training not to bark at big dogs. Is it okay if we come over?”
They say yes and we have a meet-and-greet.
First we meet the cockamamie, cockadoodle, whatever you call it!
Of course all the attention is on REGGIE.
“Oh, he’s being so good!” “He’s not barking at all!” “How old is he?” What a cute dog!”
Blah. Blah. BLAH!
Then we meet the golden retriever.
The black poodle is shy and stands close to her man (above photo).
I sit next to RVSue’s feet.
I’m not shy. I’m just tired of being treated like I’m invisible! And who trained Reggie anyway?
Then, to top it off, RVSue says to the children, “Do you want to pet Reggie? That could be his reward for being such a good boy.”
Of course, the kids and Reggie has a love-fest. I wait silently.
Next we go to the deck to see the river.
RVSue says, “Oh, look at that!”
She takes photos and asks herself, “Why didn’t I have a job like that? It looks like fun!”
As for me, I’m still feeling glum.
Then the most wonderful thing happens!
I know this story is long but I have to tell you the best part.
RVSue leads us the wrong way on the river trail and we end up way over on the other campground loop. (That woman is all mixed up today!)
By this time RVSue and I are tired.
Along comes a campground volunteer driving a golf cart. RVSue hails him like a cab and asks for the shortest walk to the other loop.
“Hop in,” he says.
RVSue boosts me up onto the floor of the cart. Reggie is nervous and doesn’t want to get in. RVSue puts him in anyway.
Well, the man reaches down to stroke my back and says, “Is it all right if she sits next to me on the seat?”
Oh my gosh! I can’t believe he said that! He wants me next to him! He doesn’t even mention Reggie.
He gently lifts me up on the seat next to him. RVSue squeezes in and away we go!
I lean up against the man and he puts his arm around me, holding me close. *sigh*
I feel very special.
He drives us past the campsites where people said Reggie is cute and ignored me. I don’t care about that anymore.
I’m so happy!
Soon we arrive at our campsite. RVSue jumps out and says “Stay” so she can take a photo of us in the cart. Reggie thinks she means to stay with the man forever. This makes him very sad and scared. Well, he’s really just a baby, you know.
And, yes, he is cute.
But I’m BEAUTIFUL!
Bridget
“Happy Fathers Day!”
And, as always, thank you for shopping Amazon from my blog.
