Saturday, August 17
On our way out of Tieton River Camp in search of internet signal, the crew and I stop at Danny’s camp.
His wife, Bobbie, arrived yesterday. I met her last evening when the two of them came by our camp. She brought a copy of the local newspaper so I could read about the forest fire in the Goat Rocks Wilderness about twelve miles from here.
We had a good chat. Bobbie still works (as a caregiver), so she can only camp here with Danny until Sunday.
I pull off the forest road.
As soon as Danny’s Class C comes into view, my heart sinks. Oh no! Clingers! All these big campsites next to the river and this guy parks right up next to Danny’s rig with his big window facing it.
Danny and Bobbie invite me inside. Mr. Clinger is already in there, yakkin’ away. After he leaves, Danny shakes his head. In his quiet manner he says, “How about that guy?”
“Yeah,” I respond as we go outside. “Parks right next to you. I don’t know what’s the matter with some people.”
A few moments later Mrs. Clinger walks her dog past Danny’s rig.
She watches the river, then strolls the bank further downstream.
“They’re not leaving ‘til Tuesday,” Danny continues. “I may just move to the forest road on the other side of the paved road.”
“Oh, no! You can’t do that, Danny. It’s nothing but dirt and pine trees over there.”
“Well, I can’t camp right on the river like this,” he agrees. “But no one will park next to me over there.”
Sunday, August 18
It’s a beautiful day for a mini-adventure! Spike, Bridget and I take off in the PTV. Before we get on Route 12 to head to Rimrock Lake, a few miles west, I stop in at Danny’s camp for a brief visit. I want to say goodbye to Bobbie, as she’s leaving for home this morning. Oh, for heaven’s sake . . .
More clingers!
I don’t believe it! Now there are three campers parked a stone’s throw from Danny’s rig! Sheesh. Well, that’s what happens. When clingers see two campers together, they figure it’s a campground. Come one, come all!
RVSue Tip of the Day
When you have a choice of a big campsite or a small campsite – all things being pretty much equal, or even if the big campsite is nicer – the small campsite is the better choice. Leave no room for clingers!
Okay, onward to Rimrock Lake . . .
A blue lake under blue sky and bright sunshine with a forest backdrop . . . Gorgeous!
A few motorboats, a sail boat, and a jet skier make the scene look like something out of a tourist brochure. I drive the full length of Rimrock.
When Route 12 heads toward White Pass, I turn us around. I don’t drive up and through mountain passes any more than I have to!
The south side of the lake is off-limits due to the fire-fighting activity.
Lake access on the other side is limited anyway by steep banks.
The crew and I use the annual pass that Harold and Cindy gave us to park in the Horseshoe Cove Day-Use Area, thus saving us five bucks.
It’s a place to launch a boat or have a picnic on the beach.
Only a few have what it takes to swim in the lake’s cold water.
The sun shines brightly on the lake causing it to sparkle.
We walk out to a rocky point. Spike isn’t deterred by rocks.
He trots straight to the water . . .
. . . and sets his body down.
Bridget gives it a try and quickly walks out.
Waves gently caress Spike’s body. A soft breeze catches his ear.
Once again Spike takes a soak in a beautiful place . . . Rimrock Lake, Washington.
We go back and cross over to the other side of the beach.
This must be Horseshoe Cove.
The air and water are calmer here. This photo (below) is pointed in the direction of the dam. This time next week the lake will be much lower. Danny says the boat docks at the resorts will sit on land. Does that mean agriculture trumps tourism?
Monday, August 19
A busy day today! The crew and I make the thirty-mile (give or take), easterly drive to Naches (pronounced Nah – Cheese), a town attached to the northwest end of Yakima.
I stop at a fruit stand and buy three fat peaches for $2.99. The fruit stand man doesn’t know anything about the hybrid fruits recommended by readers of this blog… cotlets? I guess they’re grown in another part of Washington.
Next I stop at the post office.
After that we go to the laundromat. It’s downtown, only a few blocks away. Fortunately Naches Laundry is empty. I have lots of laundry!
While the clothes chug and the crew lies on the cool, vinyl-tile floor, I get busy. I plug in my laptop, turn on the air card, pay my monthly bills, answer emails, read blog comments, and try to sign up for Medicare (I turn 65 in October!). I give up on the latter because it’s too complicated and too confusing to decipher while perched on a plastic chair in a laundromat.
As I’m folding clothes my gaze settles on a sign across the street.
Well, well, well. . . “His and Hers Barber Shop.” Sounds like my kind of place. And the sign says it’s open. Looks like today is the day I finally get rid of this awful pony tail!
After the wash/cut/blow-dry ($24 including tip) we zip over to Slim’s Outrageously Priced Food Market, Liquor Store, Clothes Emporium, Fishing License and Lottery Ticket Shop for a one-stop gouging. I drop about $69 and push a half-full/half-empty cart through the exit door. Well, that’s the price of travel! If the restaurants don’t getcha’, the grocery stores will.
I drive by Danny’s camp on the way to our camp.
But it’s no longer Danny’s camp! Darn, he’s gone. Only Mr. and Mrs. Clinger remain.
He probably came over to say goodbye while we were in Naches. I hate that I missed him.
rvsue
THANK YOU, RVSUE SHOPPERS, FOR SHOPPING AMAZON
THROUGH MY BLOG!
Beautiful camping site with wonderful water views. Did I see strung wires in one of the photos? That’s the first time I can remember seeing them in one of your pictures. Guess that’s why they stood out for me. Love the description of Slim’s. I think I’ve been to one of his stores. LOL
LOL! Aplets and Cotlets are actually a type of fruit-flavored candy made here in the NW. Personally, I don’t like them but they are well known.
They are of the same gel-like consistency of gum drops.
Cotlets are a candy made from apricot juice. They’re made in Cashmere, Washington about 5 miles west of our home for the next 4 days. They also make Applets and now some other flavors.
I said it before, tents lots of tents, set them up and they just drive on by. 🙂
Just kidding. A little Twisted Sister through the stereo at full blast should scare them away. Scares me just thinking about it. 🙂
I do envy Spike though, he has the right idea.
Enjoy Sue.
I like Alan’s way of thinking! Love your tip of the day. No clingers!
Some added decoys: Hang some old raggy looking tidy whiteys and bras up on a line. They’ll drive by and say…OMG look! What type of person hangs….those are clean? We’re not stopping here! Smile and wave as they drive past.
That water looks refreshing. Glad you enjoyed your time with Danny. Sounds like you both think alike……….you’ll see him somewhere down the road!
What no pictures of the new hairdo?
I think we should auction off the pony tail. 🙂 🙂 🙂
I love this camp area! But when haven’t I loved your camp areas??? Beautiful scenery all around and I agree… enuff of the pups soaking… I wanna see the hair cut!
Happy Two Year Retirement Birthday!!!!!:~) —- Great spot ,,,,,Timber N’ Rusty
October birthday! You’re a Libra ( like me)? That would explain your passion for the justice of follow laws (use a fishnet or not) and everyone acting fairly at campsites and bring harmony into people’s lives (Rusty & Timber). You must be seeing your fair share of starry skies by which to contemplate the effect of the stars on our lives. Not too clear about it, myself, though.
*Hand waving furiously* Me too!!! Me too!!! Oct. 2nd….many moons ago.
Sue could be a Libra by sun sign if her day is around the 20th, or if later, a Scorpio by
sun sign. There is far more to consider than just the sun sign. However, that is where
the “soul” purpose rests in astrology…..
A couple of clues to ponder…. Libra typically has difficulty making decisions. Prefers to avoid commitment. Scorpio is rather secretive, prefers to avoid sharing personal information. There is much more to consider than just the sun sign.
Elizabeth in S.E. New Mexico….
Meant to say Libra if the day is between the 20th of Sept. and the 20th of October, give or take a day or two/three……
I had to laugh at your label of the new campers – Clingers – how appropriate! Clinging to another RVer instead of branching out into the wilderness like you do. I’m like you, the fewer people around me the better!
Your photos, as always, are stunning. I get so tickled at Spike and his nose for water!
Have you looked at drug coverage? You must sign up for something. Failure to have “creditable drug coverage” results in fines and higher rates for all eternity. The various policies are just a bear to evaluate, the most important factor being whether or not they’re portable from state to state.
Were you perhaps told about pluots? They’re a plum apricot cross.
When I signed up for drug coverage, we were advised yo evaluate our probable drug expendatures carefully and compare them to the premiums and fine. I signed up and my wife did not. That was 10 years or so ago. We. Made the right choice.
I just got on Medicare in July. I take very few medications and the ones I do take aren’t on any of the plans. It seems that the absolute cheapest medicine plan is from AARP. It is only $15 a month (plus AARP membership which isn’t much). My mother has a $39.50 per month plan from BCBS and I don’t believe that they have ever paid one cent on her medications. Fortunately she only takes thyroid med and her glaucoma drops – and the bladder infections that appear once or twice a year.
The more I see of Clingers, the more I’m convinced that at least some of them are employing a definite strategy to get someone else to move from a favorite camp site. Obviously, it seems to work. Don’t know what the answer might be—barking dogs might be a deterrent but, then, these people are as thick-skinned as they come and probably have barking dogs of their own. It’s a bummer, for sure!
hummmm, clingers…gotta be a way to scare them away. A quarantine sign might work?? There ya go, a new amazon item: http://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Quarantine-Zombie-Sign-stickers/dp/B002ZAOMIO
I like it, lol. Kris
Get an opera on cd and play the whole thing as loudly as you can. Some municipalities use classical music at transit centers to keep people from loitering.
Regarding social security: you seem to be doing ok without it while living in your little home. The longer you can hold off, the more you will get per month. Once you have to come off the road you might appreciate the extra money.
I bought a 2005 23.5′ Lazy Daze a month ago and am getting rid of lots of stuff right now so I can put my little cottage in Sequim, WA on the market. Can’t wait to get on the road. Thanks for setting such a great example for us single women!
Cheers,
Ilse with Max(well Smarty-pants) the Golden Boy
Kodie, the 20.33 year old Siamese
and our Ladybug Home 🙂
Sue was attempting to apply for Medicare, which one should do at 65 whether or not you are receiving S.S. benefits or not. Yes, it is better to delay your social security benefits as long as possible, but not your Medicare due to the penalties imposed on late application. Maybe some fulltimers will chime in on how to handle the prescription Part D of Medicare or the helpful folks back in S.D. where she is registered with mail delivery can make suggestions. Good luck Sue with the application process.
Read the money section of the blog. Sue is on SS and clearly states the amount she gets.
I am sorry Alan, I realize Sue is already on benefits, I was attempting to generalize for those approaching their benefit eligibility year and didn’t make that clear enough.
Hi Sue,
Poor Danny, I’ll bet he’s wishing you had taken him up on his offer to camp next to them.
This might work for ‘Clinger Repellent’ –string a rope from one front corner of the site to the other front corner, tie on bunches of balloons at each end and in the middle. Then hang a sign that says something like ‘McCoy Family Reunion Here’ or ‘Alpha Delta Phi Frat Camp–Stash your beer in the coolers by the river’ (this frat is one of many known for notorious behaviour)…then if anybody asks where all the others are just say that they must be lost…maybe pitch a few pup tents at the outer edges for show….The PTV looks like it could hold a dozen campers…
k-
Love this idea.
Sue, can you tell me how the new camper was to know how they were not wanted? Did Danny and his wife put out a sign, saying ” new campers not want .”
Most boondock campers do NOT want someone camping right next to them. No sign necessary. It’s really irritating when the whole campground is practically empty and someone chooses to pull in right next door. Another RV forum devoted an entire [long] thread to this very phenomenon. I have yet to hear anyone say, ‘Gee, I was really lonely here in the far end of this BLM campground so I was delighted when a friendly, chatty couple parked just ten feet away!’
Absolutely….unwritten rules of camp site etiquette.
Really simple…or so it seems.
I have never boondocked but would assume the more space between camps is better….for all involved. That way I don’t bother you and you won’t bother me!
It used to irk me to no end..when at a campground…people think nothing at stomping thru other camp sites to get to the bathroom!
My pet peeve too. I can remember being camped by the lake and in the early morn. hours the fishermen would walk through our camp to get to the lake, talking in their loud mouth voices. Hard to sleep through that.
So funny you got info on the Aplets and Cotlets. The factory is in Cashmere, and there is some parking there… they are good-I like Aplets better… 🙂 I grew up in Leavenworth–I think you would HATE IT (very touristy). In the early morning hours, it is wonderful… though. The scenery is much like Helen GA, but Leavenworth does it better. Gotta grin, my grandfather was one of the old coots sittin’ around the coffee pot at the Tumwater Cafe, trying to figure out how to save the town when the railroad missed it… He was Vern Herrett… if you want the BEST gingerbread and coffee in the world, stop by the house at 828 Commercial… that was their home…but now a GREAT bakery (which he would love since he was a famous pie baker).
Travel safe.
Hugs from Hoquiam,
Barb
Sue, we are also full time and I just signed up for Medicare this year. Stay with “original” Medicare, as it is available anywhere you travel, then get a Plan F supplement from a large national company, like Premera/Blue Cross/ other names they go by. It covers everything that medicare doesnt and will be available most everywhere in the country. when you first get on medicare they HAVE to let you in to any plan at the posted rates, but if you get a lesser plan, then get sick, and try to go to better coverage, the rates will be much more. it is all a numbers game, and you have to make some guesses about future health. Then get prescription coverage that works at walmarts. They have some of the cheapest Rx and you can refill it at any Walmart as you travel. This has worked good for me and runs just under $300/mo fo everything. I also looked at a plan f with united healthcare/AARP but it was more per month. It can be confusing, but you can always go down to a less coverage plan, but it can be hard to go up after an illness or diagnosis. My $38,000 knee replacement just cost me about $200. with this arrangement. Much better than my previous high deductible catastrophic plan, and less per month than I was paying for it. So far, love it.
Piggybacking on the above post… I have original Medicare with plan F from Mutual of Omaha for my supplementary. We had just arrived in Moab, Utah after spending a couple weeks in more unpopulated parts of southern and central Utah. I experienced some chest pains that I thought were indigestion. When they didnt subside with Malox we went to the small Moab hospital where they determined I was having a heart attack. I was flown by helicopter to Grand Junction, Colorado where I spent 5 days in the hospital, 4 of which were in intensive care. To make a long story short, I have paid nothing. Payments for both Medicare and the supplementary are automatic from my credit card.
I found that Minnesota has different plans. You need to check by state as to your options. (SD for Sue?) Minnesota has a great graduated plan under BCBS that allows one to start at a low premium (lesser coverage) while you are healthy and at any time I can upgrade to something the same as Plan F with only a phone call – if I should develop something serious and/or chronic. Confusing business this Medicare decision, but what a huge improvement over my $560 a month premium before… and it didn’t cover much and had a huge deductible. Now it is $190 for everything… and they even pay my $34 Curves membership under the silver sneakers program.
I have health insurance at present with United Healthcare. It’s the same plan I had when I was teaching in Georgia. You can see the amount of my premiums under Recurring Expenses in the Money section (see header).
I’m totally intimidated by this Medicare application. I can’t focus on insurance talk. My eyes glaze and my mind wanders. At any rate, I can’t do anything productive about it until I have a camp with internet.
I’m happy for those of you who figured out what is best for you. . .
Sue, I deal with insurance for State of Tennessee retirees. Every state has a SHIP program, that are state employees/volunteers who help their citizens navigate through Medicare. You’re right that it’s confusing with all the options. And if you hate insurance to begin with, that makes it worse! I would contact the SHIP program in SD and see if they can help. They might even be used to dealing with full-timers.
I feel like people are forgetting that everyone has the right to use the campgrounds and to set up where it is “legal” to do so. As much as I would not want cling-ons and noisy people near me, we also don’t have the right to block others rights to campsites. And who would want to blast any kind of music to deter others when I would want it quiet for myself? Unfortunately, it might mean moving myself to get more privacy. I recently read a qoute from Tom Bodett who was asked to define freedom. – “Freedom is to tolerate others expressing their freedoms. It sometimes takes a strong stomach to live in a free country.” LOL.
Ain’t that the truth!
Donna, I hear what you are saying. There is nothing illegal about camping right next door to someone when there is the whole campground to choose from. It’s the mentality that makes people do it that puzzles me.
Let’s say you’re sitting on a bus, empty except for you and the driver. Someone boards the bus and plops down right alongside you. Why???? Wouldn’t it irritate you?
Of course it would irritate me. But they have that right. And I would have the right to move. But I wouldn’t put up tents and ropes to prevent them from sitting there. Lol I get irritated by people who decide to sit directly in front of me in a movie theater when they could have sat one seat over. And it’s not fair that I’m the one that has to move. But it’s either that or not enjoy the movie because I’m aggravated.
On the other hand I’ve had times when I’ve gotten to a movie early so sit in an area I want and been asked to move four seats down so people who came late could sit together and I’ve said no.
And I do realize that most of the “solutions” being presented are joking. Hmm. Maybe I could get a big sign that says “Beware. Curmudgeon lives here.” That might help keep people from parking near me. 🙂
Not illegal, but I think it would just be a common courtesy to not plop yourself right next to someone who goes out of their way to these type of places to camp away from others. Sue found something away from Danny’s camp, why couldn’t they?
We stay in national forest campgrounds a lot and try to find a site that has room on each side so we’re not on top of our neighbors. We do the same thing at home; we can’t see our neighbors and they can’t see us. Just the way I like it, while camping more so.
Donna and others… re: clingers…
In this particular situation, we’re talking about dispersed camping, not a campground. The sites are identified by fire rings. You see a fire ring, you can camp next to it. Danny camped beside a fire ring. The Clingers camped where there wasn’t a fire ring.
This forest road has at least eight campsites (with no one doubling up). At the time the Clingers parked next to Danny, three out of the eight sites were occupied. Each site is out of view of its neighbors. So to park a car-length away from another camper is totally unnecessary and inconsiderate. Just as there’s “personal space,” there’s also “campsite space,” the latter varying according to the lay-out and type of camp area. BTW There are additional forest roads along the Tieton where people can camp.
The Clingers violated Danny’s campsite space. It was as if a couple were having a picnic at a table in a park with eight picnic tables and another couple plopped down at their table.
Being tolerant has nothing to do with this situation. These people had selfish reasons for camping there, which I may explain in the next post.
What I would do is… get a big card board box, go to a gag shop and fill the box with fake dog poop… and even some fake human poop… throw in a fake dead skunk carcass too. Then place the hopefully offending items in every unoccupied campsite next to where your camped.
Folks, all this comment on how to prevent “Clingers” is all in jest. We know there is nothing you can do, other than pick small campsites where no one else can get next to you. Most of the boondocking I have done when I lived in Az. was in the back of my jacked up Bronco II in places where 99.9% of the vehicles can’t get to. 🙂
+1
Just something to keep us “entertained” while we patiently wait for the next adventure!
I just have to wonder, if somone can afford a big huge honk in’ RV with a generator, and they don’t mind parking (clinging) right next to someone, why the heck are they boondocking?! I wish those folks would stay in campgrounds?!
As more people discover dispersed camping this will become more of an issue, sigh. Kind of tempts a person to regress into selfishness, and not divulge favorite spots to anyone!
Perhaps they are big believers in the “safety in numbers” concept. Campgrounds, though, are a better place to be around people if one needs that. Either that, or arrange a boondocking trip with some friends and camp together with them.
I had to read your comment a couple of times because, on the first read through, it sounded as if you were saying that people with large rigs and generators shouldn’t be interested in boondocking. I have a larger rig and a generator and would love to do more boondocking, but I can’t convince my wife to let us take the trailer very far off of pavement. That’s why I’d like our next rig to be a little smaller – so that boondocking will be more of a possibility.
FYI – very good PNW weather forecasts with an educational slant, weekly on KPLU (NPR) Friday mornings at 9. No Internet required but it is also available online (read or listen):
http://www.kplu.org/term/weather-cliff-mass
This could be quite useful when you start to head for the Olympic peninsula. There is a completely different weather pattern over there!
Here is a list of western WA KPLU signals:
Seattle area – 88.5
Aberdeen/Hoquiam – 100.9
Bellingham – 88.7
Centralia/Chehalis – 90.1
Longview/Kelso – 104.7
Mount Vernon – 105.5
Port Angeles – 89.3
Olympia – 90.1
Raymond/South Bend – 90.3
Thanks for the link and information!
happy haircut sue
Thanks, Jeff… I’m happy with it.
You’ve certainly been staying in some beautiful areas!
Question on solar panels/batteries. The drop down doesn’t allow posts.
This will probably be a no brainer for you. I tried to follow Micks format to the best of my ability.
“95watt solar panel with dual 6 volt battery”
Dual 6 volt batteries= 90 ah-110 ah (20 hours)
25% discharge rate a day is no less than 877-1072 watts
95 watt solar panel recharge: 50 watts x 8 hours =400 watt hours/day
Is this a doable formula for a part time boondocker? LED lights/fan/occasional waterpump/laptop.
Your batteries are ginormous! Any thoughts on the 6 volts instead of 12?
I’ll let Mick answer your question for me…. Mick? Mick?
cinandjules. It isn’t all that easy. This website can give you more insight on what you will need.
http://www.rvsolarelectric.com/index.php?route=directory/directory&directory_id=3
Gorgeous pics Sue, the water at that lake is such a lovely turquoise color, wow. Glad to see Spike took full advantage of it! 🙂
Seems you’ve had good results with the Dukan diet, I’m getting ready to give it a try myself. Thanks for sharing your experiences!