Wednesday, August 12
“Oh, babies, I know it’s hot. You are such good travelers. It isn’t much further.”
The crew and I enter the town of Vale on Oregon’s eastern border.
Earlier this morning the crew and I move out of the cool Blue Mountains and take Route 26 east across barren land. Lower elevation means higher temperatures.
Even though today’s drive is short, only about sixty miles from Wetmore Campground to Vale, it becomes hot inside the Perfect Tow Vehicle.
We’re fine with the windows open part of the way.
However, there comes a point when even the breeze through the windows is hot. It must be over a hundred degrees today!
We roll through Vale. Slogan — “When you’re on Main Street, you’re on the Oregon Trail!”
Surely there’s an RV park in this town. We need to spend the rest of the day in air conditioning.
I turn at the sign for Vale Trails RV Park and hurry into the office.
A 50-amp site is $35. A 30-amp is $33. With my Good Sam’s card, the rate goes down to $30. Fine with me!
The rest of the day Bridget, Reggie and I luxuriate in the coolness of the Best Little Trailer.
Four or five times over the course of the afternoon, Reggie demands a walk.
“Oh, Reg, not again!” I whine. “It’s too hot out there.”
I take him out, we walk the length of the park, he turns and trots back to the BLT.
“I told you so, Reggie.”
To be continued…..
rvsue
THANKS FOR SHOPPING AMAZON FROM MY BLOG!
CLICK LINK TO SHOP AMAZON NOW!
Good morning!
CONGRATULATIONS, LEE J.!
Good afternoon…. We found the boondock, signal is weak. I’ll see if I can reply to comments first.
You gotta do what you gotta do when it is hot. We are hoping to boondock or use campgrounds of the type you normally use, but am sure hot weather will drive us to rv parks. Pepper is like Reggie, let’s go for a walk Mom, and then turn back around when she’s feels the heat.
Hi, Lisa W.,
Over the past four years we’ve stayed in RV parks or state parks with hookups less than 10 times. Even that could’ve been avoided if I sought higher elevation, rather than moving to a desired destination. Whatever works, right?
Pepper is a cute name.
Get out of there!!! Just not your style and it makes me hot looking at the side by side RV’s 🙂
I’m with you, Pauline. I’m concerned that she’s slipping. I think that she’s got the vapours from the heat! Is that possible? Did you see how close she is to other RVs and trailers? There needs to be an intervention! Reggie and Bridget are probable concerned too!
Chris B
A Concerned Friend
Hi, Chris B.,
I tarnished my reputation by succumbing to the allure of air conditioning. Shameful.
I promise that I will not think less of you. We are having a heat wave here and it hit 90 today and with the ocean being so warm we are getting lots of humidity. I would have done the same! Glad that you didn’t tough it out and are enjoying the indoor weather!
Chris B
No shame! You all deserve a/c. Heat kills! Enjoy it!
Thanks, Karen.
Hi, Pauline,
“Get out of there” ??? Sit in a desert boondock at 104 degrees or take a nap inside in air conditioning… Gee.. When you stay inside all day with the windows shut, it doesn’t matter what’s parked next to you!
Sue,
Now you understand how I can live in RV Parks as I do. Being a little deaf helps a lot also.
Vale & Ontario, OR are Sweet Onion growing areas. I think they could be harvesting now. Maybe stop at one of the packing plants and pick up a bag.
Hi, Ed,
I saw those onion fields. They’re huge! And the onions are planted so thickly at first I thought it was some kind of coarse grass. Then we came upon a billboard announcing we were in onion country. I was surprised at the lack of onion smell though. I’ve smelled stronger onion walking across a field and stepping on the wild ones.
I buy onions two or three at a time. I don’t use up a bag fast enough. You remind me of the time we went through potato country… Idaho I guess it was. A reader suggested I look alongside the road for the taters that fell off the trucks.
Is this the area where the movie “the onion fields” was filmed and happened? A sad movie for sure…
We call those places, ” sardine can campgrounds” !
Yes it’s hot in AZ too. Your drive through Oregon is beautiful.
Yes Rita, we zonies pay our dues now, but just think when the rest of the country is headed out here to enjoy our moderate temps in a few weeks, we will already be here….Hope you’re doin ok…we are hot out but AC inside saves us.
Counting down…two more months to cooler temps 🙂
I hope you find a nice cool shady spot by water!!!
It is hot here too and I am on a mountain outside of Tucson!!
Were havin’a heatwave!!
Hi, Betty-Shea,
Yes, it took some work, some searching, some turning around in tight spots… until we did come upon a sweet place, shady, cool, and next to river rapids.
I hope you have a cool evening and some relief tomorrow…
I just love how you can borrow butter right off of your neighbors campsite without even stretching, LOL. I will never understand why campgrounds think people want to camp like this. I know your next site will be amazing, as always. Blessings
Hi, Sandy,
Everyone was sealed up in their RVs with a/c running, windows closed. It was like a ghost town outside. 🙂
Maybe you meant to say RV parks instead of campgrounds. RV parks like this one, being commercial enterprises, want to squeeze what profit they can out of the square footage. They are what they are… I appreciate the electricity during a heat wave!
Thank goodness for the AC you did have. Those pups are such good company for you. I’m warm in Missouri City, TX, and I’m indoors. Hope you find a breezy spot.
Thanks, Pamela. We did find a cool spot today.
And just so no one gets confused — I’m talking in real time, August 16th. This post is about our camp four days ago.
Hi, Sue –
I am reading your blogs from the beginning. Just finished May 2011. Long way to go, and I am learning lots.
Do you still like your percolator coffee pot? Sounds like a multi-purpose item. I was thinking about what I will take along with me and this sounds like a good solution. I like half and half in my coffee, so I could settle for the little unrefrigerated pods, instead of the fresh. Still have about a year or so to plan.
Oregon and Washington have always been on my “Bucket List,” but had no idea the temps would be so high at this time of the year. I will have to research when is the best time to visit.
Take care and rest those typing fingers when you have a chance :0)
Pamela
Yes, I still have my percolator pot. It’s perking every morning.
I thought I’d have to rely on powdered creamer. I ended up throwing it out when it became old. Seems like we always pass a store — a full sized grocery or a convenience mart at a gas station — as we move from one camp to another. I always make sure I have fresh milk for my coffee. A reader suggested freezing milk. I haven’t found that necessary.
As for the best time to visit Oregon and Washington… The crew and I had a wonderful visit in September of 2012. We encountered some rain and even a pretty powerful storm on the coast. Most of the time the weather was pleasant. It wasn’t as crowded as in the summer. Still lots of fresh fruits and vegetables available. Mosquitoes were gone.
Thank you for the good information about Sept. in Oregon – and for the percolator update. Your posts are so fun to read.
The crew is so cute in your opening photo,even sweltering heat doesn’t diminish their sweetness factor.I’m glad your descent into the heat was a short drive/quick park next to electricity hook up.There are times when the wisest move is “any port in a storm” charm and beauty around us is not always the most important thing we can have. No sense risking feeling awful from putting oneself through avoidable discomfort.$30.00 is a small cost in comparison to the alternative cost to the well-being of you three.
With the Blue Mountains in your rear view mirror the Sawtooth Mountains become closer…I hope the thought of soon being there,or where ever you’re heading to,is helping to keep your spirits high,and that all that would add to that is with you at the moment.Thank you for posting yet another inspirational picture,literally and figuratively,showing the allure of the road ahead.
Congratulations Weather on your new toy. I know you will love it. I looked the brochure over and man they really pack a lot into that small package. Good for you!!!
You always say the most encouraging things to me Jim,thanks!
He’s that kinda’ guy. 🙂
Hey weather,
What did I miss…you have a new toy? As in TT or RV? What did you get? Congrats and enjoy.
CateW
Hi Cate,thanks 🙂 Yes,I chose a T@B travel trailer,and described it a bit on the Malheur National Forest post a few days ago.
Hi, weather,
Your reasoning in your first paragraph is exactly what I was thinking as we crossed that barren land with the temperature rising. I’m aware from experience how fast heat stroke can attack. It’s not something to risk. Not being overly dramatic… It’s the reality of what can happen when trying to do too much in extreme heat.
In contrast to that, our afternoon in the cool BLT was divine. 🙂
I would like to finish this post tonight or, at the latest, in the morning. I moved the BLT slightly a few minutes ago to change the position of the Wilson antenna and it has helped the signal somewhat. Connection was dropping in the middle of my replies… Seems a bit stronger now.
Thanks for the wish for my spirits to be high… In a while I’ll set up the lounger by the river… That always works!
….by the river… sounds ju-ust right,another good choice,enjoy!
Nice to see you here at coffee hour,Sue-that’s a treat seldom available to us these days 🙂 An early appointment had made me drive a country road a while ago.With the sun’s rays backlighting it I saw a field filled with stalks of purple and lilac colored weeds interspersed with cornflowers-breathtaking!I thought again of your having grown the cornflowers near your home before leaving Georgia. and a few that are now here on my land.Nice to leave touches of beauty as one goes along.I hope that of the river near you now has refreshed and pleased you three.
Good morning, weather. I can imagine the loveliness of those colors backlit with morning light. Amazing how light, among all the benefits it bestows, can cause us to pause with wonder, and admire creation….
Thank you for reminding me of those cornflowers! They turned that scraggly lot into a delight to see and to remember.
Time for a second cup. . . . Have a peaceful, joyous day with your troupe!
The river kept us company all night long and into this day with her steady sound for which there is no word to describe. I looked out the window and in the starlight I could see the white froth of the rapids.
I hope your stint at the antique shop went well. I don’t doubt it did, being in your capable hands.
Hi Sue I know you don’t like the RV park, but it was there when you needed it, maybe you can find a CG with hooks up thats not so crowded….Montana maybe calling your name!
Hi, Sondra,
Montana does sound good. I’m becoming weary of watching for fire and smoke.
I don’t know what it is this summer, seems like crowds of people everywhere we go. The campgrounds with hook-ups are packed. You’re right about the RV park. It was there when we needed it and I was very glad to see it! One adapts to the situation.
We’re in the Bridger-Teton NF at 8100 and loving it, so I know what you mean about the lower elevations. Stay cool.
Hi, Marsha,
Oh, I’m jealous…. We would’ve been in cool mountains, too, if they weren’t on fire!
Sure hope that, in real time, you have made it east of the smoke from the Soda fire near Boise. Although, I am not sure that there is anywhere you can go in the whole area that doesn’t have smoke! It is definitely fire season in the PNW and Idaho/Montana–as well as California. Good luck.
Thanks, Nancy. We did have to outrun smoky areas, and one never knows from one day to the next if another fire will push us further. Lightning seems to be common in the mountains. Oh well, not complaining, others are suffering.
Hah! Smack dab in the mix with other rigs! A mom’s got to do EVERYTHING to keep the fur kids happy! Ah…I bet being plugged in and having AC made it a restful nights sleep!
Reg man’s trot was funny.
It was tricky adjusting the BLT’s air conditioner for sleeping. It cools this small interior very well and I woke up to find it was cold inside. We were snuggled under the comforter… 🙂
it’s 110 in phoenix, AZ or was , but a cool 80 in downtown flagstaff and 115 in L.H.C. AZ.,,,, wow what a heat wave that’s hittin’ AZ,,,,,,,,,,,, but all the weathermen n’ ladies says the west is in or is going to get a big bad el-nienyole this commin’ fall, there goes the drought, er maybe , will see,,,,,,,,, hope you 3 fine a cool spot along the snake river,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, me
Hi, Rusty and Lady Piper,
I have heard the same thing…that we are in for a brutal winter. Lots of rain out West, and rain/snow/ice/cold for the rest of the U.S. As long as the rain does not come all at once, it may be what is needed to help improve the SW drought conditions.
Hope you and Lady Piper are staying cool, and that you are trying to take it easy so your wrist will heal. Take good care of yourselves! 🙂
hi Denise, been exsersizin’ my fingers so’s not to be stoved up, if ya know what I mean,, it’s darn hard to turn the gas on and light the stove with one hand,, whooofpah,, so I use my thumb n’ forefinger to turn the nob while the right hand lights the flame,,, don’t worry, I exserzies a little at a time, just to keep the blood flowing… ;>),,, L.P. n’ I go for 2 walks a day, in th’ morn n’ evening and she’s loves them, she sets to get hooked up for a walk and she knows what “house” means and she jumps to the sound of the key’s and hops right up into the cab, cause we’re goin’ for a ride… + we play puppy playing to teach… She must of just turned 2, cause there is still a tint of blue in her eyes and pure breads are born with blue eyes and she still has some puppy fur on her,, and when a light hits her eyes at night , they red in reflection,,,,,,,,, me
Glad you are managing…it is amazing how we adjust to do things when we have an injury to compensate for. lt sounds like Lady Piper is a good girl and that she is doing well with her lessons! I’m glad you have each other! 🙂
thanks Denise,,,,,,,,,,
Your post brought a smile to my face Rusty! Lady Piper seems to be very happy 🙂 So happy for you. Somehow I missed what happened to your wrist 🙁 What did happen? It is amazing how we “figure it out” when something happens to us.
hi Krystina,,,,,, I tripped on lava rocks and fell on a bunch of big lava rocks while carrying a water jug and my cup to set with Lady Piper in the shade,, down I went and hard, I was survayin’ my hurts why’ll layin’ on the ground and Lady Piper came over to me and started lickin’ me in the face and nudgen me to see if I was ok,, I got up and ooww my left arm was a hurtin’ bad, looked like a golf ball at my wrist and for arm,,,, I thought it was broken ,,but the va, e.r. said my wrist is sprained,,,,, so i’m kind of one handed for a while,, i’ll manege and god will make me better and make life better too for me,, just got to think on stuff before doin’ for a while,,,,, rusty
Yikees!! I love the fact that Lady Piper tried to come to your rescue! 🙂 I hope that your wrist feels better soon.
Hi, Rusty,
I appreciate you letting us know that you and Lady Piper are out of the heat and that you’re taking good care of your wrist. Your comments reveal the love between you two. 🙂
No AC in the PTV while in route? Did I miss something? And as for the RV park, I cannot imagine you and the crew cooped up in the BLT just for AC unless it was for comfort while sleeping. And I won’t even get into YOU sitting outside in such close quarters. There surely HAD to be a better alternative.
On the other hand, this too will pass. Ashley’s looking better and better. 🙂
Um, Ed…. Get out your map. I challenge you to find “a better alternative” that doesn’t require several more miles of driving in 100+ heat, where there’s no smoke and no fire, where the elevation is 4,000 feet or higher to bring the temperature down to make it bearable in a heat wave with no a/c, and where it’s pretty and isn’t an RV park . . . . Where would you boondock?
Sitting outside? Are you nuts or just pulling my leg…. ?
ha,, your in Idaho, maybe above Boise, in the B .N. Forest, right?
Good guess, Rusty…. except the last time I looked online there were over 35 fires burning north of Boise.
I think I was a bit misunderstood or maybe I didn’t phrase it as well as I could/should have. I meant no harm. By “a better alternative” I meant another RV park further down the road, maybe WAY down the road. I certainly would not have been suggesting boondocking in that heat. As you have suggested, the photo was unintentionally misleading suggesting that everyone was packed in like sardines. That was the primary reason for my “better alternative” comment. The bottom line is had there been a better alternative, you would have chosen it I’m sure. Here in my neck of the woods it’s been well over 100 for a week; 106 today. So, I totally understand getting you and the crew cooled down.
No offense taken, Ed. And you’re right, the photos are misleading. Vale Trails RV Park is a nice park… neat, well-maintained, efficient and friendly management, clean bathrooms, laundry room, and showers.
I jumped on the phrase “a better alternative” because our situation was rapidly becoming dire. I would’ve pulled into an old gas station and parked out back among the wrecks and discarded auto parts if it meant air conditioning…. (Made that up.) Even a drive of 5 more miles would have been grueling…
I’m sorry my tone was defensive…
Just got a 32 foot Sunseeker so we can use the A/c when we boondock.Since we are boondockers we don’t need the A/C much.The trailer with 80K miles has been retired to our Adirondack lake lot where we summer.
My sweetheart Juice is slowing down like Bridget but has been cancer free over a year since having the front part of her jaw removed.She is happy and is 13 to 17 now nobody knows her age for sure.
Juice is your sweetheart, for sure. You’ve given a lot toward her well-being. I’m glad to hear she’s happy, chas.
Congratulations on the new rig! You have a great set-up…. a rig for travel and a rig at the lake. Enjoy!
Wow, that gives close a whole new meaning! But, then, it was cool and close. Hope you rested well in the cool BLT and got on the road to a wonderful new spot.
Thanks, Susan… It was a relief to find that park, hook up, and relax in comfort. The crew loved it!
I hear ya. I, too, am paying for hook-ups and for the same reason!
Hi, Kim,
It’s worth every penny to prevent heat exhaustion. Enjoy your a/c!
I sure do understand hooking up to electricity and using AC when it’s 100+ degrees. It’s not like you want be outdoors in that heat. And you don’t have to listen to other people’s generators when you’re in a place with hookups.
You’re absolutely correct on all three points, Alison. I couldn’t have expressed it better!
Sometimes you gotta do whatcha gotta do for comfort….despite other discomforts!
The BLT is a little rose between the thorns! 🙂
Hope you found a cool, shady spot! Looking forward to see where we land next! 🙂
Aww… “a little rose between the thorns”… What a nice thing to say on the BLT’s 4th anniversary. 🙂
Happy Birthday BLT!!!
🙂
Hey there are times when even the most devoted boondocker has to use their head. However you never need admit to the need for the A/C. It’s for the crew!!! Yea! That’s it! That’s the trick! It’s for the crew! But, what the hell you can enjoy it too. *wink*
Actually what you’re saying isn’t far from the truth. Bridget and Reggie were fading fast in the heat. You can only pant so much.
That short time being in the heat wore us out. All three of us took a long nap inside our cool, cool capsule!
You do whatca gotta do to keep you and the babies cool….waiting for part 2
Chuck
That’s right, Chuck. I want us to enjoy every day and we weren’t happy campers in that heat. Our stay at the RV park was very nice.
That is about as close as I have ever seen spaces. Barely enough room with slides. They must have a high demand and are trying to get every penny they can.
Hi, Alan,
As a photographer you know how distances can be shortened or compressed in a photo. There were patches of grass between each site and we had a tree, too. The pic is misleading, which I liked for the contrast with our solitary camps.
That park is the only RV park in Vale which is the first town with the usual services the you approach from the west after crossing barren land.
Yeah, I realized that was probably the case. But in the park I am in the spaces are about 22 ft wide. I have plenty of space.
Time to put the baby backs on the barbie.
Enjoy
Very nice, Alan… I’m happy to hear you’re happy. 🙂
The photo of Reggie and Bridget panting in the PTV says it all….you needed to get out of that hot vehicle and cool down. I can relate, and feel your pain.
We had a lot of work done last year to our A/C in the station wagon, (big $$$), and when we go to use it this year it was kaput….naturally after the 1 yr warranty was up. So we have been trying to tough it out until fall. Here in St. Louis, where it is hot and sticky it has been tough…
But you turned of the A/C at your house to save up for your BLT, so you can weather this too! I remember your photos of “Three Island Crossing State Park”, a lush garden of eden in the brown of Idaho, At least you would have shade there….
Looking forward to hearing of your next campsite,
Hi, cc and canine…
Your first paragraph explains why I put that photo at the very beginning of this post!
As for the work on your station wagon’s A/C…. I suspect the same would happen with the PTV’s A/C… I did have it fixed once or was it twice? Anyway…
When I didn’t have A/C in my house I was either at work all day or I was able to limit my physical exertion. In other words, crash on the bed with the fan on me. Driving in this extreme heat is something else!
Three Island Crossing is a lovely park… not where I wanted to go though and, of course, far from Vale, as you know.
Yeah, driving without air and with high humidity and in St. Louis traffic… an imitation of hell. Sending you cool breezes ….
Er. . . What?
Scratching my head over those who seem a bit. . . um, critical. . . of you and the crew for staying in an RV park in order to enjoy the life-saving (yes, life-saving) benefit of AC.
Makes me think that many people on here have never experienced 100+ degree temps on a regular or extended basis. In my area of Northern California the temperatures have been hovering around 100 degrees day after day after day.
Today the thermometer on my always-shaded front porch reads 110, although “only” 105 was predicted. I am staying inside. I was supposed to pick up groceries for the week, but I am staying put where the AC blows COOL.
Folks, do realize that 100+ degrees is not only decidedly uncomfortable – it can (and often does) prove fatal. For susceptible people . Especially for dogs. Double especially for older people and for older dogs.
Dogs primarily cool themselves by panting (dogs don’t sweat). Can’t pant fast enough to keep the core body temperature down? Game over.
For myself, I was gritting my teeth until RVSue was able to check in to that RV park.
GOOD ON YOU, RVSue!!!
To my way of thinking, she made it – AND just in the nick of time.
Anne
Good post Anne. Hot is hot. Especially in a trailer.
I agree! Anne spelled it out very well. When the temperatures go into the 100s, caution is the rule. And she is so right about dogs’ panting… Look at Reggie’s tongue in that photo. It may be exaggerated a bit by the lens, but the two of them looked miserable and needed relief … and fast.
Thanks, Anne. You get it! You are wise to postpone errands for a cooler day. Sounds like you NorCal people have been waiting for relief for a long time. I hope it arrives soon.
Oh. Almost forgot. Came across this heat index chart when researching safety issues for a presentation (chart the National Weather Service) hundred degree zone is in the danger zone:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/heat_index.shtml
Also, I always carry a pump-spray bottle with me when traveling with my dogs (about $.98 from Walmart). In an iffy or emergency situation (or just because I think it is time!) fill with water, spray all over on dog until dog is noticeably damp, even dripping. Especially spray on the hairless (or less hairy) part of the chest and belly. Evaporation causes cooling: artificial sweat!
When I finish spraying my dog, I spray my face.
Feels good, and really helps (at least short-term) cool the dog down a bit.
If it is available, and if the dog is getting stressed, rub ice in the armpits and along the belly. The dogs, not yours. :-0! Or maybe yours too! 🙂
Anne
Good information, Anne. Thanks!
definitely a scorcher today all over the U.S.
Very good information on keeping the dogs cool. Annie doesn’t travel well at all…we found that wetting her down…just short of a bath with no soap….works wonders! Keeps her cool.
Hello Anne,
I read your blog, it is so very entertaining. I can remember heading to Redding April 1976, yeah I’m that old, drive north on I-5, had never been there before, seeing this little white tip on the horizon, got bigger and bigger… Oh my I was in love. Mt. Shasta. I still love that mountain even though I’ve been gone from there for over 35 year.
You write so well, how are your travels? You did a wonderful job on your van!!
Hope to see you on the road some day.
Thanks Sue and Crew for bringing people together. Take care.
Nothing wrong with being comfortable Sue, a $30 night along with all the $2 nights balances out over the course of a year.
It certainly does, Rob, not to mention all the free camping we do, mostly in the winter months. That’s one reason why I’m frugal. When I need to spend a few extra bucks, I have them to spend.
And, of course, my sweet readers shopping Amazon helps, too!
That $30 included a shower and dump station, too. I didn’t use the laundry although I could have. Too hot, no ambition.
Hi Sue,
Glad you and the crew are taking extra good care in the heat. (Understand that you are currently in a cooler boondock now?) This “sweet” reader bought a copy of The Loner’s Manifesto” and a wrist type BP cuff from your site. Soon as I need something else…Sue’s link is where I’ll start. Its small compensation for all the wonderful info, photos, and stories from your travels.
Oh..in the previous post in Oregon it looks like the site was just big enough for your rig. So is this more evidence that my future 19-20ft TT plus van or truck would be out of luck? I could manage ok in a 17ft…just like the layout with a permanent bed better in the longer TT’s. Still plenty of time to shop and decide.
Does anyone have a Toyota Tundra 4×4 automatic trans for a tow vehicle? Could it handle a 17-19 ft fiberglass TT loaded? Had a nice roadside chat with a guy who owns one and loved the look of this truck. He said its rating was “anything” below 5,000 lbs. Still very seriously interested in a van like Sue’s too.
Hugs to the pups and you too,
CateW
Hi, Cate,
I saw the items you ordered on a recent Amazon orders report. Thank you very much. There may come a day when I’ll need to slow down and your purchases help me toward that second retirement. I hope you get something out of the Loners Manifesto. The first few chapters are enlightening and empowering (for loners); subsequent chapters not so great.
I’m not sure which site you are talking about — “in the previous post in Oregon”– Could you be more specific? If you mean Wetmore Campground, no, you wouldn’t fit in the site we had. It was tight for the BLT/PTV… The PTV’s nose was a few inches into the road. There was one site that you would fit in. Neighboring Yellow Pine has plenty of bigger sites.
READERS:… Any information to share regarding the Toyota Tundra as a tow vehicle for a 19-20 ft. travel trailer?
Hi again Sue,
Sorry to be vague…yes I did mean the Wetmore Camp in Oregon. I know…I know…you’ve been in MANY Oregon camps so silly of me. Before I make the buying commitment, I’ll research as many camps as possible for size so that I don’t set myself up for disappointment w/ a too big rig.
I remember that you are salting away the Amazon funds towards the day when you may need to leave the road, and it is my pleasure to contribute to future security. I’ll be facing that “second” retirement myself, and inspired by your good example to plan for it!
Thanks for getting back to me, and have a great, shady, cool day! Hi babies…be good for mama.
CateW
If you want access to a lot of beautiful camps away from the crowds, figure out the smallest area in which you can be comfortable and happy and buy a rig accordingly. Think of it this way….Each additional foot cuts out more camps in your future and adds more costs.
Thanks Sue…that “equation” of space comfort vs. beautiful camps is a valuable measurement for size of TT to be. As I’ve shared before…I love your style of camping and it would be my preference too.
Take good care,
Cate
Wishing you a cool day, too, cate.
Sue I just found your site. I have retired and have decided to buy a travel trailer and set out on the road. I also will be traveling along. Have not bought a trailer yet, but am looking. Trying to get all the info I can from web sites. Nice to see another lady in my age group traveling.
Welcome to my blog, Ruby! You are now a blogorino!
There are lots of men and women in your age group living and traveling in a van, bus, travel trailer, RV of all sorts…
Forums and blogs are wonderful resources to help you decide what rig is the best choice for you. If you have questions or feel like adding to the discussions that go on here, please do so. You will find that my readers are very kind and helpful. Once in a while some weeds pop up in my “garden,” and I rip them out!
I hope you will read my blog for the beginning. I had almost no camping experience before jumping into this lifestyle and here we are, four years later, lovin’ it…. *sigh*
Thanks RV Sue for all that you do! You inspired me to roadtrip with my three rescue dogs and one rescue cat! We shop your Amazon link BTW! We are boat liveaboards in San Diego. We roadtripped to So. OR and had a blast all along the coast. En route to San Diego though it has been sweltering! Gold Hill OR 90 C at 3:30pm when we arrived two days ago, now 102 C in Santa Nella at 7pm. We’ve been boondocking and still are but only because we’ve been driving with AC. The heat and fires have been crazy! Our best to you and Bridget and Reggie! The pups need the AC!!
Hi, Snow’s Mom,
I’m trying to recall if you’ve commented before. Seems I remember you…. If you’re new here, welcome to my blog! And a big THANK YOU for shopping Amazon through my links. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
You’ve had an exciting summer! Good for you…. I hope you can keep cool during this heat wave… and can breathe air without smoke… Best wishes to you, too, from me and the crew!
The AC is running as the outdoor temps have cooled…to 99 @ 7:45pm
We are at Viento SP just west of Hood River. No heat here yet, but the haze from the fires was very apparent. You could almost look directly at the sun. Tuesday and Wednesday are to be the hot days east of the Cascades. We are leaving here tomorrow and will go south toward Madras and then west back to the mountains looking for a cool spot. This is a nice park but is located on a very active railway and there are frequent trains. Glad you have found a cool spot.
We really enjoyed Lolo Creek Campground in Lolo MT. Nice spot and very inexpensive, the campground hosts keep the place very nice. I know we paid less than $10 a night, much less. No internet though…:-(
Good idea to head for the mountains, John! I’d suggest an overnight at Haystack Reservoir in Madras but it might be too hot there as it’s elevation is low. There are plenty of mountain camps and lakes for you to enjoy. Best of luck!
The crew and I almost went into the Lolo Creek area on a previous trip through Montana. I was anxious to make it to the PNW and the coast at the time, so I passed it by. . . .
I’m glad you enjoyed the campground. It’s fun finding camps that are just right. 🙂
Snows Mom misquoted some temps encountered as Celsius degrees when she really meant Fahrenheit scale. Gold Hill OR 90 C =194 American degrees, and the 102 C she quoted would work out to 215.6 Fahrenheit . We are sure she meant 90 F and 102 F in her statement. I know it probably felt like 194 out there for sure. Quite a difference in the scales used.
Hi, Wayne D,
I’m sure you’re right about that! Easy mistake to make….
LOL thanks Wayne D.! It was a typo on my part (“C at” instead of @). I thinks it’s because it’s my first time traveling with a cat in addition to the dogs (hee hee!).
When it’s too hot to think, it’s time to cocoon – INSIDE with the AC and a good book or a nap. Nothing wrong with hiding inside for a day or so, especially when the alternative is a longer drive in the heat.
Hi, Reine,
I agree! It was quite a relief to find that RV park!
This post reminds me of the time my sister, brother-in-law and their dog drove through Nevada in middle of summer. Their truck a/c went out and they drove miles with ice cubes tied in handkerchiefs around their neck/heads to cool themselves. Finally, they were able to make a beeline for the Sierras. We flew to Seattle to meet them with the rest of our camping gear and camped all along the coast of Oregon, California, Washington states. They drove back through Canada and down Montana to Northern AZ and into Phoenix. Better to drive the wee hours of the morning when in AZ in summer. Lucky you, you found a/c hook ups to cool yourselves….it’s no joke to travel in heat.
Hi, Rita,
Gee, that was a dangerous situation for your sis, her husband, and the dog. Good thing they had ice with them!
Yes, early morning driving is the thing to do. In hindsight I see that I should have started out earlier that day. It being such a short trip I didn’t think it necessary. I learned!
What a difference for you — from Phoenix to Alaska and back. 🙂
RVSue enters a 12 Step Program for Boondockers…
Hello.
My name is Sue.
I have had a Campground relapse.
Yes, I traded Boondocking for Air Conditioning.
I paid dearly too.
And I even allowed myself to be parked close by other RVs seeking the same.
I admit, I was remiss.
Forgive me as I faltered and know that I have joined this 12 Step program for friendship and support. With your help, I will, again, recover and return to my Boondocking ways.
Hehehehe, Sue, I would have done the same thing! Seriously, give me that AC! Pull the curtains and Forget-About-It 🙂 🙂 🙂
Tooooo funny…good job as usual!!
Cute, Pamela! 🙂
And now we will close this meeting with the Serenity Prayer. . . .
God grant me the serenity to accept this day’s heat I cannot change; courage to change the things I can by stopping at an RV park; and wisdom to know the difference.
LOVE IT!! 🙂
So COOL! 🙂 🙂 🙂
You two are hilarious! Love it! ?
Thanks Pamela and Sue for the chuckles!! 🙂
Sue,
Chuckles around, LOVE IT!
Your reply is simply perfect!!!
🙂
Weather,
Love the T&B trailers. Cute as a button! They have nice floorplans too. Pretty and functional. Is your model one that has the inside only kitchen or is it the one that has both the inside kitchen and the rear kitchen too. Love the design of the two round windows, very nice 🙂 The Tab’s little sister, T&G has stole my heart. I hear they are such fun weekenders. If I didn’t have my conversion van I would go for a T&G in a micro-minute. Safe travels to you and your critters, enjoy your Tab.
🙂
Tis so lovely, Air conditioning!! Glad you are enjoying some, Sue!! Tis much better than falling ill…after all, 2 puppies rely on you entirely!!
Good morning, Elizabeth. . . . You know I can’t stand to see my crew uncomfortable… It was cute the way Bridget and Reggie fell into a deep sleep once they were in air conditioning. Their bodies were “flat out” on the bed….
Smart move RVSue…lets hear it for AC!
Hip-hip-HOORAY!
Lookin’ good, Bridgie.
And Bridgie says, “Thank you, Miss Linda.”
Glad you stayed cool. The BLT looks adorable tucked in among the larger campers. Here’s to heading toward higher and cooler ground…..
She does look cute, doesn’t she…
Good to know you moved to a cooler campground with a river nearby! Yay! It has been a hot, hot, hotter than normal here along the panhandle Gulf Coast and smothering humidity! However, this week we are in a cool wave, highs in the low 90’s and nights in the mid 70’s! Yay! Hopefully it will last a few more days!
Howdy to Rusty and his Lady !!! Glad you are staying cool!
Gee, you’re in the deep freeze now, Geri… low 90s! 😉
A/C!!! I remember in 1945 as a kid in San Diego the old North Park Theater had a big sign out front. 20 degrees cooler inside due to our Air conditioning. I was thinking the other day of how Dad would put a box fan in our window throw a wet towel on it and turn it so it blew our “air conditioned” air into the living room. Old man Willis Carrier really did something when he invented A/C, didn’t he? Without it the deserts southwest would be ghost towns.
So true, Jim!