Still in Beautiful Washington State

WELCOME to our new follower, Kate!  You don't show a blog, so I can't check it out, but I thank you for following along with me and Katie on our travels.  Welcome aboard! : )

I'm having some difficulties with Blogger again, but I was able to get into the design part today, so I’m hoping this will work.

Mount Rainier

On Monday, Labor Day, Katie and I drove eastward from Stan Headwall Park and we're now at Hood Park/McNary Lock & Dam in Burbank, WA.  It's a Core of Engineers (COE) park, the first we've been in, and it's really nice.   We stopped along the way to get some photos of Mount Rainier - it was just too beautiful to miss this photo op.

I wasn't sure about driving on Labor Day - I think it took us about six hours.  But the benefit of driving on a holiday is that all the road repairs that are going on, and there were a lot of places with signs and equipment along the side of the roads, were stopped for the day.  All the workers have the day off, so we had no stops at all.  It was a really nice drive.  We drove through a lot of forests, then all of a sudden we were in farming country.  I wasn't expecting that.  As we got closer to Hood Park, which I assumed was in a forest, I started to wonder if there would be any trees at all.  There are, but it's not a forest.

 Front of site #19 - this side faces the campground and lake.

 Passenger side faces a sloping lawn and a little Pavilion off to the right.

 Pavilion  - used during the summer months.

I reserved a really nice pull through site furthest from the water.  The campground has slightly sloping hills, so I have a good view and nothing but grass and trees outside my windows and the lake on the couch side looking over the RVs.  There isn’t a site directly in front of me across the road, so my view is really good.   On weekends most of the sites are taken, but during the week it's almost empty and really nice. 
 

Katie and I have been taking long walks around the grounds three times a day, so we're getting more exercise here, and the slight sloping of the landscape is giving me more of a calorie burn than on the flat landscapes of the last two parks.  I can actually feel it, even though it's not much of a slope. 

We're in this site for 11 days, then have to move next Friday because it's reserved by someone else, but my neighbor is moving out the same day I have to move, so I've reserved his campsite for our last three days.  That will be two weeks, which is the limit here, and then we'll move on.  I like the COE campgrounds so much in this area; I might try to get another 4 days in the one down the road.  It’s booked solid on the weekends, Monday through Thursday is all I could get, and then these COE campgrounds close for the season on October 1.   Or maybe we'll start heading to Idaho and see what it's like.  I’m not sure yet.

The differences between this and our last park are many.  This park is very well maintained, has lush lawns, clean bathrooms, good walking places.  The gates open at 8 am and close at 10 pm, no exceptions.  No alcohol, period!  Of course if you want to drink in the park, you can, but you'd better not be obvious about it, like being drunk and yelling all night like my neighbors at the last place.  The sites have electric only.  (The last park my neighbor had his sewer hose out – the end was in a gopher hole.  That was pretty creepy.) This campground feels so much nicer, cleaner and safer.  

 Sunset our first night

 Another day, another sunset

(another camera setting)

I downloaded "The Help" to my Kindle and have been reading a little each day, finally finished it today.  (Good book, I'd recommend it.  The kind of book you want to keep going.)  I've been sitting outside and hooking Katie's leash to the flag holder, so she has been enjoying chasing squirrels, birds and insects.   She also seems pretty content just hanging out on the grass.

This is new for Katie - sitting outside on the grass. 

She has discovered little critters.

 I think she has eaten a few. :(

I'm a California born and bred person and haven't traveled much.  I guess everyone thinks their state is the best.  I used to, but California has so many problems now and is so expensive, I'm not feeling that way any more.  I know I will end up sooner or later living in another state, definitely not California, when I decide not to full-time any more.  I've been surprised how much I liked Oregon and Washington.  Of course, I've had perfect weather almost the whole time, but I think I could live in either state, at least the cities I've been in and through.  I'm curious to see how I'll like Idaho.  I have some pre-conceived ideas of what the different states are like, and am probably wrong on all counts.

That’s it for now – I'm going to see if this post will "publish."  All is well in The Palms, Katie and I are happy and healthy and looking forward to tomorrow.

From Me and My Dog, have a great weekend, everyone!   : )

Happy Labor Day

On this Labor Day, I'm celebrating the fact that my labor in the workforce is in the past.  I salute all the people still working every day, our country couldn't function without you and I'm glad you are keeping everything running.  But I have to admit,  I’m glad I’m not working anymore. How in the world did I get up at 5:15 every day?  And leave Katie alone all day?  

I really like this retirement stuff. So does Katie.  : )

I downloaded Windows Live Writer and I’m using it to type this post.  I’m not sure what’s next, or how to get it into blogger, but I’m sure it’s easy enough to figure out.  (I hope.)  I like it’s little Emoticons. And the plug-in feature. 

I had Blogger up in Firefox when I started getting error messages again, then I got this:

 
Blogger no longer supports Firefox? 

 

Remember that weird, scary RV in the parking lot of the casino where I overnighted in Oregon?  I saw a photo today of a garbage truck converted to an RV (so they say, it's not actually a "garbage truck"), and I think that might be what it was.  Look at these two photos; if you compare the different parts of the trucks, they look pretty much the same.  It's an RV/ATV, and I'll bet it's pretty darn expensive.  Beautiful interior.  There are lots of websites with different photos, but I think this one is the best.  I love the way they have done the storage in the kitchen.

We’re traveling to Hood Park in Washington tomorrow morning, and plan to stay a week.  The next park will be in Idaho, I’m researching that area now to see what looks good. 

From Me and My Dog, have a nice Labor Day and enjoy your holiday, everyone! 

Our Llama visit

Things have been pretty quiet.  We are still here at Stan Headwall City Park.  We've had quite a few people come in yesterday and today. This whole half of the park is full, and the other half has one side almost full, and the other side completely empty.  Weird, no one parks on the other side. We back up to the creek with lots of bushes and brush and the other side backs up to a road, so I guess that's why.

Katie and I took a walk yesterday, longer than usual. The walking here isn't as good as the park in Oregon, Armitage, where there was a lot of space and really pretty trails.  But right outside this park, across the street, there is a field with llamas.  We went across to see them, I didn't realize llamas are so curious, like cows.  One was especially friendly, and stayed close to the fence most of the time we were there.

 I thought this llama was kind of regal looking, 

it was the friendliest.

 It's fur is stringy, poor thing, I think it needs a bath.

 Checking each other out.

 This guy had a haircut recently, or else it has a different kind of fur.

 Can you say haircut?

 Such a happy face!

There was a man trying to fly a kite in one of the ball fields.  Nice breezes in this area, and it went up well, but kept coming right back down. He just kept trying.  I watched him for a while.

 Kite flyer.

I just downloaded a free app to my Android phone - it's called  Tiny Flashlight + LED.

I keep my flashlights in the cupboard, but I always have my phone with me, up in the bunk or down, so this "flashlight" is very convenient and always nearby.  When I took Katie outside tonight, it was 8:00 and dark outside and I tried it out, it's pretty bright and covers enough ground to be useful. It doesn't project ahead down a trail like a handheld flashlight, but works more like a lantern type light.  It uses the LED light in the camera.  I would recommend it, and the price is right.  : )

One more day here at Stan Headwall Park, and on Monday we'll be on our way.  I'm going to try to use Walmarts and Rest Areas as much as I can as we are heading toward Idaho, then find a campground in Idaho to stay a week or so.

From Me and My Dog, have a nice Labor Day weekend, everyone!  : ) 

Our First Three Months In The Palms

Encinitas, CA

It’s been three months now, and I wanted to put down a few thoughts I have about living in a 24 foot long RV – the interior living space including the bathroom, kitchen, couch and dinette area  is 16’ long by 8’ wide, or 127 square feet, not including the over-cab sleeping area.

Amazingly, although that’s a very small space, it has everything I need to live comfortably.  I haven’t found anything I need that’s not here, and there’s nothing here that I don’t need.  There are lots of large windows and 7’ ceilings; it’s very light and bright.  I don’t turn on lights until it’s actually dark outside.  It really is pretty amazing. 

So far, in the last three months I’ve driven to and lived in three states, California, Oregon and Washington.  The campgrounds I’ve visited in each state have been different, and I’ve enjoyed each one. 

 

  Santee Lakes, Santee, CA

 Vineyard Park, Vacaville, CA

Fern Ridge Lake, Veneta, OR

  

Armitage Park, Eugene, OR

Stan Hedwall Park, Chehalis, WA

The weather has been good so far, meaning fair and warm, only a short time of really hot days, and only a few overcast, cool days.  I’ve only worn jeans once, the rest of the time I’ve been in shorts.   I’m hoping for a little storm, some rain, a bit more wind.  I love the good weather, not needing the A/C or the heater.  But I’m looking forward to some “bad” weather.  (I hope I don’t eat those words.) 

So far I’ve spent days along the beaches, weeks in parks with lakes, rivers and lots of trees.  I’m not much of a sightseer, and that wasn’t my plan when I decided to full-time.  I’m doing exactly what I wanted to do:  live at the beach, live by a lake, live in the forest.  I’ve overnighted at highway rest areas and Wal-Mart parking lots, one restaurant parking lot and one casino parking lot.  Even parking lots have trees, and maybe a field or something scenic next door. 

 Tamarack Beach - Carlsbad, CA

Wal-Mart Parking Lot, Eugene, OR

Cher-Ae Heights Casino in Trinidad, CA

I’ve enjoyed the drive from place to place, going through small towns, cities, forests, and along beaches.  Windy coast roads and wide freeways.  Lots of bridges and tunnels, short and long.

 The Grapevine (I-5), CA

Bridge over Siuslaw River

Astoria Bridge - Astoria, OR

I’ve learned a lot, had my owner’s manuals out a lot, had a back-up camera, coach and truck batteries, and vent covers installed, and some minor repair work done.  Katie and I have established a daily routine, and it works well for us.

I’ve been lucky that we’ve found a place to stay every night, had good neighbors, and when there was a problem, it was easily fixed and I learned from it.

Living in an RV is very romantic, and I mean that in this interpretation of the word:  “imbued with or dominated by idealism, a desire for adventure, chivalry, etc.”  For people wanting to see all the different cities, towns and areas and what they have to offer, there really isn’t a better way to travel. For those of us wanting a simpler life, same thing.  How else could I have spent my days, with my dog, by the beach, lakes, rivers, parks and forests I’ve visited?  And so comfortably, with all my “stuff” right here with me. 

In the next three months I’ll be in at least three new states, ending in Arizona for the winter.  When I leave Arizona, I don’t know if I’ll visit new states or retrace my steps.  I’ve stayed in more parks with hookups than I thought I would, but I love having water and electricity.  I hope to boondock in the future on forest lands and in the desert.

From Me and My Dog, Katie, here’s to the next three months on the road with The Palms.   : )

Went to town today

WELCOME to our new Follower, Sam!  Sam, it doesn't look like you have a blog, so I can't check it out, but thank you for joining Katie and me in our full timing adventures.  We're happy to have you along! :)

SUNDAY
I don't know what was wrong with Katie Saturday night, but she kept wanting to get out of bed and go outside...  I put her up in the bed around 8:00 as usual, and she was constantly coming to the edge staring at me - that's what she does when she wants to get down. We finally went to bed/sleep, and twice during the night she wanted to get down.  I took her outside twice, and she did go potty.

This morning she was up at 8, two hours earlier than usual. I put on her Princess dress and took her outside, where she rolled in the dirt before I could stop her and got her dress full of dirt.  I wish I had gotten a picture.  She looked like a Tomboy, kind of cute, actually, but I had to wash her dress and hang it on the outside ladder to dry. 

She's been scratching a little, so I brought her inside and gave her a shower, put on her flea meds a few days early, put another dress on her, and she seems calm and sleepy now and isn't scratching. 

I cleaned and vacuumed The Palms, and got all the laundry and towels ready for the laundromat tomorrow.  All I need to do is strip the bed and throw the sheets in.  We are going into town in the morning.

This morning, my neighbors left.  They really moved in, so they had a lot of things to stow away.  They quieted down after that first day, and were actually pretty good neighbors.  As they were leaving, I talked to the woman, and she said the day before, Saturday, they had to take one of their dogs, Sadie, to the vet and have her put down.  Apparently she wasn't acting normally and didn't look good when they woke up.  They live 45 minutes away, so they took her to their vet and the dog had a large tumor on her spleen, which burst during the night and she was bleeding internally. She was 12, I think, and it was decided the best course of action was to put her down.  So sad for them, and also for their yellow lab, Max, who is 6 and grew up with Sadie.

As they pulled out, I took a photo of the other trailer all folded up - it's pretty cool looking, I think:

They said they would be back next weekend, they've reserved the same two sites, and I'm glad they will be my neighbors again.  I feel bad complaining about him yelling, and then they turned out to be nice neighbors, AND his dog dies the next day.

MONDAY
Last night Katie wanted to get down again, so I took her outside in the middle of the night, then left her down to sleep in her bed on the dinette bench.  Tonight she's sleeping in her own bed again.  There is no way I'm getting up in the middle of the night again tonight.  It's 10:30 PM now, and she is sleeping in her bed and hasn't wanted to go up into the bunk. 

 Sweet dreams, little Katie

So, today I unhooked and Katie and I stopped on the way out and dumped the tanks, then drove across the freeway to the town.  We went to the post office where we had general delivery mail waiting, then Walmart for grocery shopping.  I also got a 2 quart crock pot (I hope it's big enough) and a square cake pan.  I realized I don't have a pan I can put in the oven for small casseroles or baking. (My last chicken/rice/artichoke casserole I had to cook in a pot on the top of the stove.)

Then  I had the LP tank filled, and lastly we stopped at a laundromat and got the laundry done.  I put everything away and made up the bed before we drove away.  When we got home I was tired, so I took Katie for a walk, went through my mail and had a bowl of cereal and blueberries for dinner.  We should be good for the rest of the week until we leave this campground on Monday.

I love shopping and putting things away before leaving the parking lot.  No worries about frozen foods.  And also with laundry.  Putting everything away and making up the bed in the parking lot is so nice. When you get home, it's done!

From Me and My Dog, have a great Monday evening, everyone!     : )