Wild Fires, Coast Of Oregon, Darby's Injury

We have moved several times since the last blog.  We left Charbonneau Park in Washington and moved to LePage Park in Wasco, Oregon on the Columbia River.  From there we moved to Hudson -Parcher Park in Rainier, Oregon  and from there to Tillamook Airport RV Park in Tillamook, Oregon. We then moved to Waterloo County Park (Waterloo, OR) and are now at Crook County RV Park in Prineville, OR.  

Our plans were to travel down the Columbia River Gorge, which we did, but unfortunately there were multiple wildfires and we didn't get photos of much of anything due to the smoke. Then we planned to follow the coast of Oregon down to California and see the giant redwoods and then back up to Oregon to Crater Lake.  We traveled the coast as far as Tillamook, OR (actually we went about 40 miles further south than that one day without the camper) but had to change our plans due to Darby hurting his leg at the beach.  He needs to have surgery on his knee (cranial cruciate ligament rupture).  The only place we could find that could do the surgery soon was in Bend, Oregon which took us significantly off our planned route. So, we are going to continue on to Yellowstone National Park after his surgery.  We will see the Redwoods and Crater Lake another time.

  

Our Route Since The Last Blog

Our Site At LePage Park 

Columbia River Gorge From Maryhill, Washington

Full size replica of Stonehenge in Maryhill, Washington (near LePage Park - Maryhill was named for Sam Hill's daughter Mary).  This was built as a memorial to local veterans who died in WWI by Sam Hill, a prominent Pacific Northwest businessman.  We weren't able to see his mansion and museum which was about 3 miles away due to wild fires in the area causing the road there to be closed.  We saw the burned area the next day (from across the river) and it looked like the fire stopped just short of the museum which houses a lot of rare early European paintings.

  Columbia River Gorge (note haze from wildfire smoke)

Mount Hood - just barely visible through the haze from the smoke - we also should have been able to see Mount St. Helens and possibly Mount Rainier in our travels but could not due to the smoke

Great Blue Heron (In Sacajawea Park Japanese Gardens in Longview, WA)

Water Lily (same place as above)

Our site at Hudson-Parcher Park

Tillamook Creamery - a famous tourist destination in Tillamook, Oregon - home of Tillamook Cheeses

The store

The line to get free cheese samples

Views on the factory tour

Coast Of Oregon - Cape Mears Lighthouse Entrance

Cape Mears Lighthouse from above - that should be ocean in the background - both days we were on the coast there was heavy fog and as a result we didn't see much and didn't take many pictures 

Same lighthouse  again should be ocean in the background

Sand Lake Recreation Area - composed of sand dunes, an OHV area, and a beach - this beach is where Darby hurt his leg - he was running around in the ocean and the sand like a puppy - he apparently forgot how old he is

One of the glimpses of the coast we got when the fog lifted temporarily

Our site at Crooks County RV Park

View Of Crooked River Gorge near where we are staying

100+ Degree Temps - Ritzville, Washington - Charbonneu Park - Lake Sacagawea

We finally left Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and spent a few days in Ritzville, Washington at the Wheatland Communities Fairground.  This is an interesting privately owned all volunteer fairgrounds supported by the surrounding communities - the county didn't have a county fairgrounds so the residents started their own.  From there we moved on to Charbonneau Park which is an Army Corps Of Engineers Park on Lake Sacagawea.  Lake Sacagawea is a dammed up section of the Snake River just before it merges with the Columbia River.   It has been unusually hot for the past few weeks - upper nineties for a couple weeks and this week low 100's.  Needless to say, we haven't gotten out to do much recently due to the heat.

Our Route

Our campsite at Charbonneau Park with Lake Sacagawea in the background - this is a beautiful campground right on the lake with its own marina

The dam & lock on Snake River that creates Lake Sacagawea

Ancient petroglyphs on a large boulder that was relocated when the dam was built.  In its new location it is part of a monument to the Native Americans who inhabited this area. 

Nearby McNary National Wildlife Refuge

We spent a couple hours here one morning before it got too hot

Lone white pelican

Squadron Of Pelicans

Other wading birds - mostly egrets

Lone seagull

Campground at Wheatland Communities Fairgrounds

Main Street In Ritzville

I think the owners have a slight self esteem problem

There were several sculptures around town by the same artist that were amazing - this is all made from steel - even the barrel, the wheels, reins, etc - the detail is amazing - even up close

The trains ran 24 hours a day - most of which had 100+ cars and 3 to 4 engines

The restored train station/museum - fortunately it was open the morning we were walking around town - nice free museum

A couple of the many barnyard animals at the fairgrounds

Mountain Ash berries - a common sight in the area

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho - Kootenai County Fairgrounds

We finally got the RV repaired and will be leaving Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in the morning after a 2-1/2 week stay here at the fairgrounds.  Our warranty claim on the RV work was denied so we had to pay $1200+ that we weren't planning on - stay tuned as we are going to pursue the warranty issue further.

Our  site at the fairgrounds

The lake front area in Coeur d'Alene

Trail map engraved in a granite block - unusual

Views of the bay from one of the trails

Lake Coeur d'Alene from one of the trails

Mounted Shooting competition at the fairgrounds 

Start of the "World's Longest Floating Boardwalk" - it is about 3/4 of a mile long

Views from the boardwalk

Remains of Fort Sherman built in 1878 - includes the original magazine, a chapel and restored officers quarters

Parasailing

While we were at the fairgrounds there was a motocross event (right next to us) that included youth races all the way to professionals

Start of one of the youth races

We also attended a dog show while we were here 

Had to include the Dalmatian as we used to have one