This time it was our turn.
They have a beautiful home and are well set up with an amazing workshop and garage for their Alpine, plus plenty of space for one or two more Alpines in the driveway. With hookups.
This was premium camping. And with wonderful company too.
We enjoyed a Mother's Day meal together at their favorite Chinese restaurant.
The next morning Alpine went in for its service at A&N Diesel.
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| ready for an annual checkup with Steve Ash |
The Elks Lodge is located in the area where the fires were burning last year. We asked the receptionist if any members were affected by the fires. There were unfortunately several who lost their homes. But the most amazing story she told us was about a young Elk member who lost his home here in Redding and moved to stay with his disabled grandmother who lived in Paradise. A short while later, fires devastated the town of Paradise and his grandmother lost her home too. This young man suffered two losses within a short time. However, his view about the second loss was that it was in fact a blessing because had he not been with his grandmother she would not have made it out of the house in time!
Now that is positive thinking after two major losses within months...
We went for a walk along the river trail adjacent to the Elks and through a neighborhood which is slowly recovering from the fires.
There was a family walking along the path with their daughter and dog. We stopped to chat and found out that they too had lost their home. And they too were grateful that all that was lost was material possessions. The husband was at home alone that evening when the lights went out as the fires spread over the hill behind their house. Thankfully his wife and daughter were at work and he and the dog got out safely. The wife smiled and said that she had been planning to sort through their stuff to finally get rid of the excess and whatever the kids had left in storage at their parents' house. Now it was taken care of!
It was interesting to note how some of the houses along the street were burned whereas the fires missed other homes. There was a lot of construction going on as folks began rebuilding.
A mansion of a home along the river was completely gutted, though the pool and front gates remained intact. The mansions on either side were completely spared.
Even the trees were scorched, now charred skeletons of what they once were. And yet, nature is so tenacious that already there were new shoots growing along a few of the branches.
By contrast, a meadow along the river that escaped the fires was bright with colored flowers and the promise of summer approaching.
In the morning, we continued north along 1-5, and spent the night at a small campground in Myrtle Creek, Oregon, recommended by Tom Polk. It is a great place. We went for a walk along the river and through the small town.
There is a covered bridge, one of many that are in this area.
The next morning we continued on to Jessie Honeyman State Park outside Florence, Oregon.