A Long Silence because...

It was Easter weekend when we arrived at Lake Pleasant RV Park from Pismo, thankful to find reservations at this popular and only highly-rated park in the Seattle area. Except for a short break to join friends for a pre-arranged outing to the Oregon coast which I will write about next in a separate post, we ended up staying in the Seattle area through July 6th, parking our home at Lake Pleasant RV Park, then at the Puyallup Elks, Dash Point State Park and back at Lake Pleasant.

A lot has happened in that period, and now that I have had time to reflect and get back to posting again, I realize just how choppy, emotional, stressful and busy the past three months have been. We were in fact experiencing the yin and yang of life’s extremes, and the closing of one chapter just as another begins with the newest very active little leaf on the family tree. 

Our daughter, her husband and baby son came to visit the family for 10 days at the end of May. It was wonderful to spend time with them and the baby (the same baby we flew to meet in Bangkok when he was born). And it was particularly special that Kathleen was able to see her grandfather one last time, and to introduce their 6-month old son to his great-grandfather. 
Michael’s father passed away peacefully at home at the beginning of June, with most of the family at his bedside, a day after our daughter, her husband and baby son flew back home. 

Four months ago, all four of our parents were still with us. We have now each lost a parent since the beginning of the year.  For many of our friends, saying goodbyes to parents has come earlier. It is simply our turn now.  Between the uplifting and happy periods with our adorable grandson and his parents, there were the sad spells of watching Dad’s life come to a close. 
The following weeks were busy, helping and supporting Mom, and particularly for Michael who spent the next weeks working on estate matters.

We have now left Lake Pleasant and are heading south to Oregon to join our NorCal (Northern California) Alpine group for a Mystery Rally. Other than meeting up in Corvallis, Oregon the final destination remains a mystery. On Monday when our group gathers in Corvallis we will learn where we will spend the next week.
It feels good to be back in the saddle again! With any luck, I will be back to regular posts after an almost 3-month break.

Here follows a more detailed account of what occupied us, and about the various places we called home after arriving back in Washington State:

April 15 to May 15 we stayed at Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell.  It is conveniently located to Michael's folks and the hospital. As its name implies, it is in fact a pleasant place to stay and the managers were very accommodating when they heard about our family situation. The only negative is that Wi-Fi is through Tengo and limited to an hour per day of free coverage. 
The 200 RV sites border the long, narrow lake. There is a small golf course and there are trails which were perfect for Michael to do his morning runs. It's approximately a mile to do a complete circuit around the lake, perfect for my morning walking routine to do 2 or 3 laps, and often an evening stroll after dinner. Despite being located along a main road, the park is surprisingly quiet. The only noise we heard was the frogs at night and the families of geese and ducks during the day.
We arrived in the spring, just as the goslings and ducklings were hatching. I enjoyed seeing the fluffy chicks on my morning walks.

The park has strict rules, one in particular is sure to get your attention:

I wonder why this particular number was chosen....

May 16th we left for Oregon to meet the Hicks at Jesse Honeyman State Park in Oregon. That post will follow this one.

We left Oregon on May 22nd and returned to Washington when Michael's Dad took another turn for the worse. 
We stayed at the Elks in Puyallup for a week, a central location to visit Michael's parents and also close to where our daughter, son-in-law and baby grandson would be staying during their visit at the end of May. 
The grounds at the Elks are large and the camp sites pretty level. There is 30 amp electricity at the sites but no water. There is a dump station and tap to fill water tanks. 

The Puyallup River Trail is close by which was convenient to keep up with our exercise routine. I did my daily walks and Michael did his alternate morning runs along the trail that followed alongside the river. 
The cottonwoods were blooming in May and a couple of times the air was thick with white seeds making it look like it was snowing. The air was so thick with the white fluff we had to be careful not to breathe it in!

it looks like snow but it's cottonwood seed

the Puyallup Riverwalk trail stretches
for approximately 5 miles

We learned about the Puyallup River Watershed being home to three federally protected species of fish: chinook, steelhead and bull trout. The river flows more than 54 miles from the southwest slopes of Mt Rainier to Commencement Bay.

the screw trap that counts the fish

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians considers this river an integral part of their cultural history and identity. Together with the State of Washington, the tribe co-manages research and monitoring of each year's run of salmon. A tribal employee who was counting the fish one morning explained to us the purpose of the screw trap we saw along the river. The trap is used to estimate the number of juvenile salmon migrating from fresh water to the ocean. Migration occurs in the spring and summer. The salmon are identified, counted and measured for length. Data is collected to gain information about migration timing and survival rates.

On a cloud-free day, we saw Mt. Rainier in all its glory. The sight always elicits wonder at this gigantic white mass rising up out of seemingly nowhere. Previously from our home we viewed the mountain from the north. Here in Puyallup we were closer to the mountain, and seeing it from a different angle, and it loomed even larger and wider.















We also saw this sign, a reminder that we live in volatile country. Evacuation routes are typically posted along the shore where there is a threat of a tsunami. But mother nature's wrath is equally dangerous close to a potentially active volcano with its resultant lahar mudslide following an eruption.

At the end of May, we moved from the Puyallup Elks to Dash Point State Park in Federal Way for a week when our daughter and husband arrived with our grandson from overseas and stayed at his parents' house. Dash Point is a beautiful park and campground along the shores of Puget Sound with many miles of trails meandering through thick forests.  A one-mile trail led to the Twin Lakes neighborhood where our son-in- law's parents live, so we were able to spend a lot of time together.  

a great site with full hookups close to the beach

walking the trail to visit the kids

baby came to visit us in Alpine

we had a picnic dinner one evening

the kids came over for breakfast one morning

proud grandparents gramping with their favorite grandson

our Alpine driver in training

On June 5th we returned to Lake Pleasant RV Park and have remained there until today. This has been a very busy and challenging period, in particular for Michael. As the oldest son and executor, he has had to deal with the estate and all the legal and administrative issues for his mother. It is accurate to say that he has worked harder than the proverbial donkey for the past month putting Mom's affairs in order.

Lake Pleasant was an ideal location during this difficult time. We spent most of our time with Mom but also found time to visit friends and previous neighbors. We had dinner with the Langords and the Leggs a week ago, and met our Escapee chapter group for their lunch gathering. I joined my line dancing group and also met up with my weekly sewing group when convenient. I discovered that there is a quilt shop a mere half mile away from the RV park and walked there a couple of times. It is very well stocked with a wide range of fabrics. There were also moments when I set up the sewing machine and picked away at a few more projects. 

a simple machine for simple seaming - love that little Featherwieght!

And while we were at Lake Pleasant, we met another couple who also have an Alpine and have recently started full-timing. They too were here under sad and difficult circumstances facing the passing of a family member. I realized that the Alpine family is there to support one another in good times and in bad. This time we were two Alpines in mourning.

By the time we were ready to move on, the goslings we first saw in April grew up and are now barely distinguishable from their parents. The parents still remain protective of their teens and a couple of times on my walk they hissed at me and wouldn't let me pass. Now that the cute chicks have grown up, they eat a lot more. The unfortunate consequence is that their "output" is as abundant as that of their goose parents, making it challenging to side-step their deposits while walking around the lake.  Everyone agrees that they wish the Canadian geese would go back to Canada!

all grown and getting ready to fly south in a few months

Yesterday we struck camp and drove the short distance to Kent where Alpine went in for a service at Pacific Power Group, recommended by Scott Hicks. 

The Kent KOA is literally down the road, and a convenient place to spend a couple of nights. It's very popular because of its proximity to Seattle, reflected in the price of $65 per night for 30 amp. However it is along a noisy road and directly across the street from Amazon's fulfillment center. The park looks a little "tired", and the sites are so small and narrow that I wondered how Michael was going to be able to maneuver into our spot. But of course, this is an Alpine and the driver is an expert at avoiding obstacles! 

KOA across road from Amazon

There was a rally group from Louisiana at the park. They are part of a scooter club and were enjoying scooting around, touring the Seattle area.  When we arrived the group had just returned from a 60-mile round trip ride to Snoqualmie Falls.

We also met a family from South Africa touring with their daughters. The South African flag on the back of their rented RV was the clue, so of course we knocked on their door the next morning to say hello. 

Tomorrow we will continue to the Salem Elks in Oregon. On Monday it will be a short drive to Corvallis to meet our rally group. Our hosts will reveal the destination once we have all gathered. Counting the addresses on the email distribution list, there will be 22 coaches attending. It should be a fun week judging by the names on the list.  

Quick Trip to Oregon Coast

We had made arrangements with our Alpine friends, Marcia and Scott Hicks, several months ago to join them in mid May at Jesse Honeyman State Park on the Oregon coast. Jesse Honeyman happens to be one of our favorite parks where we have spent time previously. It didn't take us long to accept their invitation and make reservations back in January.
At the time we were scheduled to be at Jesse Honeyman, Michael's Dad was in a nursing/rehab place in weak but stable condition. Michael's brother arrived to be in town so that we could continue with our plans. We were there from May 17th through 22nd before returning  back to Washington. 
The break was welcome and we enjoyed ourselves. 

We took a couple of days to drive down, southbound on I-5, stopping at the Longview Elks for the night. The next day it was an easy drive through Portland to Eugene, and then east along Rt 126 to Florence, which is  the town just north of Jesse Honeyman State Park. The trip went smoothly except for a slight hiccup when a section of the road was closed due to a fatal accident and we were detoured through small country lanes and part gravel road before reconnecting with Rt 126 beyond the accident. 
The drive through the Siuslaw National Forest and along the river was quite scenic.

The campground adjoins the Oregon Dunes and is located in a pretty, forested area with two lakes. Our campsite was across from the access trail to the dunes which we walked several times, climbing up to the top of the dune.

trail leading to the dunes

view across dunes to the ocean in the far distance

sunset from the top of the dunes

A couple of times we watched dune buggies racing across the white sandy expanse.

the sand really is that white

In 1972 Congress recognized the unique value of the Oregon Dunes and designated it a National Recreation Area. Extending for 40 miles along the Oregon Coast between Florence and Coos Bay, these dunes are like no others in North America. Wind sculpted dunes tower almost 500 feet above the ocean shore and blend with rivers, lakes, and temperate rainforests to create a remarkable and diverse ecosystem. They offer many recreation opportunities. We watched several dune buggies racing across the white expanse. A simpler and less noisy activity is for kids to trudge up a dune and scoot down on boogie boards or even a piece of cardboard. For us, a simple walk trudging through the soft sand was a workout. 

The day before we left, we drove to South Jetty Dune, surprised at the distance to actually access the beach. We parked and still had to climb up and over the dune to get to the ocean shore. The wind was pretty brisk that day so we walked a short distance before heading back. 

the Pacific, the beach bum, and the tall dunes

There are many trails that wind throughout the state park. We walked along several of them, catching glimpses of the Cleawox and Woahink Lakes. The rhodies were in full bloom.

We explored the nearby town of Florence. There is an historical bridge across the Siuslaw River. Built as part of the Coast Bridges Project, this bridge is one of five built during the Great Depression, from 1934 to 1936. It was funded through the Public Works Administration as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal providing employment to struggling families along the Oregon Coast. The first cars, bicycles and pedestrians crossed the Siuslaw Bridge on March 31st, 1936 in a parade.

Michael, Scott and the Siuslaw Bridge

enjoying a stroll and ice cream along the board walk trail along the Siuslaw River

Scott and Michael standing below the projection room
 in the original movie theater building
owned and operated by Scott's father, now a shoe store 

Main Street Florence

Our stay coincided with Florence's Rhododendron Festival weekend and town parade. We enjoyed our first time ever small town festival, with all its pomp, ceremony, royal rhododendron court, floats, vintage vehicles, and various local organizations parading down Main Street. 

our group had front row seats

Marcia and a few of her Sisters on the Fly group paraded their vintage trailers

those of us who have had our Alpines worked on by Bobby and Scott from
Amazing Creations will recognize their green monster machine! Bobby 
recognized us as he paraded past

We also got to view the rhododendron display and admired the exquisite blooms, several of which won ribbons and prizes.