Home Again - September 4, 2021

Home Again - September 4, 2021

We're home again ... we drove by Lake Powell and were struck by how low the water levels were ... one could barely see the lake.  

We were also struck by how difficult it will be to transform the transportation sector to more fuel efficient vehicles when the roads were filled with fellow travelers in large vehicles to tow even larger trailers, outsized motor homes, double and triple trailer commercial trucks carrying goods from point A to point B.  We're fully aware that we are part of this fuel-driven source of green house gases and that so much change will have to happen to convert the fuel-based part of our economy.  It is hard to wrap one's brain around the magnitude of the change that is needed ... particularly while driving during Labor Day holiday traffic.

It was good to get home ... to get Bambi unloaded and tucked back into his storage unit.  

And, clearly, Coco was glad to be back home to relax on "her" couch again ...

KOA Fillmore to KOA Flagstaff, AZ - September 3, 2021

KOA Fillmore to KOA Flagstaff, AZ - September 2, 2021

Another long day of driving, 375 miles, to arrive in Flagstaff.  Funny ... after all of our time in the Pacific Northwest with only one night of modest rain, we arrive in Flagstaff in the midst of a downpour.  It was hard to set up in all of the rain, but like most desert rains, it did pass and we were able to finish setting up for the night.  

KOA Flagstaff is perhaps the liveliest of the KOAs that we've ever stayed at ... campers, tents, teepees and cabins ... lots of children playing ... it just feels like a holiday campsite.  And, it was booked with Labor Day celebrants.

 Olivia and her two sons, Rouge and Rojo celebrated their return to KOA Flagstaff with Coco ...

And Coco was eager to get back on the road again ... from her perch (bed) in the back seat of Fritz ...

KOA Twin Falls to KOA Fillmore, Utah - September 2, 2021

KOA Twin Falls to KOA Fillmore, Utah - September 2, 2021

Labor Day traffic is beginning to pick up.  We traveled 361 miles from Idaho to KOA Fillmore in Utah.  Actually we have used this KOA before and found it spacious, with large cottonwood trees to provide shade, and an incredible amount of wind blowing across the valley in which this KOA is located.  

We're finishing up food ... including a tomato-habanero salsa that we made from some habaneros and tomatoes that were gifted to us by Jim from his garden ...

KOA Pendleton to KOA Twin Falls, Idaho - September 1, 2021

KOA Pendleton to KOA Twin Falls, Idaho - September 1, 2021

We have entered the land of the "unmasked" once we drove from Oregon into Idaho.  We are not sure what is in the water in Idaho to create a population of "unmasked" (and we fear, unvaccinated) individuals, but it is quite strange to go from the relative social commitment to public health and the safety of all into a land of "unmasked" individuals without regard to social distancing indoors or outdoors.  

It was another long day of driving, 347 miles, which is long when pulling a trailer, to arrive at the KOA in Twin Falls, Idaho.  It might have been nice to spend more time to see Shoshone Falls, but it would have been challenging to detach Bambi from Fritz to drive to the Falls and then to re-attach to continue the drive.  It just wasn't the time or place ... perhaps another time.

Evergreen Coho SKP RV Park in Chimacum, WA to KOA Pendleton in Pendleton, OR - August 31, 2021

Evergreen Coho SKP RV Park in Chimacum, WA to KOA Pendleton in Pendleton, OR - August 31, 2021

Early start in the morning with 355 miles to travel to Pendleton, OR.  We skirted the Schneider Springs fire in Washington.  The air quality was poor, particularly in the mountain valleys.  And, we suspect that there is also smoke coming over from the northern California fires (Dixie and Caldor), but the roads were relatively clear and we seem to have hit the roads before the Labor Day holiday traffic begins.  

KOA campgrounds are not really our idea of camping, but they are convenient and predictable when we are just pushing our way through to a destination.  This one had a shade covered space with a large dog park nearby ... easy to enjoy after a long day of driving.  

Getting Ready to Head Home - August 30, 2021

Getting Ready to Head Home - August 30, 2021

We start our journey home tomorrow ... our stay in the Olympic Peninsula is near an end.  We enjoyed the comfort of our stay at Evergreen Coho SKP RV Park, although a bit too structured for us to consider staying long term ... we searched for land or property to own (although nothing was just right) ... we investigated homes for sale (again, nothing was quite right) ... we thoroughly enjoyed spending time with good friends.  We did get some good walks and hikes into the plan.  

And, we actually turned on the heater in Bambi on a couple of cold mornings ... we wore jackets and wool shirts ... and shivered a time or two while grabbing another layer of clothes to put on ... just what a few desert rats needed to escape the summer heat!  There was only one night with a little bit of rain ... everyone told us not to expect it to always be so lovely ... blue skies, daytime temperatures that were warm with cooling breezes and cool evenings ... and dry!  Plums and apples were ripe ... ready to picked from the tree ... flowers blooming ... Farmer's Markets bursting with farm to market goods.

While Bambi gets himself ready to leave, he wanted to leave folks with a few pictures from Annie's garden ...

Walk along Discovery Bay - Walk through the Preserve - Happy Hour on the Sound - August 29, 2021

Walk along Discovery Bay - Walk through the Preserve - Happy Hour on the Sound - August 29, 2021

We started the day by walking another segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail.  This time starting in Discovery Bay.  The ODT will eventually stretch from Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean along the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula, stretching 135 miles ... right now it is in four separate segments.  We walked a portion of the first segment, the Larry Scott Trail, toward Port Townsend.  The second segment begins on Discovery Bay ... and so did we.

The trail is quite close to US 101, so a fair amount of traffic noise, although the views of Discovery Bay were pleasant, as were the wildflowers in bloom ...

But, our walk did last long because the trail went out into the street (bikes would have no difficulty, but for walkers it is less enjoyable to be walking the roads).

Then we went out to Annie's home on Marrowstone Island for a guided tour of the Preserve with Annie, her canine companion, Nala, and Lara and Valdimir.  Annie purchased a piece of land on Marrowstone Island, an old golf course, and placed it into a land trust in conjunction with the Jefferson County Land Trust program to preserve the land for conservation and education.  It was fascinating to see how the plant, animal, insect life had reclaimed the former golf course to return to a more native state.  Annie plans on transferring the land trust to a group that does environmental education for children ... a wonderful service for the local community.  

We finished the day with a happy hour on Annie's porch ... overlooking Puget Sound ... with cool temperatures and warm friendship.