Fall in Elkton

We have been enjoying the mild temperatures and great fall colors since being back in Elkton. After the sub freezing temps at Collier State Park, lows in the 50s feels like a real luxury. The plan is to hang around Elkton until after the 15 of November when we will take off for California. Incidentally, ODOT has a new road cam on the east end of this Elk Creek Bridge, which is the junction of Highway 38 and 138.  Check it out here. 

Escape from the Snow

Here is what Jeanette and I escaped from by leaving Collier Memorial State Park Yesterday! This photo by Thom Hoch at their campsite this morning in LaPine State Park, which is about the same elevation as Collier. Thom and his wife Dar are fellow RVers and we follow their bog, RV Sabbatical Journal.


We did make it home to Elkton this morning after some great service by the guys at Les Schwab Tires in Roseburg.

Almost Home

Today we attempted an escape to home in Elkton. The change in the weather to rain and snow prompted the park to close the Gift Shop.  This caused us to look a little closer at the weather forecast, concluding that today would be the best day to get over the Cascades before the upcoming snowstorms. This morning the road cam on Highway 138 near Diamond Lake showed no snow and a temp of 44 degrees.  By noon we were packed, unplugged, and pulling out of the campground. As we climbed the grade to Diamond Lake it started snowing, getting thicker and heavier by the minute, but all we could do was press on and get on down to lower elevations. We made it, and when we stopped for groceries in Roseburg I discovered a leaky valve stem on the right hand inner dual. Because it’s Sunday, Les Schwab is closed, so tonight we are parked in their parking lot here in Roseburg awaiting their morning opening.  It’s not a bad deal at all, we’re warm and cozy, had dinner and showers and are relaxing with computers and TV. When your home is on wheels I guess you’re always home.  

Sittin' by the Stove

A little too cold to sit outside this morning, so here I am with my butt planted firmly by the stove. I did leave the warm of the stove this afternoon to move the motor home back to the campground, as they were finished with the burn. With the change in weather, this may be where I’ll be spending my time.

Me & Ursula

With the campground closed as a precautionary measure due to the burn, business was really down at the Gift Shop today.  I guess the majority of our customers must come from the campground.  Anyway, it was so slow I ended up striking up a friendship with Ursula the Donation Bear.  She was sort of miffed due to lack of donations I think. It was probably one of the situations when it’s best not to say anything, just be there as a friend.

Camping in a Museum

One of the fun things about having an RV is camping in different locations.  It’s kind of exciting and interesting each time you set up in a new location and adjust and get acquainted with your surroundings. Today’s move added another element, our first time to camp inside a museum!  The logging museum here at Collier Memorial State Park is world famous, and because it is such a large scale it is located outside.  However, when they close and lock the gate tonight, we will be ----well, -- locked in a museum.  I wonder if there are any ghosts of loggers past? Perhaps a tired old cat skinner, who with bony hands, grabs the levers on the old D7, and causes it to rattle out across the parking lot. 

Prudent Move

We found out this afternoon that we will have to move from our site in the campground tomorrow because on Thursday the Forest Service is going to conduct a burn on the meadow next to the campground. As you can see from the thick pine forest in the campground, moving is indeed the prudent thing to do. Although it’s called a “controlled burn”, I can recall a number of controlled burns that have gotten out of control.  We will move temporarily to the Logging Museum parking lot for Wednesday and Thursday nights, then back to our site on Friday.