Roaming Map, Right.....

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Logger’s Jubilee 2013


Hightlights:
Never been to one, thought it would be fun, it was. Crowded, buggie, kids and allergies cut it short by a day. Lawn Mower racing, Parade, Bed Racing, Flea Market and of course the Loggers… They’re ‘Knutts’.. heheh amazing.



Details:
Went to the Loggers thing as I’ve never been to one.  It was fun and with the different events kept busy. Campsite was nice, but a little on the dark side and of course the BKT’s were out in full force along with an allergy, Gawd knows where that came from, but had to leave a day early – Med’s didn’t work. 

Wed:  
Met Old Dive Buddy Kelly Smith there with his rig,  beer & mosquitoes the first night.

Thurs:
Drove out to the Mt St Helen’s Eastern lookout. Looked like a hop-skip-jump to the Windy Ridge Site.. Yikes, big mistake.  Not only Sloooow, driving and Curvy, but bumpy, like a child’s rollercoaster.. I actually started getting Car Sick on way back.

Friday:  
Flea Market, lunch and then the Lawnmower racing, knutts.  They had a “Ladies” run then the “Man’s”run.  Both were Knutts… time trials , then 3-4 per race.  They put curves in the track to actually slow them down to help prevent injuries.  A few crack ups, stalls and one they actually had to push them across the finish line.  Funny.

Sat  
Sponsored breakfast, bed racing – fun to watch, parade, then lunch at the arcaded and the loggers thing afternoon to night.  I Left around 4-ish or 5-ish as too much sun and tired.  Same old thing..”See a tree, Log/chop/cut/saw/throw/climb it. – done…”
Loggers? They’re “Knutts” climbing up poles and pretty much free falling down, sawing logs and with the “Dragster – Fueled Chain Saw (the stainless steel one in Pics) cut through that log in 1.9 sec..  Smoke’n to say the least.  You could smell the fuel, not gas…  but Dragster Stuff. Some chopping, axe throwing and log choking (cables around logs – 50lbs each) wore me out just watching it.  Skipped the log rolling as they all seem to be on “Morton Time”.

Sun:
I was up all night with Allergies, meds didn't work at all.  Went through a half roll of TP chasing the “Running Nose”..
Decided enough already and after talking with a site next to mine having the same problem, I decided enough was enough, packed up and headed on home a day early.  Seems to be something in the area, trees I suspect but???

A fun trip, good experience but time to move on to the next “Down to earth Trip”.  Got tired of the Bugs, putting on the DEET mix (Off), Sun, Heat.   Did the Combine Demo Derby last year, this Logger thing and next year booking the Tractor pulls in Tri-cities for next year.

Round Trip Miles:     177 mi
Drive Time One Way:     1.9 hrs  (Hwy  WA 161 & WA-7)
Nights in “Le Droppe”:     5
 Links to the Campsites:  
Taidnapam Park (Tacoma Light & Power)  

Google Map:   Route Map


Fun..

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

PNW Tear Drop Group Meeting


Highlights:
This was the 3rd Annual Camping trip of Tear Drop Trailers.  A great group.  Train ride was a highlight.

Details:
Four day weekend trip down to the Morton, WA area at Tacoma L&P Mossyrock Park. 
I drove down the inside passage and other than strip center traffic was a very nice trip through the green valleys, winding around on a 2 lane highway.

Camped in the Tent area off to the left of the park, just grass and tables, pit toilets.
Went on the Train ride, would recommend the Cab Ride, apx $75 going up so you can experience the power and fire flashes and watch the Engineer and Fireman/Tender control the beast.  You go up, pretty scenery to the train depot station, cruise around on foot to the maintenance sheds and back down.  ride is about 40 min or so.

Then back for fun and games, campfire and "Green Box" (aka pot lucks).
Weather was good, no rain, no wind, too much sun.


7/25/2013  Frank's OTRA  PNW Tear Drop Campout at Mossyrock, WA

Round Trip Miles:     206 mi
Drive Time One Way:     2.15 hrs
Nights in "Le Droppe":     3
Google Map:    Route Map 
Links to the Campsites:   

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Sunday, August 4, 2013

Zion & Bryce Canyon, Utah




Highlights: 

Visit Bryce and Zion canyon parks. No hiking, just driving around, was nice but not mind blowing as I would have thought.


Details:
Game plan was to meet Kelly S at the KOA campsite in Cedar, UT and explore the two canyons.  It's a big place and nice to see the formations and colors.  A little driving around though and seeing the "Lava Flow" right up to the road was amazing.  

Campsite was excellent in that it was centrally located, clean, right next to town for ease of use and near the freeway for traveling along.  Did a loop from the north end to Bryce and then back across the hills to Cedar.  Nice, but long.


I'd go back but hit the Eastern side which I believe is the better side of the two.  At least we "Knocked" this side off the list, once is enough unless I got out to hike it.  Then maybe a different story.  Especially at Zion up the streams...


Photo Gallery Here 


Miles:   2220 apx 

Drive Time One Way:   12.5 hrs
Nights in "Le Droppe":   10 nights
Google Map:   Route Map 
Links to the Campsites: 
Cedar City 
(Two other ones can't remember - Twin falls, down in a gully, quite nice easy to miss and one on the way back, fergit)

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Fun...



DAM Meet - Mt Shasta, CA




Highlights: 
Crater Lake. Got to Mt Shasta, left after 20 min, too hot-buggy-dry-crowded. rerouted to Klamath Falls, Crater lake was the highlight.

Details:
Hmmmm.... Well, the best laid plans of mice & men...

It's just me, I know, I know, but after driving 10hrs from Seattle to Antlers a quick drive round about the loops and I KNEW this wasn't going to work. Luckily I met up with Sarah and Joan but alas, eventually they tried to convince me but didn't work.

After about 20-min driving around the park, aside from knowing the fellow Camp Inn campers - I left. Just couldn't see any reason to stay, not my Cup O' Tea.. min 2-6 TDs per site, mosquitoes (Sarah found those little buggars...) Wasps, dirt/dust/ hot, just not going to work. Left after about 20 mun, headed and stayed at Klamath Fall KOA which was actually nice. My thinking is KOAs are good during the OFF season.  Sort of like McDonalds, mostly clean and you know what you'll get.

After KOA (today driving for Wed was 13 hrs headed up to Palisades Park that Bob & Kathy suggested. Saw it, different name and Garmin kept saying it's .4 miles.. continued on, marina... along the river, crossed the bridge, up to the closed Deschutes park, back down a river, single lane bridge (and yes, I was getting my doubts Garmin knew where it was) back up to the butt, end up along a dusty=dirt road for about a mile and finally sunk in. Never use the GARMIN to pinpoint a state park. It shows you the center of the 20-SqMilesk miles of the park itself. went back to the park found a spot and tried to figure out what was taken or not. Figured I'd just stay to Sun when I actually had a RSVP. Sigh... I was also off a day, thinking it was Wed.. bottom line, stayed one night, now up at Maryhill SP and enjoying it. 2-3 days, not sure yet, but warm, grass open spaced... sweet...
So, I certain everyone had a good time, jut not my Cup O'Tea...
cheers..

5/1/2013 Frank's OTRA DAM gathering Mt Shasta, CA

Round Trip Miles:   1176 mi appx (rerouted back via Klamath Falls)
Drive Time One Way:   9.8 via I-5
Nights in "Le Droppe":   3 nights
Google Map: Route Map 

Links to the Campsites: 


__________

Camp-out - Lopez Island, WA


Highlights: 
Just a weekend relaxed camping at the Beach. Love Lopez.  

Details:
Went to the Spit on the other side, but mainly just sat on the beach like bumps on a log, watching the ferry go by...
We used to dive it, but Sigh, old age and not wanted to break and ankle climbing over the rocks makes it just a "Relaxing" trip watching the ferries go  by.

Dove the bay there, not much there, just like a "Moonscape".  Rocks on the side were pretty barren when not covered by Kelp.  Just not worth dragging/cleaning/rinsing gear for a Moonscape dive.




3/27/2013 Frank's OTRA - Lopez Island, WA

Round Trip Miles: 200 mi
Drive Time One Way: 2.8 (ferry ride and wait time)
Nights in "Le Droppe": 3
Google Map: Route Map 
Links to the CampsitesOdlin Park





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Water Falls - Deschutes



Highlights of the Trip
Trying to capture the Waterfalls in the area along the Columbia River in Oregon. 

Details:
Unfortunately got "Blown Out" with Gale force winds and rain squalls.
I was able to drive around so i now know the locations and what is needed.  Also a lot of signs warning about car break-ins.  I had all my camera and computer gear in car so a little hesitant to leave it.
 Will redo after Summer.

Photo Gallery here 


Round Trip Miles:   500mi (down I-5 due to weather)
Drive Time One Way:   4.0
Nights in "Le Droppe":   2
Google Map:   Route Map 

Links to the Campsites:   Deschutes River State Park 
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