One character flaw I’ve had to cop to, is that given a choice, I default to the unknown.  Say, for example, I’ve got 3 nights to spend between two places.  I already know we’ll love Lake Siskiyou and will enjoy the lake and the rentals.  On the other hand, North Shore, on Lake Almanor, looks good on the website and is kind of in the Sierras, and I’ve never been in that area.  So, I booked us one night in Siskiyou and two in Almanor.

We stayed for one, leaving a $70 RV site empty and unregretted.

Yep, Almanor is a lake alright. It has water, lots of it, and is quiet, which could either be interpreted as an “undiscovered gem” or “everyone else knows better”.  It’s a big lake, and I was charmed by the flocks of white pelicans and other unidentified birds.  But there’s a smell along the water that always reminds one of foul fowl.  But we have a few inflatables, and the website said it rented SUPs, kayaks, etc.

Except they didn’t.  COVID regs prevented them from renting equipment they couldn’t sanitize. (Hmm. Lake Siskiyou figured it out.)

But that’s okay.  I could catch up on my laundry.

Except I couldn’t. After I stripped the beds and walked through the campground to the laundry, that was also closed, as  I found out only upon inquiry.  They couldn’t sanitize the laundry room to keep it open during COVID.  (Hmm, both parks in the Redwoods figured out how to keep their laundry rooms open.)

We did meet a very nice family and shared their campfire and family adventure stories. They have two kids a few years younger than Wes and who also loved playing Minecraft on their Fire tablets to the exclusion of all the other cool things their parents were showing them, so the kids hit it off right away. And played video games together in the hammock. 

While we had some fun in the lake (and I hope Wes always remembers taking Dwayne and I down on the inflatable alligator), there was too much wind, a rocky beach, and sites so close together that the neighbor’s awning was inches away from our trailer, and we had to move his outdoor carpet while the kids used the outdoor shower to keep from soaking it.  Oh, and in addition to the cost and lack of amenities, they charged 50 cents for a 2 minute shower token, and had no sewer sites. 

When we had stocked up on groceries locally, the cashier joked with us, telling us to pronounce their town “Tah-hoe”, wanting to keep their amazing secret from the crowds of people interested in excellent accommodations, at a beautiful lake with lots to do and great weather.  Well, Almanor, just be yourself.  You’ll be fine.

We got to travel over Grant’s Pass, leaving CA, cutting through OR, and then back down through the shadow of Shasta. 

We pulled into Lake Shasta midafternoon, and the kids were so overcome by heat that they simply couldn’t leave their devices to check out the lake, in spite of my total excitement to be here.

We had been here when Wes was two, during a week we shared with Dwayne’s brother’s family in McCloud.  We spent an afternoon on the beach and paddling around the lake.  I have fond memories.  I knew we’d love this spot, and that the girls would remember it when we got down to the water.  But Dwayne and I ventured forth first and discovered kid gold: an inflatable obstacle course/playground on the water, reminiscent of the last thing the kids did before I thought Wesley got lost and died in Croatia.

We hurried back and insisted the kids had a few minutes to get ready for the best afternoon they would have…today.  Piper was suspicious of our surprise and made a deal that if she didn’t like it, she would be able to go paddle boarding with me and Dwayne.

She liked it. So did her siblings.

And our short afternoon of paddling boarding together convinced Dwayne that we could be a SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) couple who focuses our camping trips on lakes. This lake is particularly beautiful and mostly serene.

The afternoon adventures ended when rentals did. The kids were waterlogged and cold. Dwayne and I had discovered that the campground restaurant was doing a COVID special–take out dinner for 4 for less than $40. We were able to stretch that to 5 with some extra veggies, and you know the best meals are the ones you don’t have to cook yourself. After feasting on pulled pork sandwiches, cornbread, roasted corn, coleslaw, and marvelous key lime pie (both a new flavor and favorite for the kids!), we did a late night bike ride to prove to ourselves that, yep, we really don’t have enough lights or reflectors.

Since that bike ride was a little unsatisfying, I wanted to bike the 7 miles around the lake the next morning. Kyla and Dwayne joined me, but we only made it the first third before turning back. Now I’ll have to go to Siskiyou again just so I can complete the loop!

I’m coming back with paddleboards and bikes…soon, I hope!

Everything is just a little bigger down here outside of Crescent City, CA! We had fun going to the “Trees of Mystery” (lunch out and a fudge snack didn’t hurt, either).

Everyone but Piper liked the new canopy walk. [There was no indication in her first half of life that she would develop a fear of heights or spiders.] We also took the gondola to an overview and did the mile walk back down

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We also were able to explore the Newton B Drury Parkway scenic drive, and coax/threaten our children to go on another hike through the redwoods. The third hike we attempted was a complete mutiny, which just means Dwayne and I got to enjoy ourselves without them.

Like driving down 101, the Redwoods were more beautiful and majestic to us than the kids, who had a hard time looking up from their devices. Dwayne, in his wisdom, occasionally reminded me that we are doing this for us, not them. And the Mama-ism I always fall back to is “Well, I love it enough for all of us!”

We came across this same place almost 13 years ago when we visited Gold Beach, OR, with friends for a week. This is definitely a place to squint at when looking at the ethics behind such a petting zoo, but it does have some fun experiences. We all got to pet a bear cub,

a savannah kitten,

a skunk,

a fox,

a cavy (do you know enough to tell me I’ve misidentified this animal? That’s fine, I’m not staking my reputation on this!),

raccoon,

and, best of all, a ferret. Wesley’s life goal has been realized.

Wesley was so enamored that he was able to buy himself the last ferret stuffie in the gift store. Truffle is nonedible, but Wes credits him for fitting just right while he is sleeping so that he is more likely to sleep on his own now. Yes, he is 10.5, but he still adores snuggling with Kyla. Kyla feels the same way, and we can put them down in their own beds, and they find themselves waking up together, one having sleep-walked to the other’s room in the middle of the night.

I really liked South Beach Park. Not only did we have enough sunshine this morning to dry out most of our damp-for-two-days towels, but after breakfast, the kids and I went back to the boardwalk and lookout, which is really code for the kids frolicked in the waves and I soaked up all the solar energy I could.  It was our first morning starting out at the beach, and of the four beaches we’ve visited this week, this is the one I would have liked another full day at.

But we pushed on to Sunset Bay State Park, a two-and-a-half hour drive down 101.  Dwayne and I wish we could make our kids enjoy the scenery like we do, but I’m sure that tune is as old as time.

Somehow I had it in my head that Sunset beach bookended the southern end of the famous Oregon sand dunes, but the dunes ended at least 20 miles before we got to our campsite.  And the beach access was actually more of an inlet, nearly waveless, but it at least had the possibility for good adventure as Dwayne explored with the kids ways to get over to the island.  They never made it…but they were gone long enough for me to finish my first vacation book uninterrupted. 

However, the name of the state park was not hyperbole.  Even with clouds putting a dark wall up at the horizon, the sunset was still worth the after dinner walk back to the beach. 

Tomorrow, we head out of Beach Land and into the Redwoods!

We began the day with a Forced March of Misery, long hand for “family walk” with appropriate bar setting.  Luckily, setting expectations low enough means we really do have a decent walk together on the nature trails that circumnavigates campground at Beverly Beach State Park.  It had a few kissing bridges and good trails set in the amazing coastal forest.

We broke up our 20 minute journey to South Beach State Park with a 90-minute break at Walmart.  We were not feeling confident about our sagging tires and the extra-long-hose air compressor I purchased did not reach the back tires when plugged into the cigarette lighter.  So, in addition to milk, we bought *another* air compressor that could be plugged in to a regular outlet.  At first seemed like a waste to carry around two, until we realized that it takes about 10 minutes to get the 80psi of pressure in a single tire. And we have six tires. 

After that spurt of adulting, we got to South Beach, which is on the south side of Newport and the northern end of Sand Dune lane.  [It will take us approximately 2.5 hours to drive to Sunset State Park tomorrow, which is the southern end of the dunes.]  Since we already had a reserved campsite, we headed right over the day use lot and straight away for the dunes. 

It was the earliest we had made it to the beach yet—hours before dinner time.  Optimistically, we thought the fog would clear up by evening, but we got more chilly wind than sunshine.  The kids still got plenty wet, and Wes realized that the sand in his eyes/ears/hair probably came from rolling down the dunes.  However, one by one, the kids beached out and headed back to the trailer. 

We hadn’t eaten at camp yet, so when I found myself finishing dinner at the picnic table, and not the beach, I took Susanne-the-Great’s idea, filled up two dish pans, brought them outside, and Kyla washed, Piper rinsed, and Wesley dried, while Dwayne and I put away food and clean dishes.  I love this.

Wes, finally having enough cell reception to talk to BFF at home, was the only one not wanting to explore the campground and surrounding trails on bike.  The girls’ memory must be lousy, because they voted me to lead the bike ride. I really do the best expeditions, but there are always stretches when we find ourselves in, er, challenging terrain.  Tonight, we explored some of paved paths out and around, and then went off-roading.  We were all surprised when we suddenly hit what felt like quicksand—really just puddles of sand on dirt trails that stop a bike cold.  But if we hadn’t gone off the beaten path, we never would have seen the velvet-antlered elk grazing out on the disc golf course, or matched pace with them as they galloped along with (well, perhaps, “away from”) us. 

Wes, in particular, has loved these days and evenings of sand, RV-ing, and little adventures.  The comforts of the motorhome has made us all really happy.  Except for that little time today. The kids may have started competing for who gets to push the slide-out buttons.  We had already brought the slides in when we realized that we hadn’t put Wes’s bike in its travel mode—on our bed.  Once we got it in, Piper was determined to be the first kid to press the “in” button…without looking 2 feet in front of her.  Kyla was putting a few towels away in the bathroom, and Piper closed the slide right into the open bathroom door, completely knocking the entire door frame out of the wall.  Mama was not pleased, and while Piper’s Cheshire grin might be her way of expressing “Oops, I shouldn’t have done that”, it is not really a personal acceptance of responsibility and consequence.  Dwayne and I and the Tool Bucket were able to fix it, and luckily, Dwayne was able to help Piper repair the bigger damage and guided her in a taking more responsibility for setting up the next campsite.

We have just one more night at the beach before heading down to Redwoods—crossing fingers for some serious sunshine tomorrow!

We woke up late to a rain (shoot! left some beach towels “drying” outside), feeling cozy and thankful for the fiberglass tent.  Not wanting to head to a wet beach, we slowly packed ourselves up and headed down to Beverly Beach, close to Newport.  It was still too overcast to enjoy the beach once we got there, so we drove a little further into town, with the hope the famous Oregon Coast Aquarium would be open. It wasn’t, but that just gave us a reason to visit the historic Bayfront, where the famous California sea lions can be heard long before they can be seen.

I spotted a shabby shack that just screamed “fish-n-chips to die for”, and we were able to snag an outside table.  Maybe the fact that we had no trouble getting any table there was an indication that authentic fishing décor does not good food make.  Kyla, bravely, wanted to try oyster stew. In hindsight, I should have prevented it, but we want to encourage the kids to try new things—but I don’t like oysters, and when she didn’t like it, I found myself eating her lunch, giving my fish tacos to Dwayne, so that Kyla could have Dwayne’s fish-n-chips.  You know the endgame: Mama loses.

But it was a fun part of town.  Between the fishing boats and seafood processing plants, industry mixed with ocean tchotchkes and salt water taffy.  The aquarium, our first destination, was closed, as was the very inviting Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, but wandering the old town was a fun afternoon before we headed back toward tonight’s campsite. 

Like yesterday, we packed up our dinner as quickly as we set up the trailer and headed to the beach.  Dwayne did an extra walk to get us firewood, and the kids had their first beach bonfire.  We actually found a spot outlined in driftwood benches that had a fire so recently that some coals still smoked under the sand.  Which was particularly fortunate, because our campsite was a solid 10 minutes away…as were our matches.  But between the previous coals and Dwayne’s smoldering good looks, he was able to start a blaze with his toothpick-sized kindling. 

No magnet pulls a needle north more strongly than the ocean calls my children.  Eventually, my cold, hungry, and happy children happily came back for hotdogs before returning to cliff climbing and hole digging.  Dwayne kept building up the bonfire from half-burned driftwood, and we watched the sunset half-roasted ourselves.  We saw teens go in surfing and come out cold to their family, so we invited them over to warm up at what was truly a vanity bonfire.  Turns out, they are practically neighbors from back home, one town to the west of us.  Fun coincidence.

Finally, it was fully dark and the beach almost empty.  We gathered up our detritus and wearily, but satisfied with another adventure, made it back to our campsite and mostly fell into bed…taking a good part of the beach with us. 

We began the day with a Zoomed memorial service for a neighbor of ours.  He had died a week ago, and I was grateful to be able to at least participate this way. 

After saying good-bye to Brian and Sandi and their girls, we were able to meet old friends at George Fox University, where all the kids were able to run around outside and play on trails in and in cool stream.  Ice cream o’clock found us walking to a local book-and-ice cream store before we had to say our goodbyes.  The drive out to Pacific City is so beautiful—as gorgeous as home is, nestled between the Olympics and the Cascades, western and coastal Oregon is special. 

When we arrived at the Thousand Trails campground, we took our few minutes to set up camp, threw together a picnic dinner and headed over the highway to our first steps in Oregon sand.  Oh, how we love the beach!  I ran with the kids straight for the water, but with more experience than enthusiasm, I stayed dry north of my ankles.  The kids dashed in and out, and Kyla just dove straight into the waves, as a powered glider did tricks for us to my enthusiastic waving.

Mama Duck stayed near until all the kidsicles came out and buried themselves in cool towels, warm sand, and hot sandwiches.  Wes just stuck his hair right into the sand to immediately dissolve any hope I would ever have of not cleaning out sand from the trailer for the next 8 years we will own it.  Luckily, we have an outdoor shower, and I quickly set up a head-to-toe cleaning system before any of them were allowed in to collapse in exhaustion in their bunks. 

Oh, we are going to love this vacation!

We love Beaverton!  Sure, it has beloved family but we love them no matter where they live.  But this “little” town outside of Portland has charm, tidiness, and lovely walkable parks and neighborhoods. My nieces are particularly adorable and Piper loves to be with her young cousins, happily carrying Taryn on her hip on the walk back to the house after a “black booberry” fest and family walk. 

Getting out of the house took two full days and 3 hours on Saturday morning.  It can be complicated to leave for 3 weeks, and we’re lucky to have a family house- and pet-sitting for us while we’re adventuring, but there are lots of details to manage to get a house ready to be occupied by a whole new group, the RV completely ready for our first long journey, especially while prepping the cabin AirBnB business for my absence and our home property for major construction in the next month.  Maybe not a great time to leave, but if we waited until the perfect time, well, we’d never leave home.

In the meantime, we started the trip well, getting to see my brother and his beautiful family, enjoying the best of their beautiful home, and our separate sleeping quarters, and being fed rather fabulously.  Thanks, Brian and Sandi, for hosting us so well!