CLATSKANIE-OR~RV Outdoor Adventures & Cabins

May 19th: (((YES)))!

We booked an RV Space for 5 weeks :-)

That will give us time to do what needs doing … and plenty of time to engage in free & easy newlywed time (we haven't had much of that) ;-)

When we reached Clatskanie - and followed directions to 'RV Outdoor Adventures' … I liked the concept of being in the country :-)

We crossed over a wooden bridge, and onto a gravel roadway.

I saw rabbits chewing on grass alongside the gravel road.

I saw a sign warning drivers to drive slowly because of bunny activity.

Rabbits; I assumed they were wild rabbits.

It's a nice, rural setting - literally a back field. PERFECT!

Who are you & what are you doing here; this bunny seemed cantankerous.

Very eye-catching.

There were rabbits everywhere; the RV Park Owner had brought them in, and set them loose.

The Park Owner was friendly. She was helpful.

But she wanted cash (no card service), and she wanted proof of RV Insurance … which we had purchased … but we had not yet received it in the mail; Holland had a printout on his cell phone - but, his phone would not sync to hers.

So, we had to drive all the way back to our Longview Bank, to get cash; and since we were already that way, we decided to stop by the Rainier Insurance Office for a print-out, on our way back to the RV site.

All these {legalities} complications to cover the Park Owner's hind-end, was shaving hours off a busy day that we couldn't afford: like I mentioned before … until we get things set in place we will need for boondocking, we are dependent on other people's whims & demands.

How did such a simple life goal get so freaking complicated????

I can't wait until we can skip all this 'legalities' crap - and start our solitary boondocking adventures.

Back to Rainier to collect 'proof of Insurance' …

Back at the RV site - and having satisfied the Owner … Holland rested, and Bleu and I went for a short hike. The atmosphere was very relaxed. The background sounds are definite country sounds: a braying donkey, a crowing rooster, quacking ducks, and bleating goats. The RV sites are on the backend of a working farm.

That's okay with me- I like country life :-)

More rabbits by the hiking trail near the creek.

Pacific bleeding-heart (Dicentra Formosa); heart shaped flowers.

Blue Columbine.

A reminder of our place in the Universe.

A hiking trail … there are several around the Park premises.

The creek.

Deer tracks.

Bleu is enjoying himself here …

A tent site; I like the way it's arranged.

There are nice Cabins on the upper level of the camp ground.

An interesting bench - the wood slab is bolted to the boulders.

Very LARGE conks.

The Restrooms are on the lower section of the campground.

Our space; we bought the bikes 2 days ago - they will be fitted with electric motors on the wheels.

Nothing was retrieved from the Longview Storage Unit - which had been the main goal of our day, when we woke up that morning!

It had been a long & tiring day, with very little getting accomplished :-(

However, Bleu had worn himself out exploring the grounds … and that meant we got to sleep through the night :-)

Bleu is totally worn out; we will get peaceful sleep tonight. LOL

And we have the site for 5 weeks.

We are retired - Holland is learning to be a relaxed retiree.

We are still newlyweds; nothing has to be rushed.

HUDSON-PARCHER RV PARK IN RAINIER-OR

May 18th: Holland and I were friends for a year before we married. We have only been married 19 weeks; and in that short span of time, we have shifted two households-rearranged 2 sets of individual holdings-and totally moved out of one place and into another: Holland twice, me once.

From January 2023, to the current date, we traveled through 3 States to get married: and 17 States to purchase a Home we can mold into our space.

And let's not forget Bleu … we also traveled for hours to purchase him, and bring him into our New Life ;-)

That is a lot of {adjusting} in a little over 4 months.

Presently, while we are back in familiar territory for awhile settling accounts (though now living across the Columbia River, in Oregon), we are doing our level best to clear the storage unit; and set up housekeeping in our 5th Wheel.

This is our second day here, at this Park. We need to find another place to park tomorrow - hopefully for a full month, while we tie up loose ends, locally.

The first thing on today's agenda is to get Bleu a flea bath - and his toenails clipped: they are cutting the skin on Holland's arms, to ribbons. So, an appointment was made at THE DOG ZONE off Industrial Way in Longview-WA. We dropped Bleu off there to be dipped and clipped, while we tended to business downtown (Bank drop-by/buying bedding for our new bed/groceries), and grabbed some boxes out of storage for sorting after we get back home, in Rainier-OR.

Bleu watching Holland walk into The Dog Zone.

We drove past this building, and Holland told me he and his brother Mark, did this building. I told him I had been in that building with Bob: we are always amazed at how often our paths crossed, before we actually met.

Holland's favorite colors … with a 'manly' comforter that matches the RV's interior colors.

We had drastically downsized personal belongs before we sold the house in Heron Pointe: but looking at the stacks of boxes and crates in the storage unit, we know we need to downsize more.

There are hard decisions to be made.

The things we had kept (and we chose carefully), and hoped to keep, represented huge chunks of the life we knew individually - things we knew we could comfortably dove-tail and weave into the Life we are building together.

But realistically there is not enough space for much of those things in the 5th Wheel. We will have to sacrificially downsize even more.

I had lived in a 5th Wheel for 8 years, so this is nothing new to me. But my last 5th Wheel had more storage space.

This 5th Wheel has more living space (with the slide-outs), but storage space is skimpy. I'm going to have to get creative to store more.

Thankfully we did not have to cull many more clothes - my shoes and handbags are another thing altogether; and Holland will have to start cherry-picking through his tools, and keep only the absolute necessities.

We keep reminding ourselves that personal scarifies are beneficial to the whole.

There will have to be wise choices made :-(

This relic chimney of the present Hudson-Parcher County Park & RV Site, made me think of how the remnants of our past lives is being reshaped into what we have together now - in the present.

An old-time chimney in the Hudson-Parcher RV Park; remnant of this Park's past life.

As of right now - the only thing we are not willing to sacrifice is what we have found together.

Our life now is a life on the move. And until we get a generator and an 'anywhere' internet hookup, we are reliant on available RV sites.

Holland confirming our Clatskanie RV spot; while I tackle the stuff we brought back from storage.

We are letting go of what we knew … and are actively embracing a joint venture ;-)

Extreme - 'More Than Words' song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxczAgyhvdM)

OREGON~OUR NEW BED & Hudson-Parcher County Park

We had made it to Oregon; and spent the night at a Rest Area: Bleu was as good as gold, and slept the entire night through. He is 10 weeks old, now, and settling in with us.

Taking him for his morning 'duty walk', I saw some pretty yellow lilies - but I remembered Holland's warning from yesterday … and kept Bleu and me on the gravel ;-)

Stayed the night at a Rest Area, in eastern Oregon.

A wild yellow lily.

On the road again, I enjoyed the sights seen along the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge: I normally drive the Washington side (and think that is more scenic), but the Oregon side was interesting to experience.

It's been a while since I've been that way.

I pointed out the Stonehenge & Maryhill Museum to Holland - I have been to the museum many times, but have never visited the mock Stonehenge structure; but I know where it is located.

Windmills across the river; along the WA side of the gorge.

The John Day Locks & Dam; seen along the Oregon gorge route.

JOHN DAY LOCK & Dam location.

John Day Lock & Dam; recreational.gov ariel photo.

WA State near the Maryhill Museum-WA; across the River.

Stonehenge-WA:

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryhill_Stonehenge)

Maryhill Museum-WA; across the River.

Maryhill Museum:

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryhill_Museum_of_Art)

Mt. Hood; seen from the gorge area.

I love the Gorge; I rarely see the WA side from the OR side.

We were excited to reach our destination at Jantzen Beach Mall :-)

We were happy to change out the old mattress with a new one … and an electrified base that would lift our heads up (our feet, too, when we want that).

Our goals are finally getting underway :-)

We bought the set together, but had to run across the city to the warehouse to grab the mattress base.

All the guys (from Jantzen Beach Mall, to the Warehouse) were helpful, and very friendly.

We've arrived! Purchased our bed at Mattress World; Jantzen Beach Mall-OR.

Old mattress out …

New mattress in. YAY!

We'll be sleeping in comfort tonight.

Going after the electrified frame.

The Mattress World Warehouse; Clackamas-OR.

It's happening …

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Slide-out slid out, so the guys could get to work - comfortably.

The legs were removed from the electrified base - we don't need them.

New bed installed, we started tracking down a place to set up for the night. Eventually, we will start our boondocking adventure - but right now, Holland's disability appointment (he seriously hurt his back on a construction job = early retirement) & my eye appointment (every 2 years) are throwing a kink in those plans :-(

We are praying and hoping for healings, but healing take place on Elohim's time schedule … not ours. It will happen when it happens. For the time being, we just go with the flow; trusting and believing Elohim's promises to those who are His.

Tracking down an RV Site … then, off to Wal*Mart for bedding.

GPS is programmed to route through every city in America!

Downtown Portland-OR

Hudson-Parcher RV Park in Rainier-OR. Country, & a very nice layout.

We paid for 2 nights; the 19th, we'll be in Clatskanie-OR

We liked the RV site in Rainier. It was tight getting in place, but it was a good spot in the countryside :-)

However, I do not think we will revisit it: there were only 2 sites for an RV our size, and like I said … it was tight getting in and out.

UTAH, IDAHO, & OREGON

More and more people in general have me shaking my head; and wondering how much gray matter they actually have between their ears.

I thought maybe it was a PNW thing: a heavy cloud cover means there is not much solar power to generate brain power. But, I am finding that faulty brain waves affect people everywhere :-(

Anyway …

We enjoyed our KOA stay in Salt Lake City; THAT was enjoyable.

Leaving Salt Lake City-Utah, for Twin Falls, Idaho.

Passing an Oil Refinery; Holland has worked in oil fields & was around refineries.

We just cannot get away from 'severe weather'. UGH!

We stopped at the Wal*Mart on the way out of town; and spent heavily - everything was a necessity, so that was okay.

The reason I felt the need for my own Earth happened in the parking lot: that was NOT enjoyable.

Parking lots in Brigham City are ridiculous - even without the 5th Wheel, our 4x is long & wide!

People are retarded when it comes to big rig concepts.

I don't do well with stupid people. I am annoyed easily with thoughtless actions: don't people think anymore????

I was glad to get out of the city.

Wide open spaces appeal more to me.

I prefer wide open countryside to congested city areas.

While crossing the Idaho-Utah Border, Holland asked if I was okay with driving straight through to Oregon so we'd be closer to our goal. Holland had called ahead, to secure the bed, when we were in Salt Lake City.

Was I ready? Absolutely!

We were so ready for our new bed ;-)

Going after our new bed, tomorrow morning.

And I learned, after we crossed the border and found a Rest Area to stretch our legs, let Bleu out and about, and just wind down a bit … that I was the stupid one ;-)

In my defense, I can only say that I have lived in the PNW most of my life: I haven't had as much solar brain charges as my southernly exposed husband has. LOL

Holland didn't say that I had been stupid - but I felt that after he gently lectured me on how to be aware in rattlesnake country; he wasn't being mean in his lecturing, he was just concerned about my safety and Bleu's safety.

He educated me on a situation I am ignorant in … and he is wise in. I appreciated that; we will be going into territories he is familiar with - deadly snake states (rattlesnake, copperhead, coral, water moccasin/cottonmouth, ect.). He has survived those territories because he was once educated, too :-)

When it comes to rattlesnakes (and all that goes with it), I am a wife 'in training' ;-)

A fragrant bush - the air was pleasantly scented; Juniper berries.

Holland gives me a warning about Bleu; that directly concerns me, too.

Another Bush Survival Learning Lesson.

I hate snakes - especially poisonous ones; Holland is a snake wrangler.

As we drove closer to Twin Falls, a storm broke out in front of us. Eventually, we were surrounded by lightening. I wanted to get a good picture of the light show, but the windshield was so filthy with bug guts (Holland is lazy about clearing the windshield - he doesn't want wear-and-tear on his windshield blades); and I said, "I would have liked to have gotten some shots of that zig-zagging lightening Holland, but the  windshield was so filthy. I wish you'd clean it more often."

Almost immediately after saying those words, a wet and wild downpour of hail cleared the windshield. Holland winked at me, and said, "Looks like you got your clean windshield, Baby." Then, he seriously said, "I'll try to do better about keeping the windshield clearer."

Husband in training: good boy ;-)

Bleu had slept through the whole thing … and didn't wake up until we reached another Rest Area; between La Grande-OR & Pendleton-OR.

We fed/walked him; and settled in for a restful night before facing Portland traffic with the dawn.

We were smack dab in the middle of the storm cell - thunder and lightening.

Hail; and a clean windshield followed.

Bleu comfortably slept through the whole thing.

Going to push as close to Portland-OR as possible before calling it a day.

We want that bed a.s.a.p.

The Snake River area; Idaho.

The Snake River, in Idaho.

A converted school bus RV.

We reached Oregon.

MAP La Grande, Oregon to Portland, Oregon; 4 hr 8 min (259.2 mi) via I-84 W