A DAY TO REMEMBER ~ Amboy, Cougar, Yale Daytrip

Easter Cactus snippet from a Senior Center plant; I potted it when I got home, with a hope and a prayer.

Pink Easter Cactus blossoms – the blossoms intrigued me: I hope the snippet thrives and survives 😊

When I got out of exercise class, the morning was still young; so, I thought I’d drive to the Amboy Ranger Station (it's open), and see if I can get a Gifford Pinchot National Forest Map; and maybe have someone there help me plan a backroad route from Cougar to Trout Lake and back home through Brush Prairie & Yale when I can get through those areas.

Fledging further than Kalama, on the freeway.

Amboy; then Cougar.

This year, I’m more {in the moment} than I have been since Bob stepped off Earth 29 months ago. I’m regaining my boldness. I’m embracing the adventurous spirit I was born with.

I need to jog my memory banks and rekindle road routes – today was a day ‘to remember’.

Right now, there is snow on those backroad spurs past Cougar: and there was a wildfire last year somewhere in the backroad area I need, that the Forestry Crew has not been able to get to clean up and make ready for travel.

These are some of the things Bob would have known how to deal with; and I don’t – I spent the better part of today trying to gain information.

My hands started sweating as I passed Kalama, heading towards Woodland’s Exit 22 Dike Access Road: I haven’t been on the freeway any further than Kalama, since I was sitting in the passenger seat when Bob was still with me, in the flesh. It would be a difficult/emotional drive … but, I was determined to see it through.

Amboy Ranger Station from Heron Pointe, via I-5 S & NE Cedar Creek Rd. - 57 mins.

Coming off the Exit 22, the Industrial Area that was in development stages when I passed through there with Bob, in 2018, has really taken off; I’ll have to go back and explore it 😉

Lewis River Road; This is the first road I drove out of Cathlamet after I got my driver’s license; Bob was working out of Couger and I (and the kids, too) wanted to see him.

The Woodland-Lewis River Road changed a lot too – lots of housing development housing has been built for quite a considerable distance. I wasn’t happy to see all that fancy housing in what was a pretty country drive: it’s being infiltrated by Portlanders and Californians … who are citifying it with their fancy ideas of their concept of country living ☹

Yale is going 'upscale rural'.

To get to the Amboy Ranger Station, I had to drive across the Yale Suspension Bridge: a heavily pitted and deeply potholed (short 500 ft. across the water) 1-lane bridge, 50 feet above the water … and a narrow 16 feet wide.

Ass-kissing curves most of the roadway ...

I DID IT! I crossed that bridge without too much 'white knuckling'. LOL

Yale Bridge (https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/yale-bridge)

The Amboy Ranger Station is about 4 miles past the Yale Bridge – and it is located directly across from the Chelatchie ancient volcanic Cinder Cone; the Ranger there, called it “our Tom-Tom” – I’ll continue calling it “the VC” (volcanic cinder cone).

Amboy Ranger Station.

Ancient Cinder Cone in Chelatchie, WA – an old friend; across from Amboy Ranger Station.

The Yale Suspension Bridge; coming from Amboy Ranger Station.

Cougar Bar & Grill from Amboy Ranger Station, via WA-503 N & WA-503 Spur; 17 mins.

Cougar RV Park ... memories here.

Gougar Bar & Grill rustic interior; I like it. This is a newer addition to what was a small diner.

I miss my personal Logger. I miss having Bob’s hard hat & work boot clutter in a corner of the house.

Bob was my Viking – and I was his gypsy woman.

The Beatles – Hard day’s Night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjyj8qnqkYI)

A Bobcat pelt.

Kind of a mishmash collection of 'decor'.

They didn't have an O'Doul's - I'm not big on Heineken ... but it went down.

The Bigfoot Sandwich; open faced.Bigfoot open-faced sandwich: buns topped w-2 patties, chili cheddar cheese (a sprinkling of cheddar w-1 slice of a jalapeno), nacho cheese (liberal flooding), a sprinkling of chopped onion.

I decided to push on to the Pine Creek Info Center, further up the road. The waitress said I may get information at the Eagle Resort Store, too – that further up the road past the Center.

Pine Creek Information Center from Cougar; via NF-90; 27 mins.

Gas ... 19 miles; I was okay gas-wise.

Eagle Cliff Store (https://www.eaglecliffcamp.com/)

Driving towards the Swift Reservoir (Cougar-side of Ape Cave), I saw a small patch of timber among the heavy boulders lining the highway – some standing, some fallen – that were blackened from a burn. I don’t know when that fire swept through the area.

The road I had to take to get what I was after, was steep … it is on the backside of Mt. St. Helens. It wasn’t very well maintained, even as busy as it is. There is one short guard rail the entire length of it – and the edge of the right lane literally kissed the drop-off edge.

I could almost hear Bob laughing as I crept forward.

Just before Ape Cave spur.

(http://www.mountsthelens.com/ape-caves.html)

Pine Creek Information Center closer than anticipated.

CLOSED!

Location-Location-Location. I decided to forget trying to make the Eagle Cliff Resort – I’ll do that another adventurous day ;-)

Fancy gated housing is going up all over the place along the NF-90 roadway; I didn't even know that was LEGAL. This is National Forest Land. Yet, there are private houses of the wealthy, everywhere: tucked in among the forest trees.

Cotton tree fluff was caught on the breeze that blew through: it looked like I had been caught in a snow storm – the fluff was swirling like snow flurries all around the car; I turned off the air conditioner … I did not want to have to use my asthma inhaler if that pollen got into my lungs.

Lake Merrill experience.

All along the 4-mile Merrill Lake road (horrible road!), there were signs saying ‘Fee Area’.

And all I could think was, “WHY???” The road is crap: no joke.

The ‘repairs’ along the 4-mile stretch that had been done were like someone had done it on an acid trip: large areas of dumped blacktop that hadn’t been flattened to blend with the existing blacktop, already have deep fissures and elongated foot-deep ridges that seriously rocked the undercarriage of vehicles that slowly maneuvered them. It was ridiculous. If the county … or Gifford Pinchot National Park is going to charge people a fee … they need to fix the roads!

When I finally reached Lake Merrill, and saw the road I needed to descend to reach the Lake, I said, “NO WAY” – and took my time turning the Highlander around in the middle of the roadway. I didn’t care if I was hanging traffic up, or not.

ALL the Gifford Pinchot roads are horrible, horrible roads. I don’t know if GPNF is the only National Park in America that has crappy roads, or not; but they seriously need to give some serious attention to maintaining the Park roads.

Gaining ground on my way homeward bound, I needed to find a restroom (the Heineken and soft drink were working), so I nipped in at the Yale Recreation Park. We’d never stopped there, but I was going to stop there this afternoon 😉

Yale Park/Lake Merwin (https://lonefirresort.com/yale-lake-park/)

Luckily, I married a logger ... we were always 'prepared' - I am prepared, now; and luckily this restroom was stocked ;-)

Mt. St. Helen's backside shining over the peaks surrounding Cougar area.

ENJOY LIFE every chance you get :-)

The Park has a woodsy vibe to it; I like it.

It was a serene place to stop for a stroll.

It was nice: I think I’ll be going back 😊

To Woodland: to explore more.

To Cougar: to enjoy more tasty delights.

To Amboy & Chelatchie: to explore more.

To the various county Parks: to veg & enjoy.

I was happy my adventurous day went well – even though the Pine Creek Information Center was closed … I can go back when they are open (it closes at 1 PM - I got there after 3 PM); there’s no real rush until the snow melts enough to get through to the places I want to get back into.

Little steps – little victories: I’m okay with little until I can confidently step into big 😉

And now that I am home again, fat and sassy, and comfy; I’m going to open my new read, enjoy a mug of hot cocoa … and drift towards dreamland with the sound of rain softly tapdancing on my roof.

New Read

**Meaningful Mondays ~ 2021:

#4 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/05/meaningful-monday-mccormick-park.html

Traveling Thursdays ~ 2021:

#3 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/04/traveling-thursday-sulkum-huff-and-puff.html

#2 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/04/traveling-thursday-3-county-hopscotch.html

Sunday~Funday’s ~ 2021:

#1/2021 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/04/sundayfunday-21soul-food-clandestine.html

#20 – The last of the 2020 Sunday~Funday’s – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020/09/sundayfunday-20-deep-river-eden-valley.html (plus 10^th thru 19^th SUNDAY~FUNDAY links)

#9 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020_04_27_archive.html (plus 1st thru 8th 2019 SUNDAY~FUNDAY links)**

CRITTER TRAP TRIPPED

I woke up this morning with the need to be alone on a backroad somewhere.

As much as I enjoy the little fellowship I have been attending these past Sundays, there are times – just like Yeshua – when I need to separate myself from people and society; and just spend some time alone, giving my thoughts, spirit, and body a thorough rest … just extending the Shabbat mood for another day.

And that’s okay.

The next thought that popped into my thoughts, was ‘Cougar’.

Cougar is a small town: I don’t even think the total population (aside from tourists) comes to 300 souls that live there, year’round.

(https://www.visitmtsthelens.com/communities/cougar-washington/)

Bob worked there one year; and when the girls and I spent a week, now an then, with him there, I fell in love with the area – and then after the kids left home, Bob and I made yearly daytrips back when the osprey’s were nesting there … that relaxing drive stretched out to a 6-hour-daytrip that included a view of Mt. Adams and a drive through the Gorge area if we took a right turn at the Ranger Station: or Mt. St. Helens, and a drive home through Randle and Jackson Highway, if we took a turn to the left.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve been in that neck of the woods; 2½ years, to be exact. The last time I had visited Cougar, I was with Bob and our 4-year-old grandson … mere weeks before that horrible afternoon of cook and scott egomania, that landed Bob in ER fighting for his life.

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/07/extended-cougar-roadtrip.html).

We had made an earlier – and much shorter – trip with Azariah, in 2017, too.

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/09/sasquatch-lava-valley-daytrip.html)

However, I was not planning to do a 6-hour-thing this morning: I just planned to drive through the countryside and have lunch at the Cougar Bar & Grill.

Cougar from Heron Pointe; via I-5 & Lewis River Road - 1 hr. 5 mins.

Cougar Bar & Grill menu.

The Lone Fir is nice, but it’s more of a yuppie hangout – and the last time I was there was with Bob; I didn’t want to cry today.

I just wanted a nice relaxing country drive.

There would be a brief bit of time spent on the I-5, but not enough to be anxious about; in practically no time at all, I’d be off the freeway and cruising happily along forested and cliff-hugging backroads.

I gave myself a mental pep talk and shook doubts off 😉

I had made this drive myself many times while Bob was working there – I should know it by heart: even with the occasional widow brain fog that creeps in when I go to places where Bob and I used to frequent together. I miss him so much and it hurts my heart he is no longer riding with me.

I am slowly – but surely – getting past that missingness paralysis.

By the time I got dressed, made a quick cup of coffee, and checked the critter trap … it had started drizzling.

And a surprise awaited me.

The critter trap was tripped; an animal was bagged.

I hoped the fella would come soon to collect it.

I decided to postpone the Cougar daytrip: the rain, and the need for the trap removal put a kibosh on my plans ☹

Opossums do not dig: they climb, and they take over burrows other animals have dug for themselves. So, whatever was digging to get under my house, is not this trapped critter.

As soon as I saw the tripped trap had caught a prowler, I called the fella who dropped off the trap to come collect it – I could let the opossum go myself, but I remember that Bob was attacked on our back porch in Cathlamet, by one of these things that was eating the cat food.

Bob was a big guy: 6’3”.

The opossum then was hungry, and felt trapped.

This opossum, this morning … has eaten the bait, and found itself trapped: it’s scared.

I am not getting anywhere close to it.

I did see 2 dead racoons on the highway the other day, close to Heron Pointe; so, I am hoping there will be no more digging under my house after the trap is gone.

Hours went by.

No one had come by to collect the trap.

No one had called me back.

I decided to give ‘All Pest Control’ another jingle.

And found that I had been waiting hours for a pickup that would not have happened at all … had I not called again.

Unbelievable! 2:25 PM

I was justifiably annoyed, but I hadn’t wasted the day waiting: while I was waiting … I had plotted a course of plans, mapped a route, and charted my Cougar adventure for later this week (if Mother Nature cuts me a break, weatherwise).

Driving the freeway will be a major step for me; it will only be 30 minutes of roadway hell – 8 minutes longer than the first time I braved the freeway in 2019, for my solo lobo Lucky Dragon {45^th Wedding anniversary supper} sans Bob.

I studiously avoid the I-5 corridor … but there is no way to avoid it if I plan to make the Cougar jaunt.

And, I do plan to do that drive.

A LITTLE SPLASH OF COLOR

Yesterday I drove to Castle Rock for exercise class.

Afterwards I drove to the Lucky Dragon, in Kalama, to pick up the chinese supper I had ordered … and saw there was indoor dining allowed again: but, my supper was already packed to go – so I brought it home and broke it down into 3 meals.

Lucky Dragon in Kalama from Longview - 20 mins.

1 Lucky Dragon Supper ... enough for 3 meals.

Next time, I will eat inside.

When I got home, I noticed that the two WHY traps needed to be taken down and refreshed (1 in the carport – 1 in the ornamental Maple, curbside).

Trap attractant rejuvenated.

While I was rehanging the trap in the carport, I noticed that candy’s husband was busy next door: candy has been shamed by everyone in Heron Pointe Park to take measures in dealing with tessa and her decrepit house. Personally, I do not think tessa is even living in that house … she only pops in 4 times a year, and the house is literally crumbling: roof down. The yard is a pigsty. Her grown sons (who live in Seattle) used to mow the grass once a year; now, with the roof caving in, they don’t even bother.

Candy is being shamed by the entire Park - her husband was drafted to weed whack the tall grass.

Everyone walking past that house on their daily walks complain about it being an eye-sore. And when they ask me how I stand looking at it, I tell them that I have talked about it to candy as long as I’ve lived in the Park – when she does her drive by house/yard inspections … she totally ignores tessa’s house: doesn’t even look at it in passing.

Tessa’s son mentioned last year, that she was ‘thinking of selling the house’ – but, rational people know that no one in their right mind would buy it in the condition it is in.

And tessa is content to let it rot where it stands.

A few weeks ago, people started talking to candy themselves; about Park Rules, and tessa and candy’s blatant disregard in that respect. And from what they were saying to me … I am sure they applied the thumb screws, when bringing it up to candy.

I just hope and pray that enough pressure is applied to the thumb screws, that candy is shamed into action concerning that house; and I will eventually be able to draw an easy breath when I am in my own carport, in my own space.

If the neighbors are willing to hold her feet to the fire, I’m for that.

Putting my little step ladder away in the shop, I decided to repaint the bird bath; we bought it for the first house we bought in Longview – 21 years ago. It has become incrusted with the calcium buildup over the years; due to Longview’s icky water ‘treatment’ procedures.

I have been meaning to repaint it for a while; but never had the time.

Now I have all the time in the world (no husband, no kids, no grandkids cutting into time).

So, yesterday, I ‘got ‘er done’.

Finishing up this morning 😊

Finally repainted the bird bath ...

I like the colors – I like a lot of color in my castle; and on castle grounds 😉

3 coats of acrylic paint; I will spray it with clear protective cover tomorrow.

Birdbath finished.

In between the coats of paint, I finished one book and started a new read.

New Read.

And between chapters of my new read … I worked up another pair of slippers for the Rosburg Fall Bazaar.

Finished Christmas Slippers.

For what is left of the remainder of the day, I plan on reading my new read to the last page 😉