Mini Cooper Update

I drove the Mini, or should I say 'we' did.  It drove well for me, but not for R.  The steering wheel was too close to her chest when she drove.  The passenger seat was uncomfortable for R.  It caused her to hunch her back.  So reluctantly, it is no longer on the list of eligible vehicles.

  The Scion XB and the Honda Element are the next two vehicles on the list.  I prefer the way the older XBs look over the newer ones.  They have been called toasters on wheels.  A lot of inside room in a small vehicle.  I need to check out the newer ones also.

Marshall Center

   R and I found a place to resume our water aerobics while we are here in Vancouver.  It is part of the city park system so it is reasonably priced.  They have breaks for couples and seniors so we benefited two ways when we purchased our 90 day passes.  Another great thing about the pool is that it is about a mile from our trailer.  Our first session was this morning.  I am going by myself tomorrow because R has a hair appointment.  I think I will stop at the barbershop myself on the way home from the pool.  http://www.cityofvancouver.us/parks-recreation/centers/marshall/aquatics.asp
   After lunch we are going to test drive a used Mini.  I have been checking them out since I sold the Porsche so it time that Randa drives one to see how she likes it.
  It is also first Thursday which means that the Vancouver Historic Museum is free and open from 5pm  to 9 pm.  We plan to check that out also.  I will keep you informed on both items.

New Location Vancouver, Washington

   We are now at Fort Vancouver National Historic Park (FOVA) for short.  Arrived here on Friday the first of July.  Got parked and set up without much trouble.  The drive north from Eugene was uneventful, but very slow going through Portland.  Several factors caused that.   It was the start of the holiday week-end.  The traffic in Portland can be bad at certain times especially if there has been an accident.  ( We did see one just south of Albany on I-5 that had southbound traffic backed up for 15 miles.)  The other problem was caused by the Columbia and Willamette Rivers being high.  This meant that any time a ship passed under any of the seven bridges on the Willamette or the I-5 bridge over the Columbia, they had to stop traffic and raise them.  Can you believe that an Interstate Highway as busy as I-5 has a drawbridge on it?
   Saturday was our first day "on the job".   Having experience in other visitor centers meant that we know the routine.  Every place has different facilities and different people who want things done their way, but the job is pretty much the same.  You are there to greet the visitor and answer any questions they may have concerning the history, things to do, where the bathrooms are, etc.
   With Monday being the holiday, the park was the host site for a huge 4th of July celebration.  The event was organized by the City of Vancouver and seemed to be a great success based on the attendance.  There were several stages, cannon firings, food vendors, tours of several of the homes on officer row, bi-plane rides, kids games, and of course, a fireworks display to culimnate the evening.  The hours at the visitor center were Noon to 8pm for the holiday.  Saturday and Sunday visitor numbers were about 250.  The number doubled for the holiday and people were still hanging around the gift shop and visitor center right up until quitting time.  In fact, I had to annouce that " The visitor center will be closing in xxx minutes" several times to let people know that they needed to leave so that we could close up.
     Vancouver is known for its spectacular fireworks and this year was no exception.  Because we were volunteers, R and I were invited to view them from inside the fort, which we, of course, did.  The pyrotechtics were launched from the adjacent Pearson Air Park so the sights and sounds were right in front of us.  It was pretty spectacular.  I don't know how many times I said "Wow!"
  Then, while everyone else fought the traffic to get home, R and I just walked the half mile back to our trailer and went to bed.  A long but fun day in deed.

An Old Timer

Once I was needed.  Now I sit here and wait.......

Riding the Jet Boats

Yesterday, Monday was spent on the water; the Rogue River to be exact.  It was a full day.  Full of fun, smiles, giggles, splashes, wildlife, and good food. 
  There are three bost trips that are available.  They vary by length, 60, 80, 104, miles round trip.  We decided on the middle trip because it gave us some white water travel.  The longer one goes further up the Rogue.  We had an interesting trip upriver, stopping at several points of interest and well as any wildlife we saw.  The "critters" included harbor seals, otters, deer, Osprey, Bald Eagles, ducks, and geese.  John, our pilot, who has been piloting to this river since the 1980's , did seems like he knew the river and where to look for animals and where to spin a 360 turn.  That was always a crowd pleaser!  Never was I afraid, but always I was pleased, even when spray landed in our laps.  After going up river and several rapids, and splashes, we turned around and headed back to Agness.

    All of the trips stop at the little village of Agness for lunch.  Agness was the name of one of the first postmaster's daughter who was one of the reasons the miners stayed in the area and so the name did too.  There are three very different restaurants in Agness to choose from during your stop-over.  Singing Springs has a buffet, Cougar offers sandwiches, and Lucas Lodge has fried chicken.  We opted for the latter and were not disappointed.  It is served country style with mashed potatoes, corn, beans, coleslaw, rolls, and lemonade or tea.  The ice cream with blackberry sauce was a good finish.  Then it was the walk back to the dock to pick up our boat for the ride back to Gold Beach.

   The ride back was fun too.  The weather was changing and so the clouds were starting to come upriver.  It was warm and sunny in Agness so even riding in the boat a light shirt was comfortable.  The farther we traveled back west, the cooler it became.  By the time we arrived back to the harbor at Gold Beach, I had donned a fleece vest and a jacket.  The water that had been mirror smooth when we left at 8:30 was now (at 2:30) quite choppy.  Everyone was happy to be back, happy with the adventure, and happy to have arrived before the impending rain.  We headed back north on Hwy 101 and encountered that rain no more than 15 miles north.   Timing is everything.

  If you are looking for a fun, family adventure, albeit a little expensive, try the jet boats on the Rogue River.

http://www.roguejets.com

  

An enjoyable Saturday

Saturday was spent at the firehouse in Langlois, Or.  Wow! you say, but it was fun.  Wild Rivers Wool hosts a monthly spinning day there.  I paid a one-time fee of $20 two years ago for the session and all others are free.  Besides a free lunch, the day is spent spinning with other fober people from the area.  The owners of Wild Rivers Wool Factory in Langlois sponsor it and host it.  In addition to the lunch, Cindy and Sandy provide, a large amount of batts of wool, and other fiber (depending upon what is available) I came back with a batt of llama in adition to several different colors of wool. 
  The morning is spent with drop spindles.  Those who haven't tried one, it can be a humbling experience.  I was lucky and was trained by a fellow volunteer, Jan, when we were at Malheur a couple of  years ago.  It is her fault that I now have two looms and one spinning wheel.
  After lunch we broke out our wheels and started spinning.  Most of the group had not ever seen a whell like my Wee Spin.  A couple had seen it at the Black Sheep Rally.  Luckily it worked fine the whole day.
 Most of the spinners were using a wheel made by Spin O Lution.  It is a very nive wheel.  It would like to have one but they are $800.  It spins very smoothly and requires very little foot movement.  Maybe some day.  http://spinolution.com/

Cape Blanco Impressions

Here is someone's video of their Cape Blanco Light experience.  It is the only light in Oregon that you are permitted to be up in the lantern room and stand next to the light. If allow yourself to relax and just gaze at the light you will be mesmerized by it.  Watch.
http://youtu.be/QF-l-Ps_fO0