Cove Palisades State Park, Central Oregon on Lake Billy Chinook

If you're a guy with a Dodge truck, a speedboat and you want to show off - this is the place to be. I on the other hand found a very nice, shady spot in the upper campground away from all the noise.







Electric Site #14

Harris Beach State Park, Oregon

This campground is near the California border - near the town of Brookings. I arrived without a reservation, on a busy Friday night, but I lucked out and had a nice electric site with privacy hedges all around. It was fun to explore a different part of the Oregon Coast

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Cape Sebastian

Arch Rock

Camping near Crater Lake Natioanl Park, Oregon

I took a week off to explore the area around Crater Lake and the Southern Oregon Coast. I spent the day slowly going around Crater Lake on the Rim Road. The sky was a little hazy due to the California wildfires.












































I had reservations at Joseph Stewart Campground about 40 miles from Crater Lake. If I had known ahead of time that my spot was next to the playground I would have stayed elsewhere! The site was open and noisy.














Historic Crater Lake Lodge

Painting Question

I have received many inquiries as to where I had my trailer painted. It's hard to reply when a comment has been left on this blog so if you have specific questions and would like an answer, leave an email address or email me at

wthesenga@hotmail.com

My trailer was painted at Jacks Auto Body in The Dalles, Oregon. It was recommended to me by a co-worker who had several vehicles painted by them. I could not have been happier with the care they took with my Shasta and I think the final result speaks for itself. The paint job cost me about $2200 without any body work done. They used high grade, high gloss automotive quality paint.

http://www.jacksbodyshop.net

Gorgeous camping on Mount Hood, Oregon

Timothy Lake has four campgrounds surrounding it. I had been to this one, Gone Creek Campground, last summer. I went up to Mount Hood seeking relief from the heat down in Hood River - what I found was a beautiful setting and great sites along the lake. Last summer it was crowded and noisy, this year, with the snow pack melting slower than normal - the campground was all but deserted - in fact, my first night there I was the only camper!

Back to Clyde Holiday State Park

Beautiful scenery near Mitchell, Oregon















This state park is near John Day, Oregon. I camped here before - very nice campground with large sites, well sheltered with mature trees, and hook-ups.













This is space #21

Craters Of The Moon

Craters Of The Moon National Monument is about 25 miles from Arco, Idaho. Famous for the nuclear testing that was done here.






It takes awhile to find this place, but it's worth it! Both of my brother's recommended it as a neat place to check out. Camp sites are right in the middle of the old lava flow. No wood fires allowed, but charcoal ones are. It's a pretty quiet campground, nice for a night, maybe two.




This is Space #18 - no hook-ups.


One of many surreal landscapes you find within this area.

First Camping Trip of 2008

Here's my trailer with it's vintage striped awning attached.





Beautiful week at the Oregon Coast! Great weather, quiet campground, delicious seafood and I'm finally back in my trailer again!

Wind Farms

On the drive down to the John Day area of Oregon, you pass by huge rolling hills of wheat and a few small towns. At one point I came over a hill and saw all these modern windmills. My little Shasta seemed tiny next to them.

Camping in John Day, Oregon

After last week's disapointing drive to the coast, I decided to go to Eastern Oregon this week. The drive down through small towns and along the river was much more peaceful than the tourist highway to the coast.



The campground at Clyde Holiday Recreation Area was GREEN, GREEN, GREEN! Nice manicured lawns and HUGE sites. I felt like I had a huge back yard all to myself.



The shade was much appreciated after a long day exploring the fossil beds in nearby John Day.

COLD camping in Mt. Hood National Forest

I drove back over Mt. Hood from my trip to the Coast. Checked out a few campgrounds along the way but decided to try and get a river side spot at Nottingham campground in the Mt. Hood National Forest.



This is a well-known (by the locals here) campground about 25 miles from Hood River. It doesn't have hook-ups or flush toilets, but it has a river that runs about 20 feet from the camp sites, beautiful trees, and white sand!









The perfect place to plant a recliner, grab a book and relax in the sun.










The days were hot and I dipped into the river to cool off. At night it got down to 42 degrees and I had to bundle up inside my little trailer.

Beach Camping

Going to the Coast for a few days of quiet.




I started out for Fort Stevens State Park, but when I got there it was way too crowded, and noisy. I kept driving down the coast to places I had seen or stayed at before. Last time I was at Nehalem Bay campground, it was wet, cold and deserted. This time there were only 3 spots left! It's hard to find a camping spot on the Coast in August without a reservation. I finally decided to try a campgound near, but away from the Coast - Nehalem Falls Campground. I was rewarded with a quiet, beautiful, cool place. It continued to rain through the night, but it was peaceful.



This campground is in a huge stand of cedar trees, lots of lush green ferns and moss. It was wet and rainy so I didn't take the hike to see the falls for which the campground was named. I'm sure I'll be back though - so next time.

Camping with Lisa at Lower Falls

Lisa and I went across the Columbia River to Washington State, into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We camped at Lower Falls Campground - it was nice and quiet, barely anyone there except a lot of nats, flies and a few mosquitos.



Upper Falls of the Lewis River


Lisa along the 5 mile trek to the Middle and Upper Falls. The trail goes through beautiful old growth forests and follows the river bank. Wonderful trail, cool in the shade of all the trees.



Lisa getting the fire going at our campsite at Lower Falls Campground



My classic trailer in a classic campground!