July 26, 2026: I found a use for the free postcards I've been getting from the Oregon Tourist Information Centers! I sent one today to Walmart to thank them for allowing nomads to overnight in their parking lot! After all, they are the only Walmart in the whole state of Oregon to allow overnighting! I assured them this was a good business model as those of us nomads who accept their generosity will shop and spend money at their store!
I woke to heavy drizzle, dark clouds, and wet roads. Time to head east. The weather isn't as hot there as it was last week. Right now it is 75 degrees. The drive through the country on highway 34 was gorgeous. I tried in vain to avoid Corvallis and that gluten-free pie, but there it was, and there I was with failing willpower.
Found a little free neighborhood library right on the corner of the co-op and traded some books. Then I headed downtown - walked the riverside park and some of the streets. This gave me a laugh:
Drove out to the country. Highway 36 was beautiful! I found a place to camp near the Hult Reservoir. I rinsed my wool blanket again and hung it up. I think this last washing worked finally! The stink is gone! Way too much trouble, but it's either go to the trouble or give it away.
When I initially pulled into this spot, I heard a rustle in the near by grass. I thought it was a raccoon, then I got a closer look. A cat! I wondered if it belonged to the RV nearby or the campers down the road?
July 27, 2026: The morning was nice and cool with sun beams breaking through the trees. I washed my hair, washing the dust off my ventilation screen, and ate breakfast. I watched the cat hunt in the grass, catch a mouse, and eat it in one gulp. He is really skinny and doesn't look very old, maybe 4-6 months, or he's been out here a long time fending for himself and never developed much.
I wished I had a can of cat food in the van. The only thing a cat would like is my hamburger so I broke off a small handful of very expensive organic hamburger, put it in the pie dish that still has whipped cream around the edges, and carefully set it close to where he was hiding. Cat watched me closely. After I returned to the van fifteen minutes later he cautiously crept out again, ate the hamburger, and licked the dish clean.
I feel bad for Cat and wished I had kitty food. I wonder if someone dumped him or if he was with a camper and escaped. I've seen this happen several times. My first month in the van a woman at a BLM campsite was making the rounds asking if anyone had seen her cat. She was frantic. The cat came back several nights later. Last spring a woman's cat escaped out of her car in the middle of the night when she opened the door to use her makeshift bathroom. She looked for her for days. Betty never came back. The desert is a dangerous place for a domestic cat especially one named Betty.
July 28, 2026 I hated leaving Cat. Before I left I gave him the rest of my organic hamburger. I read later this was probably a bad idea as it might poison him with salmonella. It is fresh and organic. I hope it doesn't cause him problems, but he's seriously so skinny. When I come back this way, I think I'll bring him some cat food.
I drove through the beautiful countryside to Drain, Oregon. Such a cute town! They have a newly remodeled swimming pool that will have lap swim from 6pm-7pm so I'll return. Until then, I found a real estate agent, but she didn't have much. She tried talking me into property next to I-5 telling me how I'd get used to the traffic noise. Yeah, right! What a fool to think I'd buy her nonsense.
I headed to Estill Organic Blueberry Farm for some more u-picking. Whoa! They were closing at 2pm for the whole season so my timing was perfect! The owner let me pick a small container of blackberries for free. Somedays are just wrong and everything is off, but today was perfect timing all day long!
As I waited for lap swim to happen, I drove to Oakland, Oregon. Gorgeous town with old brick buildings. I would love to live there!
I also stopped off at the Mildred Kanipe Memorial County Park to eat lunch. It was a farm in the 1800s and Mildred inherited it when the rest of her family died. She farmed it as a single woman for years. She left it to the county at her death. The old farmhouse and barns still exist. PEACOCKS!! A whole flock of them roaming the grounds. When I parked they all hussled over to see if I had food and then perched up in the nearby tree to keep an eye on me.
The North Douglas Memorial Swimming Pool in Drain was small, but very clean although with strange drains that sounded like people gargling! (Drains in Drain. HA!) So odd! Great dressing rooms and showers with curtains. The shower was a push button (yuck!) and it smelled like a swamp, but the water was very hot. It only costs $3.00 to lap swim for one hour. I was one of two people doing laps and the other woman stood at the side of the pool talking to another woman so I pretty much had the pool to myself! Loved it!
Drain, like all other Oregon towns, has a ban on overnight parking. So unfriendly! I tried to find a campsite close since it was so late when I left the pool, but the one closest way up in the woods was taken. I headed to another near I-5. I didn't realize it was right next to the freeway with traffic noise all night, but I was too tired to continue looking. Several semi-trucks were also using the location and they idled the engines and smelled up the air all night with exhaust. These truck drivers always complain when RVs or vans park at the truck stops...well, go to a truck stop where you belong!!!
 |
| Covered Bridge outside Deadwood |
July 29, 2026: I drove back to the coast. The morning was cloudy and the air was wet. I stopped at the Darlingtonia Wayside which is just off Highway 101 near Florence to see cobra-orchids or darlingtonia. They are insect-eating plants that grow in southern Oregon and northern California. There is a little botanical garden dedicated to them. I didn't see them eat anything. My weird imagination hoped their bulbs would open release a long tongue and gobble whatever is nearby like fly or small child. They don't work like that...unfortunately.
I continued driving north on highway 101 to find a place to park and fix some breakfast. Bob's Creek Beach parking lot was full so I went up on a cliff at Brays Point. Beautiful day! View from van:
I spent the afternoon driving along highway 36 out into the gorgeous countryside looking for a place to overnight. Most places had "NO OVERNIGHT PARKING" signs. Then I realized I circled around and was only 18 miles from Hult Reservoir. Before arriving I stopped at a gas station and bought some canned cat food. The attendant said the feral cats (plural) at the campground are well-known. Many campers have tried to catch them. I looked closer at the pile of garbage when I got back and noticed empty cans of dog food and plates. People have tried feeding Cat. I put out some food. No sign of Cat which disturbs me. Hmmm...is he still here? Did someone catch him? Did I kill him by feeding him raw hamburger? I worry too much. Then I worried about fleas. Maybe there are fleas all over and my van would be infested? Yeah, I worry too much! The food disappeared in the night. Raccoon or hungry cat?
July 30, 2026: Compared to staying overnight next to I-5 surrounded by idling semi-trucks, it was SO QUIET here in the woods! There are other campers closer to the reservoir, but all campsites up there are in the shade. I have one that has shade and sun so I can charge the solars and use Starlink. I spent most of the day reading and relaxing. No sign of Cat.
July 31, 2026: I considered staying all weekend, but I was running out of food. Just as I was literally driving away, Cat walks across the driveway! I stopped the van, grabbed the can of cat food, and scooped it out in the little pie tin under a tree in the shade. I hope he's the one eating it rather than a raccoon.
Headed to Corvallis for food and parked at the Willamette Park and Community Garden to eat breakfast. Met Kathy who lives in the town and we became fast friends. She had this urge to help me. I find most women I meet who find out they are older than me all of a sudden want to take care of me. I constantly assure them in the nicest way I am very responsible and self-reliant, but they are convinced I am helpless. I don't know if I should be offended or grateful. We planned to meet up the next time I come to Corvallis.
It's going to be 87 degrees here today so I'll head back to the coast...after I eat some PIE. Drats my willpower, but it was so good!!! This time I did not feel good so all this reckless indulgence is catching up to me. I hope it will be my last caved craving.
I drove highway 34 through the gorgeous country. So beautiful! Scouted a few overnight camping sites, but in the woods it was hard finding clear sky for solar and Skylink. I continued over to the coast again looking for sites not on 101 but finally gave up and parked on the pullout over looking the ocean at Brays Point where I spent a morning a day ago. It's damp, but cool at around 72 degrees. Humidity is around 90%!
August 1, 2026: Brays Point was beautiful all night. Another van pulled in behind me. As if right on schedule at 5:00am and the sound of horns flying by destroy the peace. They must be miserable people who resent getting up early and want to inflict their misery on others.
I drove to the Newport Walmart for supplies. Dark and rainy. Headed south where it's usually drier. I was going to camp on Sparrow Road near Reedsport on a dirt road. Nice spot, but the thoughtless pick-up trucks kept racing by throwing dust all over. I could hardly breathe. I moved into Reedsport and overnighted at the dog park where I stayed about a month ago. Very quiet. No other nomads. Just me. Walked the dog park trail before bed.
August 2, 2026: I woke up early, but of course, I had some jerk walk by my van around 5:30 am and cough uncontrollably! I'm the only vehicle in the parking lot so I know it's purposeful. I was tempted to throw open the door and ask if he wanted me to beat the cough out of him, but I was lounging in my jamies so I took the high road. What is with these rude people?
Zigzagged back to Eugene for groceries. I love the country highways: 34, 36, 38. So gorgeous and very little traffic, but I get so tired of grocery shopping all the time! It does give me something to do and it's a great way to charge the solars, but I'd rather be in the woods with an unlimited supply of food. I parked at a park in Springfield to read emails and relax until someone parked behind me smoking their cigarettes with the stink wafting into my van. I left and drove northwest for another overnight at Hult Reservoir.
I was afraid the weekend crowd was still there, but it's totally empty and so quiet!! I love the privacy here and no one is going to take issue with my camping...no drunks knocking on my van, no horns honking or purposeful coughing! Late that night the guy in the RV about 100 yards away drove up in his car with the music blaring and sat there for a half an hour without turning off the music. WHY? Why do I need to hear his loud, obnoxious music in the middle of nature?
August 3, 2026: Laid around reading all day. Went on a couple short hikes, but worried about lions, starving cats and bears.
One thing I really like about Oregon is the roads are paved! Nearly all of them no matter how far out in the country one goes, ALL are paved! Sometimes as you drive along there are "narrow" warnings or "one lane" warnings, but the roads are still paved, flat, smooth, and maintained! They look like they belong in parks. Maybe this is because the state is predominately Democratic so they spend money on basic infrastructure? Unlike Arizona! Even in the city limits in Arizona roads are too often dusty dirt.
There is a road that ventures straight and up hill just beyond the reservoir turn off. It currently has "Road Closed" signs. I think this is the same road I encountered on the opposite side of the hill when I was trying to find a back way to the reservoir. It had "Road Closed" signs, tape, and wooden free-standing fence that someone moved to the side. I stopped and asked someone nearby if the road was now open because I was guessing it was the road to the reservoir. He said they are logging on the top of the hill, but since it was Friday afternoon the logging trucks have stopped working so it might be open. I wasn't that brave. My fear is I get somewhere and there is no where to turn around. What would I do? Back all the way down a mountain? No thanks!!
August 4, 2026: There is another paved road over by the reservoir lake that goes straight up a hill. I asked someone yesterday if they knew where the road went. Her son said it's a dead end. Hmmm...I wondered if there were camping spots up there so this morning I went hiking. It continued for what seemed like miles. I'm pretty sure I was getting close to the top as the air smelled smoky. I think the wildfire smoke from the east has finally drifted this way. I never reached the dead end, but I find it suspect a paved road would have a dead end. Why pave it if it goes no where? But this is Oregon where ALL roads are paved!!
.JPG)
Today is supposed to be over 90 degrees. All locations east of I-5 are predicted to be between 95 and 105 degrees. Whoa! The smoky air doesn't help the heat. Instead of Corvallis, I may be heading back to the coast!
But it's already AUGUST! September is just around the corner and the temperatures will start to cool!
To be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment