And the Answer Is......"We're Going to Hell!"

Monday will be 5 Months, 3 weeks and 4 days since we arrived in Estacada, Oregon. Even though the work has slowed down quite a bit in the last few weeks, our time here has really flown by. Of the 17 campgrounds along the Clackamas River, only 4 are still open; and 3 of those will close next weekend. On Monday I've been asked to assist the maintenance supervisor close and shutter a 2-story cabin. Monday will be our last day working in Mt Hood National Forest this season.

This season we both learned a lot about workamping. After all when we started in April we didn't know anything as this was our first workamping experience. We met some wonderful co-workers and some unusual campers. We drove tractors, felled trees and herded bats and birds. We cleaned campsites and restrooms. We collected camping fees and lots of memories. And we explored, explored, explored.......As much of Oregon as we could; including a couple of short jaunts into Washington and California. We feel as though we got to see everything we intended to; even though we're sure there is a lot more stuff that we didn't know about. Maybe we'll see that stuff on our next trip through Oregon.

On Tuesday Joan and I will be headed towards our next workamping experience. We are scheduled to report to work at Amazon in Fernley Nevada the week of October 28th. For the next few weeks we plan to cruise around looking for interesting places to visit between here and Amazon. We've been asked several times if there's anywhere specific we're going and Joan keeps telling everyone "We're going to Hell"; Hell's Canyon that is.....It is the deepest canyon in the US, deeper than the Grand Canyon. It's located a little ways off I-84 in eastern Oregon/western Idaho. There's also the small community of Joseph found in an area called the Oregon Alps that we're hoping to explore.

Would we workamp again?
- That answer is obvious as we've already accepted a position in Buena Vista, Colorado for next summer. Chalk Creek Campground.

Would we work in Oregon again?
- Yes, but not anytime soon as there are lots of other western states that we want to explore over the next few years. And there's the trip to Alaska we'd like to make in the next 2-3 years.

Would we work for CLM again?
- Absolutely. We really enjoyed working for CLM and feel as though they offer workampers one of the better compensation packages.

All things considered this has been a great experience for us. We're really happy we made the decision to fulltime. And we're looking forward to our next adventure.

Stay Tuned. More to come.

Things Are Thinning Out

Things are really thinning out as the season nears its end. We're starting to see some color in the deciduous trees and the fir trees are dropping lots of small brown needles. We've closed 6 of our 17 campgrounds, with 6 more scheduled 10/7 and the rest closing 10/14. The number of campers has dwindled as well. All of our camphost couples have left leaving 4 of the original 18 hosts to manage the store and remaining 11 campgrounds. We've got 1 host working the store 5 days a week and Bud, Joan and I covering the campgrounds. We're flexing our schedules to keep everything caught up.

We do have some new helpers in managing the campgrounds, Iron Rangers. Normally camphosts make at least two passes each day through each campground to check in campers. Over the last week we've been switching to the Iron Rangers; small metal posts located in each campground that allow campers to self-register by filling out their information on an envelope into which they place their camping fee.

Colecting an Iron Ranger

Then they place the envelope in the Iron Ranger which we collect on a random basis. We're still visiting each campground daily to police the empty sites, clean  restrooms and ensure the Iron Ranger registration process is being followed.





Joan and I took a day trip to the town of Lake Oswego. just south of Portland. We had driven through a few weeks earlier and wanted to take a little time of explore it further. There were lots of small sculpture located throughout the downtown area and a nice shopping village on the lake.

Joan and I stopped this young lady to ask directions but she wasn't able to help us much. We did manage to find a small restaurant and really enjoyed a quick lunch while we were there. 

Right after we arrived in April Joan started a small garden. Now just weeks away from leaving we're starting to enjoy the results of her hard work.

Tomatoes, zucchini and a few herbs

Joan driving the switchback below the one on
which I'm standing

We had the opportunity to visit one of the more remote sites on the Mt Hood side of the forest; Keepsmill Campground. After driving 6-7 miles down one of the few paved forest roads, we turned off onto an unpaved rocky trail for a couple of miles containing numerous hairpin turns descending from the mountain to the stream bed.

Two shout outs this week: The first a belated Happy Birthday to my oldest son Doug. Good luck on your move to Atlanta.

The second to Bradley. Happy 10th Birthday. Hang in there Buddy, we'll be home at Christmas and looking forward to spending some time with you, Ryan and Emily.

Stay Tuned, More to Come

Who Are Those Strange People Wandering Around the Woods?

Time really does fly by! Joan and I are down to our final days of working here at Mt. Hood National Forest.  With campgrounds closing, camphosts have begun to leave. Most of them have been workamping for awhile. We learned alot talking to them about their previous workamping experiences and picking their brains about 'how and why'. And a side benefit is that we now have new friends and places to visit (their homes) throughout the southwest!  Let me introduce you.

Sandy & Jim
Headed back to Arizona after working the Nascar Races in Vegas.
This was their 1st Workamping Job
 

Gerry and Phyllis
1/2 of the team that ran the store

Don and Donna
The other 1/2 of the store team. This was
their 2nd year here

Bud. Everybody knows Bud
Originally from this area with more years workamping
then he cares to admit. Can't tell you how many
returning campers asked us "Where's Bud?"

Jerry and Sharon
Jerry worked Maintenance while Sharon hosted
Lazy Bend Campground

Gina
Hosted 3 campgrounds and didn't take 'stuff'
off of anybody

Chuck
Headed back to Ohio to work with his son

Dan
Another local who started later in the season

Wyatt & Heather
Also headed towards Ohio

Michael & Anna
The Man in Charge and the Woman Who Knows
What's Going On!

Jean & Larry
2nd season in Oregon headed to Colorado Springs
Larry taught me everything I know about
Workamping.
So you can blame it on him!

Mel & Teri
Maintenance Supervisor & Operations Manager

Joan and I will miss everyone we worked with this year. It's been a season we won't forget and we  look forward to meeting up with our new friends somewhere down the road

You Call That a Vacation?...

10 Days and 2300 miles later......Jim and Debbie are on their way home. As the week progressed several blog titles were bandied about....as the time came to an end Debbie even suggested "Thank Goodness They're Finally Gone!" But before it was all said and done we all agreed that this trip rivals our first FOSJ motorcycle trip to Utah in 2007 as one of the best.

The first few days we took day-trips to locales close to the RV. Then on Sunday we set out for a 5-day drive south to Crater Lake, then into Redwood National Forest in California before a scenic slow paced drive north on US101 along the Oregon coast returning home. The last few days were more day trips saving Mt Hood for last. There's no way I could tell you about all of the wonderful and beautiful things we saw along the way, but maybe the pics below will tell a little of the story.

Columbia River Gorge

Multnomah Falls

Bonneville Dam

Mt St Helen

Mt Rainier

Lavender Field Near Corbett

Sisters Mountains Dee Wright Observatory

Crater Lake

Rogue River Gorge

Elk - Northern California

Redwood National Forest

Southern Oregon Coastline

Brookings Oregon

Cape Blanco Lighthouse

Coquille River Lighthouse

Umpqua River Lighthouse

Frontier Sand Dunes Florence Oregon

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Mt Angel Monastary

Dinner on the Terrace at Imperial River Company Overlooking
the Deschutes River

Deschutes River

Set Net Fishing Warm Springs Reservation

Leaving Tighe Valley

WindSurfing on the Columbia River

Kite Boarding in the Gorge near Mt Hood

Parkdale View of Mt Hood

I know I've probably left some things out. If you'd like to see more shots check out Joan's pictures on her Facebook page. Just 'Friend' Joan Ritten on Facebook.

Stay Tuned. More to Come.