After I left home base I had a leisurely week to get to my next activity - attending a Solar Eclipse party near Bend Oregon.
My first day on the road was a short drive north from Thunder Valley to Redding where I stopped for groceries and a coffee shop to spend some time on my travel logistics. I noticed there was an Elks Lodge with RV parking facilities in Redding, ( I joined the Elks Lodge last year primarily because the Elks Lodge RV facilities had been recommended by several fellow RV'ers as a convenient layover while traveling). I was ready for an easy day, and had already driven 150 miles, so decided to stay in Redding. I have stayed in several other Elks RV lots since becoming a member, but this one earns the top review so far - right on the Sacramento river with a really nice bike trail that I rode once at sunset upon check-in and again the next morning.......
My first day on the road was a short drive north from Thunder Valley to Redding where I stopped for groceries and a coffee shop to spend some time on my travel logistics. I noticed there was an Elks Lodge with RV parking facilities in Redding, ( I joined the Elks Lodge last year primarily because the Elks Lodge RV facilities had been recommended by several fellow RV'ers as a convenient layover while traveling). I was ready for an easy day, and had already driven 150 miles, so decided to stay in Redding. I have stayed in several other Elks RV lots since becoming a member, but this one earns the top review so far - right on the Sacramento river with a really nice bike trail that I rode once at sunset upon check-in and again the next morning.......
before a swim in their really big pool.
Then I headed out for another 150 mile drive before it got too hot. The second day of travel took me in to Oregon, just north of Klamath Falls where I stopped in the late afternoon at a casino parking lot and had a peaceful evening at home with a nice view of the Oregon forests in the distance.
Day three of travel took me to central Oregon and LaPine State Park about 30 minutes south of Bend because I had one night to fill before checking in to my Thousand Trails reservations nearby. I had another riverside bike ride - this time along the Deschutes River and in the Deschutes National Forest. The excitement related to the upcoming solar eclipse was evident here - people from far away places and talk of where they would watch the eclipse on the 21st.
Next day I moved a short 10 miles to the Thousand Trails campground just south of Bend where I will be for a week. I was very happy to have made contact with Denny, my 2nd cousin from my mom's Iowa family who lives in the area now and was very happy to connect with me as well. He took me to Paulina Peak in the Newberry National Monument area for a birds eye view of the recreational wonderland he calls his neighborhood,
then to his house to meet his wife, Shirley who took this picture of newly acquainted cousins.
I had one day of rest at home before heading out on Saturday Aug 19 toward my camp hosting friends Rod and Kathy's house in Camp Sherman where I would stay in their cowboy guest room for three nights to enjoy the eclipse experience safe and sound, away from the crowds that descended on the area.
Mike and I always said it is good to live where other people vacation, and they do!
On the way to their house, I passed this forest fire which was causing some local evacuations, and creating concern about good viewing of the eclipse,
Mike and I always said it is good to live where other people vacation, and they do!
On the way to their house the first day, I passed the forest fire near Sisters, OR which was causing some evacuations and concern over clear viewing of the eclipse,
but on the day of the eclipse, the sky was clear. There were ten humans and three dogs at their house: Rod and Kathy with their two sons, me and two others for overnight lodging and three who came in by car from inside the neighborhood for dinner the night before and for breakfast on eclipse day.
We had eclipse branded wine, moon pies and eclipse related music from pre-designed sound playlists the night before. Then on eclipse morning, we had an early breakfast with champagne mimosas to get us in the mood.
The eclipse started right on time as predicted, and we moved our chairs to the front lawn to watch the moon cover a larger slice of the sun minute by minute. We enjoyed a little more than an hour of cooling temperatures, dimming daylight and crazy conversation and pictures.
and here were are during the total eclipse at 10:19 AM
Just like you saw on TV, but in person, it was indeed an unforgettable experience!
More eating continued after the sun came back out, and later in the afternoon,
we took a hike to the headwaters of Jack Creek in the neighborhood to enjoy the sun and the beautiful world we live in.
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