I’ve already mentioned Bob - another host who showed me the ropes of cabin cleaning, but more importantly was a hiking partner on the park trails on not too busy days in August.
Chonteh is a seasonal park ranger who lives in a small cabin in the park. She and I quickly became acquainted by sharing food, beverage and conversation at each of our houses.
She took me out for bluegrass music in Stayton early on in August.
And we also went out with Bob and another seasonal ranger, Larry, for drinks and conversation on a Saturday night in Silverton.
At the end of August, the hosts and Ranger Carly, the host coordinator, all went out for pizza dinner in Silverton.
I was still getting acquainted with the other hosts at this time, so it was a lot of “where have you hosted before?” and “where are you going next?” with pizza and beer.
When Bob left for Arizona for the winter, his spot was filled by Larry and Vicki. I enjoyed working with them on cabin cleaning
and getting to know them when they invited me to their house for dinner once and to watch football games on their large screen TV and comfy living room.
In early September there was a host appreciation breakfast at The Old Ranch - an old barn that has been converted to group guest facilities. Here I am with my new cabin cleaning buddy Vicki.
Most of the attendees were current hosts, but some new faces came if they were close enough to drive in for a morning of breakfast burritos and fruit with award presentations by our ranger coordinator Carly
And a game of Silver Falls Jeopardy.
By mid September, Chonteh and I were ready for a different type of evening visit, so we drove into Salem and shared a flight of ciders with dinner at 1859 Cider.
We learned they were having street music on Friday night, so we went back, but this time invited another seasonal ranger, Larry, to join us.
There was a bit of rain by mid September, so the park lifted the campfire ban and the hosts started having evening campfires in the center of our host camp circle. Here is the entire group
on a night we decided to go out for dinner in Sublimity
because the month was coming to a close and half the group was getting ready to move on to other places at the end of September.
On the last Saturday night a group of us went to Silverton to Mac’s to listen to live blues from Curtis Salgado.
My cabin cleaning buddy Larry was alone because Vicki went home to visit her family in Minnesota. He was missing her cooking:)
Sad but true, this stint in Silver Falls was finally over for me and four other hosts in the host camp circle. We had one final campfire
with conversation and guitar music by Chad.
I believe there will be a reunion next year because everyone is currently scheduled to return next year. Same time, same place. Until we meet again, enjoy your journeys!
Terry and Becky from Illinois
Harry and Ann from Montana.
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