Friday, July 29, 2011

Down a New Trail

7/27 -7/28 ~ Rod got his August schedule last night and the realization hits us that we can stay out another week. This will be our first 3 week vacation ever (we're talking 30 years here people)! On the spur of moment we decide to spend a couple of days with his 93 year old pop in Sublimity, OR.

We hadn't planned to go that far north but what the heck we have the time and the drive East on Hwy 22 from Lincoln City is gorgeous. This time of year there are acres and acres of oat hay ready to be harvested, best described as a golden ocean, waves created by ruffling winds. Before we drop down into the Willamette Valley we spot Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier in the distance ~ a bit of a miracle these days with all the haze.

7/29 ~ It's in the mid 80's so we decide to head back towards the coast about noon. We sacrifice a little time to I5 to expedite the trip south and turn off at Halsey to pick up Hwy 126 west to Florence. We've never driven this route before and it's another winner: ranches, forests, rivers, creeks, organic farms and small towns.

There are two lesser known meteor showers tonight and tomorrow night, the Delta Aquarids and Alpha Capricornids, so we look for a place off the beaten track to camp. There has been a marine layer at the coast so we're thinking inland a bit. We discover Mapleton and the Maple Lane RV Park on the Siuslaw River: $25/night, water, electricity and wifi. What more do you need?



The site is level grass (we can run around barefoot) and 30 feet from the river. There's shade under the trees for reading and a small dock. Rod's down there now trying his trout mojo while a chicken simmers on the BBQ. I'm off to the "reading room" for a bit, deep into a Jeffery Deaver mystery. We're thinking the dock may be a good place to watch the skies the next two nights.



The owners told us of a place across the river and about 15 miles west called Sweet Creek Trails and Falls. Excellent for hiking and photographs, so we'll head up there tomorrow afternoon or Sunday morning on the way to the coast.


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