De-Liver Me Tour ~ The Fog is Lifting ~ May 17, 2015

The State of Kerfuffle has started to sort itself out. I will be able to have my next TACE done at Interventional Radiology at UCSF. It appears one of my hepatocellular carcinomas, Audrey or Carmine, has attempted a breakout and we need to shut down the escape route. This will be TACE number seven, which also happens to be my favorite number. I've never really looked up its attributes but decided to do a little research.

Morning Fog

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HudsonArtStudio

In numerology the #7 is the seeker and not just a lucky number: spiritual, intelligent, focused, intuitive, persevering, contemplative and gracious. In other disciplines #7 represents a natural healer, psychic abilities, inner peace, endurance, wisdom, ability to bear hardships, independent, quick-wit, non-conformist, and writer. I may know her. The number seven is lucky for Cancer and Pisces. Couldn't help but see the irony in this one: I'm a Pisces.

Healing Dream

https://www.etsy.com/shop/EtherealArt

Time Out ~ Before the return trip to UCSF we're taking one of our infamous "Do We Turn Right or Left" road trips. We're taking off May 26th, the 34th (3+4=7) anniversary of our meeting at the Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department Picnic in Cazadero, and will return around June 12th. The only promises to keep are a visit to my 96 year old Aunt in Durham May 26-27 and to be in Canby, OR by June 5-6 to visit family and celebrate our grand niece's graduation.

One stop we want to make on the way north is Oregon Caves National Monument near Cave Junction. The last time we were there in 1998 Rod couldn't explore the caves because he was using a cane. We did however spend an eventful night in the haunted suite on the 3rd floor of the Chateau. Looking forward to another experience and a hike in the caverns. 

Vintage Travel Poster 

Found on Pinterest

Otherwise we are playing it pretty much by ear. Rod wants to do some fishing so that may include the Trinity, Klammath and Smith Rivers.  We have friends to see in Hillsboro and time to toddle south down the Oregon and California coast on the way home. If it's warm enough in Gold Beach we'll do Jerry's Jet Boat trip up the Rogue River to Agnes for the day. An adventure not to be missed.

Hillsboro Heaven

Back to Reality ~ My TACE appointment at UCSF is June 16-17. Our friends Alice and John have graciously offered to let Rod stay in their guest room while I enjoy another overnight at the infamous UCSF Recovery Spa: bad food, a slamming door, alarms and a cranky ice machine. However, the doctors, nurses and staff are the best. A couple of weeks recovery and I should be ready for the Annual 4th of July Pancake Breakfast That Lasts All Day gathering at our place. More from the road once we return.

The Mighty Rogue

07/22/11 - Morning dawned with a couple of robins doing the two step on the roof of the rig (tickita - tickita - tap - tap). We eat a good breakfast and though we'll lunch up at Agnes, we pack a couple of sandwiches, my camera, binoculars and put on layers of clothes.

The jet boat picks us up at the dock at 8am sharp.  We have the same driver as we did 4 years ago. Jeff is the grandson of the man who started the mailboats in 1958. He's a skilled driver, a great storyteller and historian. We'll be venturing 52 miles up river through public lands, national park and wilderness.

One of our first sights is this magnificent bald eagle. Whenever Jeff or one of the passengers spot something worth seeing he'll pull over so we can all see what's up. We did spot the rear end of a small bear heading into the underbrush, but are told we may not see any others. Blackberry season is so late they haven't ventured down to the river.

Our driver knows a lot of the fishing guides and we stop along side of a friend of his who is happy to show us the morning catch. Rod's eyes get as big as saucers.

The Rogue originates at Crater Lake. There are only two dams left on it, but a visible side effect of the dams is it's opaque green color. It's not crystal clear like the Illinois River that merges with it up stream. The Rogue is higher than normal for this time of year and is warming rapidly. Some of the fall run salmon, like this one, are being caught 30 miles up river which is unusual. In a matter of days, a majority of the fish will move down to the cooler waters of the bay.

The Rogue is a magical and spiritual place, around every bend is something unexpected. Herons and ospreys abound, otter families play along the banks. We learned that once pups are born, the male otters take over rearing and educating the youngsters.

One the perks of traveling the Rogue in a jet boat (no props) is that it can navigate in eight inches of water. Though there are miles of smooth water with fast currents, we also experience class 3 and class 4 rapids. Whenever we come upon rafters, or campers along the shore the boat is slowed so as not to create waves. On the other hand we're all giddy with the thrill of knifing through the rapids, some quick stops (the front end drops everyone on the boat gets a shower) and doing 360 donuts which soak everyone. There were about 10 kids on our boat and what we noticed as the trip progressed is that all adults became more childlike: laughing, screaming, requesting more spins. Yeah Baby! Wahoo!

We dock at Agnes and have lunch at the little restaurant on the hill, the finishing touch is sharing a slice of still warm from the oven blackberry pie with vanilla ice cream. It's hard work playing on the river.



The return trip is just as heartstopping and fun as the way up. We are absolute toast by the time we're dropped of at camp about 3:30 in the afternoon. We opt for cereal for dinner, a little reading and early to bed. We head a little way north tomorrow.