We were deputized for the weekend as junior park hosts, in training. Ron, host extraordinaire, had to run to the big city to pick up Karen from the airport. Per Ron, Buddha was technically in charge, but we would handle the money since he doesn’t have thumbs! Buddha then proceeded to try and delegate all of the jobs that didn’t revolve around swimming, and ball chasing to us. Checking the garbage cans, cleaning bathrooms, and his favorite, dog mess duty!
Budha, the official camp host.Clean the bathrooms…can’t find the mop.Clean up dog poop…eeeewwwww, not gonna happen.Pick-up garbage…the bag isn’t not full enough, yet,. We wouldn’t want to waste valuable county resources:)Attend meetings with international guests…we can do that.Survey the camp for marauders…Darrin and Budha are ready for duty.Give the official camp host a hug…done.
Like our souvenirs, we have been selective about the travel stickers we put on the Wee Rover. It’s a space thing and well, we are picky. While shopping at the Langlois (prounounced Langlass) Market the other day, we noticed a really beautiful local artist designed sticker of Oregon! Since our time living on the Oregon Coast has been so awesome, and Oregon being where the Wee Rover is getting her heart transplant, we decide it would fit nicely, and close out the right rear panel of our travels in the north from the Arctic Ocean, the Northwest Territory, the Yukon, British Columbia and Alaska down to the Oregon Coast! We will have to start a southern panel as we venture to Baja and points south.
The sticker was created by Brooke Lovaas of MiraCole Creations in Eugene, Oregon.Stickers from the top down: Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean, Inuvik just south of Tuktoyaktuk, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska and Oregon.
The park has been quieting down over the past week or so with the cooler weather. The vacationers have fled back to their homes leaving the travelers to flow through on their way to their next adventure.
Despite the quiet, Ron, the camp host, continues his work maintaining the trails near the park, which includes clearing dead trees. The benefit of Ron’s tireless work is we often have an afternoon campfire. We barbecue, share road stories, enjoy each others company and the quiet solitude of the park.
The best part is Ron’s dog, Budha, gets to enjoy the freedom of the empty park, as well as a few well earned cookies!
Ron, Darrin and Budha…they look like they are up to something, I probably don’t want to know.A young Australian couple, Sunny and Jonathon, who have been working and traveling around Canada and are now ttaveling in the US, joined us around the fire.The boys insist we need to start with a bonfire so we have just the right amount of coals for cookingOk, so maybe they were right. A yummy dinner of hot dogs, potatoes with onions and veggies.Budha thinks he is a lap dog.
We had a request from one of our loyal followers to post a video of the Bandon (Coquille River) Lighthouse. Today, we were lucky to catch a ride to Bandon with our park host, Ron. He nicely swung out to the point so we could take a few videos.
The first video goes from the sea stacks to the lighthouse (cool orange parked car), including the foghorn in the background.
The second video starts at the lighthouse (cool orange car, again) in towards town.
And the last video is taken from town (specifically, the farmer’s market) starting out at the lighthouse and coming back towards town and the pier where people were crabbing.
Some history of the Coquille River Lighthouse can be found on this website.
A great legend about one of the sea stacks can be founf on this website.
It was a quiet day at the park the other day. Ron, our friend and most excellent camp host, came by to see if we wanted to go for a boat ride around Lake Floras. Jeff, another long term camper at the park, had a new inflatable pontoon boat with a propane motor. We had to give it a try.
We had a fun time exploring part of the lake’s fingers and coves. The wooded shoreline reminded us of quiet canoe trips in northern Maine and Canada.
The sun was out, the ducks and geese were in full migration and the lake was quiet. A very nice outing.
Floras Lake website for more information.Captain Ron readies the boat as I bid farewell. Yes, the ocean is just behind those dunes.The tour included lake front homes and beautiful woods.Captain Ron expertly guides us around the lake and safely back to shore in less than 3 hours. Thanks Captain Ron!
D figured while we were hanging here we should take advantage of our down time and replace the rear brakes; he was planning on installing new rear drums and shoes prior to leaving, but we ran out of time and it kept snowing and snowing and snowing. Since we will soon be Turbo Charged, good braking is a bit essential!
45 minutes later and fancy new rear brakes are installed!
Once we install the new motor we will be ready to vroom and screeeeeech:)
Old brakesNew shoesNew drum – now don’t I sound like I know what I’m talking about!
Our time here at Boice Cope has often felt a bit like a refuge camp. For us while we wait for our new motor, for others due to the wildfires in the area. Over the past month the wildfires have closed Interstate 5 from California, forced evacuation of Merlin residents where our motor work is being done, and pushed others out from the Mt Shasta region. We have had fire fighters come through here in conveys heading to the fires as relief and others vacationing here during their breaks.
We thought that was all done once a bit of fall rains started, but no. The Klondike Fire, 33 miles inland from us over towards Grants Pass, which started on July 15th from a lightning strike has flared up again. A change of wind brought the smoke and ash west towards the coast for a short time. Last night while cooking dinner, we looked up to see smoke rolling in. At sunset, we took a couple of pics and a video to share.
Our fingers are crossed with the hope of rain in the areas that have been fighting these fires all summer.
The smoke rolling in as we made supper.The smoke turned the sun a brilliant orange as it set.For us the smoke made an amazing bittersweet sunset.
A special starter was included to fit with the adaptor.
A custom oil pan is required to clear the rover front differential and to fit in the engine bay.
