by stumphugger » Sat Feb 16, 2013 1:50 pm
I got back Wednesday from a 1600 miler. I towed my pointy trailer down the Oregon Coast and on into CA where I spent 4 days in the Napa Valley at Bothe State Park and volunteered for a couple of those days in dispatching hazard trees in the campground and one that was across a trail.
I stayed at good old Honeyman State Park which is south of Florence, OR. It was sheltered from the gusty winds that were hitting the coast. I parked in the full hookups area because then the bathrooms are not used as much. There weren't many people camping this time of year though.
The next stay was a night at a CA state park, Burlington. It was the spendiest..$35 and had no hookups. The showers were pay showers and the one I used had a plugged up drain and the whole floor flooded--it even ran out the door...ICKY! The campground was dark and eerie this time of year, with very few level spots.
Napa was great. It was warmer than here, and I got to camp for free, except for the showers. The showers and restrooms were much cleaner than the Burlington ones and there were hosts, who were friendly and helped guide my trailer back in. I found out that I can run the furnace on battery power and it lasted--I hooked up the trailer pigtail into my pickup and idled for ten minutes twice and that seemed to do it. I'd also filled up my fridge with food--that area is a spendy one.
On the way home, I hustled to get back into Oregon and stayed a night at Harris Beach State Park which is just north of Brookings. Brookings lived up to its reputation for having nice, unseasonably warm weather and I didn't want to leave. That campground had the most people in it of any during the trip, and all the oceanside spots were reserved or full, but I found a nice one to plug into that was close to the restrooms. That campground even has a laundry, which after doing a clothing inventory, I decided not to use. I went on up the coast--the windshield wipers came on at Bandon, and stayed on the rest of the day. I stayed that night at Devils Lake State Park which is in downtown Lincoln City, OR. Since I live in the woods, it isn't a bad thing to camp in town. It is a different experience.
That state park had signs up to please camp at the higher (elevation wise) sites so as not to be flooded should it storm. There was just a light rain and drizzle all night. Then it was home for me the next day.
I have a tentative trip in the works in April. We will stay at Fort Stevens State Park which is close to Astoria, Oregon. There's a lot of history in that area. A lot of wet weather too, which I say as I dry out from going for a walk this morning.