A couple of rainy days in Oregon

Hello Everyone, 

Who knew that the Pacific northwest could be so rainy? Count me surprised. It's been coming down in sheets for the last couple of days. So much so that Arthur didn't want to get out of the truck the other night after I had set up the camper. I knew he'd be getting soft after spending a day lolling around on a plush bed. I had to pull him down out of the back seat, and when I went to reach in for my bag, he was already nosing up under my arm to get back in. He loves swimming, but Lord help us if we get caught in the rain. 

After Jonny left for the airport, my companion and I spent the day mostly running errands. We eventually made our way to the airport though to pick up my next travel companion, Marie. 

In looking for parking, I almost found out the hard way that the truck and camper together won't fit in regular parking garages. I settled instead on loitering around the pick up area. 

Once the pick up was complete, we drove west to the coast that evening and camped at a park by the beach. If it hadn't been raining, it might have been nice to hang out by the beach for awhile, but given the conditions we settled for a walk and then packed up and headed for Eugene in the morning.

The interior of Oregon is dotted with natural hot springs, and you don't need a clear day to enjoy those, so we found a nice spot near Oakridge and went for a soak. The water was quite hot, and came from the rocks at the bottom of the wading pool, so you had to be careful not to scald your bum when you sat down.  But if you could manage that, it was wonderful to relax in some hot water amid huge moss covered trees. There was even a place nearby to boondock for the night, so it's been a successful stretch despite the weather. 

Today though, we are returning to first principles. There are mountain bike trails to ride, and wet conditions or not, we're going to hit them up this afternoon. 

Wes