7/31 Update & Too Hot!!

I have not posted recently, mainly because I have not really been sightseeing and have no photos to post.  In any case, here is what I have been doing and some comments on the heat out here. 

• As you noticed, I spent nearly all of July at high altitudes in Colorado.  This worked out well, for the  most part, but I had a little trouble adjusting to altitude. This time gave me an opportunity to have some work done on my vehicle at a rare Ford dealer willing to work on big vehicles.  Most either have doors too small for my motorhome or don't have the right lift equipment, so I was glad to get some maintenance done.
• I know this sounds strange, but I had made an appointment with a specialist in Eugene, OR, so I left Colorado on 7/17 and headed further west, stopping for a couple of days to visit with a friend in Salt Lake City and catch up on some shopping.  Then it was on through southern Idaho.  I posted the photos of Twin Falls, ID, on 7/23. 
• Then I drove almost straight through Idaho and arrived in Eugene, OR, on 7/26.   Basically, it was four days of almost non-stop driving, so few photos and no postings. After so many weeks of driving through arid high desert, it was nice to see some trees.  Here are just a few photos of the last day of my drive. 

This is approaching Bend, OR, one of the prettiest places in central Oregon. 

 Much of this area is volcanic, so it is not unusual to see piles of volcanic rock along roads.

 

 Lots and lots of trees!

 

 Elevation is lower and trees are much bigger than they were in the areas I was staying in Colorado. 

 

For the last few days, I have been just relaxing in Eugene. I am in a very nice county campground with full hookups, good cell service, and few trees so I can get a good satellite signal.  It is also close to town so I've taken a couple of long bike rides to get groceries and a haircut, but also spending a lot of time relaxing.

Now to discuss HEAT!    The last few days, temps have been relatively moderate at around 90, but even that is too much for my old body, so I have been staying inside in the afternoons.  Today, however, it is supposed to get up to 97 and get to 108 tomorrow!  RVs are not well insulated, and my AC will be struggling, but it will at least take off a few degrees from temperatures.  Nights are fine here because they are cool, which makes sleeping nice.

I was planning to go back to Bend today, but I discovered that the campground I was planning on staying at back in Bend had electricity, but no cell service, which means I cannot work there. Also, too many trees so no satellite, and I do like my TV.  I have sometimes driven out each day to get cell service and internet, but it is going to be too hot to do that and also it is a very long drive there to get service. 

Also, I had originally planned to drive south for next weekend to do some dry-camping on the way to Eagle Lake, CA.  (Dry-camping means no hookups and that also means no electricity and no AC.)  The place I had chosen is also going to be very hot this weekend.  I can't imagine what I was thinking several months ago when I decided to do that.  

So, when I realized the hot weather was coming, I went into planning overdrive.  It was really hard to find new places to stay that fit my requirements because this is the busy summer season.  I decided to stay here for a couple more days even with the heat because I had some shade, good internet and satellite, and electricity for AC.  Wednesday, I am going to Bend, but to a campground that has electricity, satellite, and maybe some cell service.  It will be very hot there, but survivable, and I can stay inside and work.  I might have to make a short drive each day, but I am hopeful that won't be necessary.  (Verizon says on their map that they have service, but they lie, and the ranger I called said it is iffy.) 

Sunday, I will have a 300 mile drive to Eagle Lake in northern California near Lassen Volcano National Park, but at least that campground is higher in elevation and likely to be a little cooler.  Wish me luck!!

Oh, and next summer I am going to stay along the Oregon and Washington Coast where it is really cool, maybe even chilly.