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After checking out the area over three days we decided to try and get a RV site in the park. Well, with the upcoming Labor Day weekend I knew our chances this late in the reservation process would limit our options. However, the good Lord smiled and we were able to get one night, Thursday September 1 in the campground so I booked it. Our site in "J" loop is a pull-thorough with water and electricity. The price was a bit steep at $52 ($44 for non-residence plus $8 reservation fee) but I really wanted to try it out. Thursday morning at 10 AM we checked out of Camp Rilea and headed to the parking lot for Battery Russell to wait until check-in time at 4 PM. We parked the RV and took our bike off the rack to do some further exploring. The park has an extensive system of bike trails so we took the route to the historical military museum to the north where on June 21, 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-25 shells the U.S. Army's Fort Stevens coastal defenses on the Oregon side of the mouth of the Columbia River. The Japanese are retaliating for the U.S. bombing of Japan the prior April. The U.S. batteries do not return fire and there is no serious damage. After our tour of the facilities we returned to the RV, hooked up our bikes and drove to our campsite to set up. We were able to get in early after the 1 PM check out time and had some lunch before heading to the beach. We rode our bikes one mile to the beach with our beach chairs strapped to our backs. Tomorrow we leave for Washington state. We have a reservation at a Harvest Host with Farmer Deb Howard at Willapa Bay Heritage Farm, 15720 Sandridge Rd, Long Beach, WA.

Tuesday, August 30 we explored the area around Warrenton, Hammond and Astoria, Oregon. This included the massive Fort Stevens State Park south of the mouth of the Columbia River. One of the nation’s largest public campgrounds, Fort Stevens marks the site of a military installation once used to guard the mouth of the Columbia River. The fort saw service for 84 years, from the Civil War to World War II. Today, Fort Stevens is a 4,300-acre park offering a variety of recreation adventures, including camping, beach-combing, a freshwater lake, trails, wildlife viewing, and a historic shipwreck. The RV facilities are the largest I've seen to date and includes: 174 full-hookup sites (36 pull-through), 302 electrical sites with water (11 pull-through), 6 tent sites, 9 walk-in tent sites with parking nearby, 15 yurts (7 pet-friendly), 11 deluxe cabins (5 pet-friendly). Amazing! Our first stops inside the park was to the wreck of the British bark, Peter Iredale, one of the largest and finest sailing ships of her day. She ran aground on Clatsop Beach October 25, 1906 and was stranded but all crew members were safely evacuated. The iron and steel vessel has been one of the local sights ever since. From there we drove to the south jetty at the entrance of the Columbia River. Salmon season had started and the boats around the mouth were thick as mosquitos. All day long we heard the larger vessel traffic alerting the small fleet of boats with 5 blasts of their horns. In international maritime language the sound signal of five short blasts means “I am not sure of your intentions and am concerned we are going to collide”. From the jetty we travelled to one of the many military historical sites at Fort Stevens. Battery Russell is one of nine batteries at Fort Stevens and was active for forty years, from 1904 to 1944. Fort Stevens itself was in service for 84 years, from the Civil War through to WWII. It’s named after Major General David Russell who fought in the Civil War. The battery once protected the mouth of the Columbia River. Together with Fort Columbia and Fort Canby in Washington, the three forts created the Triangle of Fire. This defense made it difficult for enemy boats to sneak undetected up the Columbia River. On Wednesday, August 31, 2022 we took a trip over to Astoria, Oregon for a seafood lunch and a visit to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The museum features the unique characteristic of this body of water. Since 1792 approximately 2000 vessels, including over 200 large ships, have sunk at the Columbia River Bar. More than 700 people have lost their lives to the sea. These dangers have earned this area the title “Graveyard of the Pacific”. Mariners agree that the combination of high seas, a mighty river, land shallow, and shifting sand bars make the Columbia River bar one of the most dangerous bar crossings in the world. The highlight for me was the full size exhibit of a United States Coast Guard 33 Foot Motor Life Boat rescuing a man in the waters off the mouth of the Columbia River bar. This is the same area where the USCG trains "coasties" as Coxswains (helmsmen) to operate in these challenging and dangers conditions.

Monday, August, 29 we arrived after a 90 minute transit to our next home for three days up the picturesque Oregon coast to Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton, Oregon. This State of Oregon military installation has been serving the Pacific Northwest for the last 90 years. Comprising of 2,000 acres, it offers both military and civilian users training options because of its location and facilities. Encompassing broad dune and woodland areas, firing ranges, barracks, and other facilities, plus a broad ocean front. The RV sites are authorized for use by the following: Active Duty, National Guard, Reservists, Retired Military, 0-100% DAV (my eligibility status), Purple Heart Recipients, Former POW, Veteran Caregivers, DoD Civilians. After checking in at the billeting office we found our site #8 sandwiched between another fifth wheel and the parking stanchion protecting the roof of the bath house. Karen carefully and skillfully guided my backing maneuver into the space. Our Walkie Talkies have proved to be the best communication device for navigating these tricky parking scenarios. After getting set up we rode our electric bikes around the camp to get a better "lay of the land". We finished the first day with a trip to Fort Clatsop, some errand running and a quick tour of downtown Astoria, Oregon. Fort Clatsop was the encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the Oregon Country near the mouth of the Columbia River during the winter of 1805–1806. Located along the Lewis and Clark River at the north end of the Clatsop Plains approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Astoria, the fort was the last encampment of the Corps of Discovery, before embarking on their return trip east to St. Louis. The site is now protected as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, part of which was formerly known as Fort Clatsop National Memorial until 2004. The original Fort Clatsop decayed in the wet climate of the region but was reconstructed for the sesquicentennial in 1955 from sketches in the journals of William Clark. The replica lasted for fifty years, but was severely damaged by fire in early October 2005, weeks before Fort Clatsop's bicentennial. A new replica, more rustic and rough-hewn, was built by about 700 volunteers in 2006; it opened with a dedication ceremony that took place on December 9. The site is currently operated by the National Park Service.

August 26 through 29 finds us at the Tillamook Bay RV Park near the air museum and airport south of town. This is a dry camping site with plenty of room between neighboring RV rigs. Our solar system allows us to charge the batteries during the day so we don't need the generator for our power needs. Day 1: Friday night we did a recon and drove north to downtown Tillamook past the famous creamery to Garibaldi on the north end of Tillamook Bay for dinner. I had fish and chips, Karen had a Bay Shrimp salad at Kelley's Place at the Smokestack. This cash only and no minors allowed bar & grill on the water was busy. The food was good but the place was noisy. Day 2: Saturday started with a trip to the downtown Tillamook farmer's market for some veggies and cherries. Next it was onto the famous Tillamook creamery for the self-guided tour and some cheese samples. It was too early for lunch so we headed to Cape Meares State Park to see the lighthouse. The Cape Meares Lighthouse used a 1-ton hand-ground, Crystal Fresnel lens! It's only one of two French eight-sided lights in the United States - the other is in Hawaii. One of the unusual oddities was the Octopus Tree. The forces that shaped this unique Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) have been debated for many years. Whether natural events or possibly Native Americans were the cause remains a mystery. The tree measures more than 46 feet in circumference and has no central trunk. Instead, limbs extend horizontally from the base as much as 16 feet before turning upward. It is 105 feet tall and is estimated to be 250 to 300 years old. From there we drove to Netarts on the bay for lunch, followed by a drive south to check out the Cape Lookout State Park venue. Day 3: Sunday started with church. We attended the Tillamook Christian Church service at 9 AM followed by a trip to Safeway for groceries and some lunch items. After lunch I enjoyed a nap and Karen read her book. Our afternoon sightseeing was to the mood Air Museum across the airfield from our RV location. This was originally the Tillamook Naval United States Navel Air Station Tillamook operated from 1942 to 1946. This station was built for Navy airship used for reconnaissance and convoy escort duty during the second world war.

From Loon Lake we traveled to Hwy 80 by way of Wentworth Springs Road to state highways 193 and 49. Everything was okay until we got to the downgrade to the north fork of the American River gorge! A ten percent grade, winding and narrow with traffic; a real white knuckle driving experience but we managed to get through to Auburn then Hwy 65 on to Linda, CA. We wanted to stop and see our friends David and Noel Nephew. After spending the night it was on to Hwy 5 passed Lake Shasta, Mt. Shasta, Yreka and over the border into Oregon. We arrived at the Southern Oregon RV Park in Central Point on Monday August 22 for two days. Karen and I both worked remotely while at this location. After three weeks of electrical problems with one daisy-chained 110v circuit, I was able to troubleshoot the problem and fix it myself. One more point for this old "MacGyver" figuring out this rig's 110v electrical system nuance. From Central Point, OR we headed north to Sutherlin, OR then west on Hwy 138 and Hwy 38 to the coastal town of Reedsport and north to the Three Rivers Casino in Florence, OR. First night was free and they gave Karen and I $10 each to gamble in the casino. Guess how long that lasted? Later we drove to Wil and Raychell Sumner's new home for a delicious dinner and a visit. Wil and I served in the same Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla in Petaluma before he and Raychell moved up to Oregon last October 2021. They have a beautiful new home on a lake and Wil has two Coast Guard stations he is involved with in the area. Tonight, August 25 we are staying at the Tillicum Beach campground on the coast in the Siuslaw National Forest. The campsite was first come, first serve and we got into a pull-through close enough we can hear the ocean as I write this post. Tomorrow we travel to Port Tillamook Bay RV Park about two and a half hours away. Home of the Tillamook Cheese Factory and the Tillamook Air Museum. The museum is located at a former US Navy Air Station and housed in a former blimp hangar, known as "Hangar B", which is the largest clear-span wooden structure in the world!

After two weeks and two days back in Sonoma County we left again for our next road trip called "Northwest Triangle". Our plans included spending three days in the Sierra's near the Desolation Wilderness at Loon Lake with our son Nick and the family. This is Nick's "happy place" where he, Lindsey and the kiddos boat out to an island or peninsula on the lake and set up a private campsite. On Thursday, August 18th we traveled on Highway 50 east of Sacramento towards Lake Tahoe and turned onto Ice House Road headed north for about an hour. The lake is in the El Dorado National Forest and is very remote but the roads are adequate for a large fifth wheel. We decided to play it safe and show up a day before the weekend so we would have less a problem getting a first come, first serve parking area site. No cell service, no hook ups but worth the isolation and spectacular views.

After delivering Zoe to her family, Karen and I started our return trip to California on July 30th via Coos Bay, Oregon and Fortuna, CA. We took three days to get back to the Herrick's vineyard property in Healdsburg, CA. We really appreciate Lorri and Greg providing us a base of operation with full hook-ups. Karen and I both spent a couple days working when we returned. She is helping with the transition with her replacement at Total Concepts and I did three fire investigations for FCA. Our main reason for returning was to help the family with Karen's mother, Marilyn Hilen's memorial celebration on August 14th. After losing mom last year on August 12, 2021 we had to delay honoring her memory due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on travel and gatherings. In hindsight this was probably a blessing in disguise, because it allowed us all time grieve the loss before her memorial. On Friday, August 12th, the family started arriving. We had a spontaneous dinner party that night at Chevy's Mexican restaurant. On Saturday, another gathering at Karen's brother Keith's condo clubhouse for a barbecue. And finally on Sunday, a beautiful memorial with family and friend at the Wild Oaks Saddle Club. The memorial was a wonderful tribute to a great lady, mother and friend. Stories and memories were shared about mom's life. Laughter and tears punctuated moments during the afternoon celebration. Throughout the day I felt her spirit and I know in my heart she was smiling, laughing and crying with all of us. Our loss is Heaven's gain.

Before Elisa and Aaron left for home we all traveled to Crater Lake because no one in either family had ever been there. It was on our "bucket list" of sights to see. And was it ever a sight to behold! The blue beauty of Crater Lake extends beyond its depth. At 1,943 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America. Famous for its beautiful blue color, the lake's water comes directly from snow or rain -- there are no inlets from other water sources. This means no sediment or mineral deposits are carried into the lake, helping it maintain its rich color and making it one of the cleanest and clearest lakes in the world. Karen and I started a tradition of spending a week or more with each grandkid when they turned 13. Well, we have twins, Macy and Zoe in the Edgington family. Rather than do their trip together we took Macy (born first at 2:31 AM) last year, which meant Zoe (born a minute later at 2:32 AM) had to wait an extra year. During Zoe's week we kayaked on the lake in Stewart State Recreation Area, visited the High Desert Museum and tubed down the Deschutes river in Bend, Oregon, eventually arriving at Spring Drive RV campground below Mt. Hood. We spent our last day together enjoying a delicious dinner at the Timberline lodge, Cascade dining room. From Mt. Hood it was a two hour drive to Portland to return Zoe back home. We had a great time getting to know Zoe on a much deeper level. These trip really give us a chance to KNOW our grandkids.

Saturday, July 16 through Wednesday, July 20 was a great time to hang out with two of our three kids, theirs spouses and grandkids. This was the first time we rented a AirBnB with a pool and it was a definite hit given the hot weather in southern Oregon. We slept in, hung out by the pool in the afternoon, shared some great meals, and played games into the late evening. Of course, Mimi (Karen) had to have us all together for a family photo, so we gather in front of the pool to record this memorable time together minus Erik, Tori, Emery, Mattis and Arley. We ended our time together at the AirBnB and headed to Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area for a week. Nick's family headed south and home to El Dorado Hills, CA while Elisa's family stayed in the area for a couple more days. Before heading back to Portland, OR they visited us at our site and we all headed up to Crater Lake together.

We left Mt. Rainer, WA on July 14 heading to a four bedroom Air BNB we rented for a family reunion Saturday, July 16 to Wednesday 20 in Central Point outside of Medford, Oregon. Our journey south took us by the exit to Mt. St. Helens on Interstate 5. As we pasted the offramp I couldn't help but remember that fateful day in May 18, 1980 and wonder if Mt. Rainer will ever erupt in my lifetime. To avoid the traffic in Portland, OR we opted to exit in Longview, WA and cross the Columbia River continuing the journey on Highway 30, then over Cornelius Pass towards our Harvest Host - Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, OR. Its exhibits include the Hughes H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose) and more than fifty military and civilian aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and spacecraft. The museum complex includes four main buildings: the original aviation exhibit hall, a large screen (7 stories wide, 6 stories high) digital theater, a second exhibit hall focused on space technology, and a water park. I was a member of the Evergreen Museum Association some years ago and knew the facility had a large parking lot and plenty of room for our overnight stay. On July 15 we departed McMinnville, OR to head south to Myrtle Creek, OR about 175 mile away. We stopped at the Millsite RV Park for the night. $30 per day plus one time $5 booking fee with full hook ups (excellent at the price, especially compared to other parks in Oregon). The following morning we drove the two hours south to the AirBNB. Backing in the fifth wheel was a challenge, but Karen was on the walkie-talkie had me covered, guiding me into the driveway so we could still have plenty of parking for the other vehicles. Families started arriving in the afternoon and we were all around or in the pool enjoying the warm weather and cold drinks before dinner. We're all missing not having Erik, Tori, Emery, Mattis and Arley with us. Love and miss you, will FaceTime you all later.

We departed Camano Island on the morning of July 12 for a two day stay at Alder Lake in the shadow of Mt.Rainer. With a summit elevation of 14,411 ft (4,392 m), it is the highest mountain in the state of Washington and the Cascade Range, the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States, and the tallest in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. On July 13, Karen and I entered the southwest Nisqually entrance of the National Park and traveled up the volcano through Longmire and up to the Paradise area at approximately 5,400 feet (1,600 m) on the south slope. Paradise is the most popular destination for visitors to Mount Rainier National. We visited the visitor center and checked out the Paradise Inn. Originally built in 1916, the lodge is indeed grand and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Mt. Rainer has the largest alpine glacial system outside of Alaska and the world's largest volcanic glacier cave system (in the summit crater). Visible throughout the region, Mount Rainier shapes the physical environment and defines the identity of the Pacific Northwest. If you're ever in the Pacific Northwest make a point of exploring Mt. Rainer National Park.

Ever dreamt of having ocean front property with incredible views? Access to water toys of all kinds and eating an endless supply of amazing foods, including Dungeness Crab? Add to that, fireworks on the Fourth of July, great conversation and connection with our extended family in Washington. Our Camano Island visit was the first time in 2 months that we stayed in any one place for longer than 5 days so it was especially relaxing and refreshing! Thank you Agnew family, Haug family and Hilen family for a great time at the beach house. We had so much fun we're coming back in September for another visit.