Also known as the rest of July.
I had hoped to post this during the two weeks I was in Joseph Oregon, but Internet connections were on again, off again while there. But that was okay with me. It gave me a chance to explore the area, get some writing time in, and relax for the first time in what has felt like forever.
Then I thought, when I’m in Bend Oregon, surely I’ll have a good internet connection and can post from there. Surprise. It was even worse there since I was technically staying south of Bend, and I could only get service in one spot in the park. And only if I stood facing a certain direction. If I moved an inch to my right, calls would drop, and service would go away.
All that to say, I’m back in civilization now and have lots to share.
If you ever have the chance to visit Joseph and the surrounding areas, especially Lake Wallowa state park, I highly recommend it. The town itself is small, but oh so charming. So many local shops featuring local artists, handcrafts, and locally grown goodies, my budget and my waistline may have switched places for a bit.
I took advantage of being on a lake and tried kayaking for the first time, and I have to say, I think I may have found a new hobby. It was so peaceful out on the lake, just paddling around, occasionally going in circles because I’m not the most coordinated person 🙂 But just enjoying the water and nature was a balm for my soul.
And did I mention the wildlife? Deer, everywhere. Including right outside of the RV. One morning I was woken up by the rustling of a fawn and mother walking past. The cat was captivated by them too. She would sit in the window and watch them eat from the apple tree next to the RV. Occasionally they would sleep next to the fence too. And chipmunks, ground squirrels, a gopher, and eagles too. Though all of those resided at the state park nearby. But plenty of time was spent there too, enjoying all it had to offer as well.
They have many statues throughout the town,
depicting Chief Joseph and other scenes significant to the area.
Week 5 was spent in La Pine Oregon, just south of Bend Oregon. Another wonderful place to visit, despite the lack of internet at the state park.
An interesting fact about Bend and surrounding areas like Sunriver, La Pine, and Redmond (not to be confused with Redmond WA), they have a limit on how much can be developed. And if you want to build or expand the town, you have to pay an enormous amount of money to the state, then wait for approval, and sometimes not get it. They are trying to manage the growth, and while it has grown, it has helped some too.
Bend and the surrounding areas are a geological treasure. There are so many places to hike, there weren’t enough hours in the day, or days in the week to take advantage of it all. But one hike I did get to enjoy was the Obsidian Flow. It was created by a volcanic eruption, 1,300 years ago. Back at the beginning of the “space race age”, NASA sent astronauts out here to hike here, thinking maybe the moon surface would be similar. Turns out it wasn’t, but it’s a neat place to hike and see what was once hidden under the crust of the earth. Mixed in with all the rocks were pieces of shiny obsidian. Some large, some small; but you could see why the Indians used it for arrowheads and other tools many years ago.
That same day I also went on a drive up to the top of Paulina Peak, elevation 7,984 feet, and could see the entire Obsidian crater (off to the right but not shown in the picture below) along with two lakes, and mountains off in the distance. What an incredible view it was.
And yes, since I didn’t have the distractions of social media, television, or Netflix, I did manage to get some writing time in too. Progress is slow, but it is being made on both Between The Beats and book 2, which still has no name yet.
Slowly I’m finding the new normal. It is an adjustment from what life used to be. But in the end, it’s all good.
Until next time, keep an eye on Instagram for more pictures, sign up for the newsletter (check the lower right corner for the subscription box) if you haven’t done that, or just check back here every so often to see what else is happening on my journey in the RV life.