I’ve been traveling for 9 months and I haven’t had a single mishap - until now.   The last park I stayed at in Oregon didn’t have pull through sites, only back in ones.   I’m very good at driving forward, but backing up is another matter.   I can back myself into most sites, but it’s not always quick or pretty.   My friend Angela came along with me this time because we were going for lunch after I parked.   I got myself lined up (poorly) and started backing up.   The road was a bit narrow, so I had to go back and forth to get my truck lined up correctly.   At one point Angela said, you’re really close to the water faucet.   I clearly heard her but looked at the electric box which was farther back.   I thought, OK I’m watching the water (electric box).   I moved forward and backed up once more.   At which point Angela said, well, you just took out the water faucet and there is water gushing up out of the ground.   I can’t really...

It’s been a busy few weeks! My friend Mike is a volunteer Deputy Sheriff for the Hood River County Marine Patrol.   He invited me to assist with the Roy Webster Cross Channel Swim.   It’s a 1.1 mile swim across the Columbia River.   There were over 400 swimmers, 12 people couldn’t make it and had to be pulled out of the water.   We got two of them.   It was interesting being a rescue boat, I’ve done some open water swims and it’s much harder than it looks.   I was really impressed when I heard that over half the swimmers were novice swimmers and only 12 quit.   I had to take a nap after, he made me get up at 330 in the morning to meet him by 530.   Who in   their right mind gets up at that hour?   That’s one big reason I don’t work anymore… The state park I’m staying in has a trail head that leads to a network of hiking trails.   I headed out one day aiming for Multnomah Falls, a very busy tourist attraction.   I plan...

I spent a few days at the William M. Tugman state park on the Oregon Coast.   It was a really nice park and the weather was very cool.   It was a nice change from the heat of Redding CA.   I decided to take it easy and just drove up and down the coast taking in the sights.   I planned on trying out my kayak in the lake, but a cold front moved it so I spent the day cleaning out cabinets and rearranging things.   I got to Portland and hit the ground running.   I’m having such a great time, I don’t want to leave!   In the first week alone, I hung out with my favorite cousins Joyce and Lisa several times.     I took all the ‘valuable stuff’ I cleaned out a few days before and added it to a giant yard sale.   Although I made $70 and got rid of a bunch of stuff, the best part of the day was just hanging out.   I had dinner with a friend Mike and his wife Michelle a few times, they’re great to hang out with.     Mike ...