Google and Glamping...

Okay, I'm about done with this blogging platform, I can sign in with Safari and compose blog posts, but I can't comment on other's blogs. But then I can comment on other's blogs with Firefox, yet I can't sign in without changing my password. And if I change my password then I'm on the phone with tech support to reconfigure my Nest account. I don't ask for much, all I want is for shit to work. I can handle change, I can update, evolve, but whatever Goggle has done with Blogger has aggravated my Tourette's and they can go pound sand!

Needless to say, I'm done with blogger and Goggle. I still read your blogs, but please know that I can't comment. Many of you have moved to Instagram, whom I follow there and on Facebook, so I guess that's where I'll be too.

As for an update of this year, we haven't been doing much but have been trying to get out camping at least once a month. Oddly enough it's been mostly on the coast, during the winter months it doesn't usually freeze over there so we can fill the water tank to use the grey and black tanks, and we can plug in so we have the microwave and a space heater (I did say glamping). 

Sutton Campground - January

Nehalem Bay - February

Nehalem Bay

Cannon Beach from Ecola State Park north of Nehalem Bay

Coquille River Lighthouse at Bullard's Beach Campground - March

Cape Blanco - April

Cape Blanco

Cape Blanco

Cape Blanco

Cape Blanco

We tried camping in the valley during the summer, but it's just too hot and dry which means no campfires. We've learned that summer is becoming our least favorite season as the campgrounds are full, the forest fires and smoke limit the number of campgrounds available which creates more crowding. Someone very special hooked us up with a spot at Timothy Lake in early July.

Timothy Lake - July

Timothy Lake

And we found a spot at Hosmer Lake mid July to take our new kayaks out for their maiden voyage.

Hosmer Lake - July

Hosmer Lake

Hosmer Lake

Then in August we turned to Hipcamp for our anniversary and Brandy's birthday. 

Cranberry Overlook - August

Cranberry Overlook 

Now come September we wait for the kids go back to school, and everyone settles back into a routine so we can get back into campgrounds. Chris and Lori are encouraging us to consider boon docking, which is surprisingly much easier with their overland rig than our truck and trailer because they can turn around if need be. Not that I couldn't, but I'm somewhat reluctant to backing a truck and trailer down a forest service road for miles after coming to a dead end. It takes plenty of planning, Goggle paper maps, and online apps, but fun and adventure awaits! 

We haven't been riding much this year either, I finally decided to sell Lucy, and has it been a long, dry, hot spring and summer making suiting up unpleasant. Also I had a minor, low speed crash at work and broke my right thumb. "Do not try this at home, I am a professional motorcyclist on a closed course". I had installed a fresh new front tire on a TW200 and while loading it into a trailer I promptly forgot doing so. Funny how my memory suddenly came back to me when my helmet hit the pavement and I was laying on the ground looking up at the sky. I was out of work for 10 days after surgery and now I'm on modified work status until I get the pins removed and finish up 6 more weeks of physical therapy. 

It's not the big bikes at speed we need to worry about, it's the small ones at slow speed that'll get you!

Speaking of work, a position at my office came available in June, and Brandy just happened to be looking for a change after being in law for twenty years. So guess whom my new coworker and carpooling buddy is. I think management wanted someone in the office to call an ambulance if I ever when I need it, smart thinking! 

Renovations and yard work have come to a screeching halt as I'm in a splint, an honorary lefty and can't pick anything up, let alone swing a hammer. Although, I now have a new appreciation for scissors. 

Some Day

Joining the ranks of fellow motobloggers Richard and Bridget, Lori and Chris, Dom, Lynn and Gerry, and most recent Toad Mama and Mike; I should include Sonja and Roland as well as they too qualify.

We added another two wheeler to the fleet, although not the traditional two wheels that we're used to, we officially became RV'ers on Sunday.

We had been thinking about buying a camp trailer for years, but we didn't have a capable vehicle to tow it with and you can't put the cart before the horse. However, back in 2018 Brandy's boss retired early, and as his only employee she was let go and had to find a new job. This put all of our plans on hold. She quickly found gainful employment, we sold our house, moved, I switched jobs and we held fast, all the while visiting RV shows thinking some day.

Just as we were set to go shopping... 2020 happened, and again we held fast. We did manage to find a truck once we knew both our jobs were secure through the projected pandemic. 

Covid shut down RV shows, yet sales soared as people realized that camping was one of the few recreational activities they could participate while social distancing. My plan was to take advantage of the glutton of RVs last fall when everyone realized they had to store them. However that never happened, evidently this pandemic isn't going to end anytime soon and everyone decided to keep their RVs. 

Friends of ours just happened to have this exact model that we've been looking for and were upgrading to a new one, so they offered it to us before posting it up on Craigslist. After a couple of texts and discussions we were headed over to look at it. The RV market is tight right now and even more so for smaller units, the chances of us finding this particular model used is none, let alone one this prestine, believe me I've been looking.

So it followed us home late Sunday afternoon.

We backed it into the driveway (much to the dismay of our neighbors), and it sits while we worked all week. Since it's still dark when I go to work and dark when I get home, and with all the wind and rain we've had we haven't had a chance to check it out. So Saturday morning it's mimosas in the driveway, just to simply hang out and nest.

Looking forward to more fun in 2021, and social distancing in the woods.