Green, Green, Wet (And Did I Mention Wet?) – Eugene, OR

Green, green, green on the trail in Eugene, OR

You can’t be in Oregon, especially not this side of Oregon without developing a very intimate relationship with rain. It reminds me of an encounter I had last year while walking Polly right here at Armitage County Park in Eugene, OR. It was raining, of course, so I huddled up in my waterproof gear and forced myself outside. Halfway through my wet walk I met a young gentleman w/ pooch and struck up a conversation.

“How about this rain” I observed, stating the obvious (my many years in England having honed this approach as the perfect conversation starter)

“What rain?” replied the guy rather puzzled “Oh this…” he dismissed, waving his hand around in the steady downpour ”This isn’t rain. Noooo, you ain’t seen rain yet” he added, with a knowing chuckle

Polly poses at the summit of Spencer Butte

As they say the Eskimos may have 100 words for snow, but that don’t compare nothin’ to the Oregonians spectacularly broad view of rain. We came to understand the gentleman as we travelled along the OR coast last year and we were happily re-introduced as we entered Eugene last week-end. This is Western Orgeon baby and if you ain’t prepared for rain, you ain’t prepared to be here.

But there’s a beautiful side to all this too. It is GREEN here, and by green I mean deep, luscious, thick, sweet-smelling über-rainbows of green. If you’re patient and wait for the weather to break you’ll be rewarded with brilliant bursts of aroma and color. It’s almost like seeing sunlight for the first time after a long winter…the earth is vibrantly alive and you soak it all up like a long, beautiful kiss.

Russ & Donna from Travels in Therapy

We’ve been hanging in our favorite County Park, huddling inside during the downpours and speeding out to take advantage of the breaks. Eugene is a great little university town with excellent outdoor hiking/biking (our fav hike is the scenic 5-mile Spencer Butte), a fabulous weekly Farmer’s Market and some pretty cool restaurants (this time around we sampled Belly thanks to a tip from our RV friend Jil -> great local restaurant!). It’s also a popular RV crossroads. Our blogging buddies Where’s Weaver recently passed through here (we just missed them!) and local part-timers Travels In Therapy came out to the rig for an afternoon chat (great to meet you guys!).

Yours truly enjoys a rhubarb cooler at Belly Restaurant

Oh and the other thing about OR weather is that it’s the perfect place to figure out if you have any leaks in the rig. One of the many reasons we come to Eugene is to take advantage of the excellent RV services in the area, especially our outstanding friends at Elite RV Repair. We’ve got a few things going on with them that I’ll write about in another post.

But in the meantime we’re taking advantage of the indoor time and making the most of those rare outdoor moments. It may be the end of spring in Western Oregon, but the weather is only just beginning!

Did I mention how green it is here?

Ferns are happy campers in Western Oregon

5 Reasons to RV Snowbird In San Diego

Playing with pooch at Fiesta Island

I have to admit that San Diego is a darn nice place to get stuck for a while. It’s the kinda spot where everyday is an “ooooh, it’s just sooooo nice today!” kinda day. It’s one of the many reasons we decided to slow it down for a few months here and in fact it’s so glorious that I think you ought to try it too. So in that light, let me give you 5 reasons why…

1/ The Weather, The Weather, The Weather

Just another perfect forecast

The near-pristine weather in San Diego would probably suffice 5 reasons alone for most folks to winter down here. And it really is true. As long as we’re not having an El Niño moment (which brings out the wet), your typical winter day will be just around the perfect 60-70°F (15-20°C), beautifully sunny, low humidity and clear skies. And, as long as you stay by the coast, you can enjoy similar weather almost year-around.

2/ Winter Is The Low Season

Half-empty for winter at Mission Bay RV Park

For some inexplicable reason (at least to me) winter is considered the low-season for RVing in San Diego. Every other SW location (AZ, CA) gets bombarded and rates ramped for winter snowbirds, but here in San Diego it’s peace and quiet. What that also means is that you can get some great park discounts. Now, this is city camping so don’t expect ultra-cheap but you can spend a month in green Santee Lakes for $670 (+electric) or a month in peachy-prime bayfront/beach property at Mission Bay RV Resort for $800 (elec. included). San Diego has also got some great county parks worth the visit. We’re in Mission Bay right now (I’ll be doing a full review soon) and half the park is completely empty.

3/ It’s Super Dog Friendly

Hanging out at Coronado Dog Beach

A rig parked for the day on prime beach at Fiesta Island

San Diegans love their pooch’s and there are lots of ultra-dog friendly beaches along the coast as well as tons of in-land hiking and a plethora of fun pet events throughout the year (the Ugly Dog Contest and Dog Surfing being just a few).

And then there’s Fiesta Island which I venture to declare may well be the most amazing city dog spot in the world! The entire island is a pristine urban escape dedicated to off-leash pooches and offers miles of beach, water and trails right in the center of Mission Bay. It’s open from 4AM-10PM, allows beach-front fishing & campfires and has so much space and sand you can even park your RV right on the shore for free (it’s the nicest day-parking spot for RVs in the city, in my mind). It’s dog-gone RV pooch heaven and we go there literally everyday!

4/ City, Beach, Mountains – You Got It All

Hiking in the remote Santee hills just 15 miles from downtown

Gorgeous Sunset Cliffs in La Jolla

One thing you’ve got to love about San Diego is the variety. From coastal beach to mesas and beautiful rolling hills it’s really got it all. Downtown San Diego is a city, but the rest of the coast sports little “coastal communities” that all have their own special vibe and cater to surfers, kayakers, shoppers and beach lovers. So, taking a day-trip to laid-back Ocean Beach is a whole different experience than going for a jaunt to upscale La Jolla. Should you want to get away from it all just drive ~15 miles inland to Mission Trails, hike for a day in a slew of great areas or drive an hour to the desert for complete and utter isolation. For those with kids San Diego has the added attraction of Legoland, Sea World, and (my personal favorite) The Wild Animal Park.

5/ It’s A Golf-Lovers Dream

San Diego's impressive map of Golf Courses (from golfnow.com)

Now, I didn’t really expect golf to make my top 5, but Paul’s newfound interest in the sport has made me a rather interested side-observer. As it turns out San Diego has over 90+ Golf Courses (!!)within a 40-mile radius including an impressive array of public courses. You can play like a PGA pro in coastal splendor at one of the finest municipal courses in the nation at Torrey Pines, or go for an easy and cheap game ($30 or so a pop) at any one of the many Executive Courses around town. If you’re flexible on your tee-times you can get great deals at golfnow.com, and if you don’t golf (like me) many of the courses are scenic enough that they’re even worth the ride around in the cart.

So, did I manage to tempt you?

A Day in the AZ Desert – Sun, Rain, Fog & SNOW!

“Welcome to Arizona, where summer spends the winter – and hell spends the summer.” ~Popular saying, modified from a booster slogan in the 1930s

Late afternoon glow in the mountains

The Sonoran desert may be the Devil’s sauna in summer, but I’d venture to say there ain’t nothing cooler in winter.  For a nature and photography rat like me this barren and fabulistic landscape is the cream cheese of all places, with extra parmesan on top.

You really only need one day to understand why…

And today was one of those days…

Fog lies low in the valley for our desert sunrise

It started off gorgeous with a beautiful pink dawn reflected in white by fog lying low in the valley. The cats had woken us up at the crack of light demanding body-warmth and food (we are mere slaves to the feline kingdom you see). But the early rise had given us the gift of a perfect desert sunrise viewed from the warmth of our RV window. It was the living color of life and the start of a fabulous day!

Dark clouds and snow on the peaks!

But the desert was feeling fickle today. The pink horizon had barely disappeared before a cold wind started gusting and whipping the clouds into a dark mass over the mountains, gobbling up the dry landscape like a hungry monster. The angry mass rolled in heavily and fast bringing first tentative drops of rain followed by a heavier pour and then a sudden switch of wardrobe to snow-flakes. It was snowing in the desert -> big, beautiful, fluffy flakes of winter-wonderland white draping the landscape in a white glove. How coooool!

A perfectly sunny afternoon

Having spent it’s chilly mood the desert relented and switched yet again. The sun struggled its way through and started to burn off the chill. The wind dropped, almost as dramatically as it had started, the clouds parted and brilliant white-tops greeted us from the distant mountains. It had turned into a picture-perfect T-shirt wearing summer day. Time to bring out the sunglasses, pop out the peppermint mocha and slide back into the recliner outside!

The end of yet another beautiful day

The afternoon passed peacefully with just a few coyotes, and the warmth of a desert winter to keep us company. But every great play finishes with the best scene at the end, and this particular story was no different. In grand desert style the sun sank slowly behind the western mountains coloring the clouds in brilliant edges of orange and red. Temperatures dropped and the cold desert night took over the watch. It was the perfect color finish to a perfect winter desert day.

And the best bit is we get to do it all again tomorrow…

P.S. By the way all the mountain pictures were taken directly from our RV windows at McDowell Moutain Park. It’s THAT nice here!

5 Tips For Rving the Oregon Coast

Our last afternoon on Washburne in Central Oregon

Sadly, we’ve come to the end of our mini-Oregon-Coastal trip.  In typical teaser fashion our last few days were PERFECT in every way with stunning sunshine, moderate temperatures and enless horizons of blue and deserted beaches (it seems we just left in time too ‘coz next 7 days are forecasted rain!). Our month here has been simply amazing, and the fact that it’s all so accessible and all paw-friendly makes it even better. We simply HAVE to come back to see the southern section and given that you’ve simply GOT to come here too, we’re put together a quick handy-dandy list of tips to help you on your way. Here you go:

1/ Be Prepared for the Weather

Be prepared for some crazy weather...

I had a fun musing on this topic a few posts back, but it just bears repeating. The weather on the Oregon coast can change on a dime. Don’t fear it, but be prepared for a bit of everything. Perhaps the only major issue we encountered was alot of reeeeaally moist air which made it difficult to keep the rig comfortably dry especially with a combo of somewhat chilly air. Since pretty much all the State Parks have hookups, when we come back we’re bringing a small dehumidifier which we think will be just the ticket.

2/ Book Ahead for State Parks

The Oregon State Parks are fabulous, but that also means they’re pretty popular especially on the coast. During summer when the kids are out of school almost everything books ahead. Once school season starts you’ll find plenty of spots mid-week, but might still need bookings for the week-end. If you don’t make the online reservation system in time there are a few first-come-first-serve parks (e.g. G.Washburne, Cape Blanco) plus lots of private options along the coast too. The Suislaw Forest also offers several primitive NFS campgrounds around the Central Coastal area.

3/ Pick Up Some Guides

Pooch gets to come to all the beaches here

The Oregon Visitor Centers are a great place to stop before you come to the coast. My #1 tip is the Oregon Coast Mile-By-Mile Guide, a mile-by-mile shot of simply everything on Hwy 101 (great resource!). For special interests check out some of the extra guides offered by the State Parks, especially the Oregon State Parks Guide (detailed info on all State Parks), Oregon Coast Lighthouses (a great guide on the entire collection of coastal lighthouses), Oregon Coast Trail Maps (for the avid hiker) and Tide Tables ( for timing those romantic walks on the beach). For Horse-lovers there’s even a special Horse Heaven camping and trail-guide.

4/ Don’t Worry About the Roads

Hwy 101 is excellent and there’s really no worry about travelling the entire length, even with a “beast” and toad. There’s a couple of curvy spots, perhaps a few bumpy areas, but the overall quality of the drive is great. We also found plenty of easy-access gas stations for big-rigs (both gas and diesel). We would recommend it for anyone.

5/ Take Your Time

Take your time on the stunning coastline

There is soooo much natural beauty along the Oregon Coast including no end of day-trips, hiking trails, towns, visits that it really makes sense to take your time. By giving yourself some extra days you’ll also be able to weather just about any forecast that comes your way, giving the opportunity to enjoy the coast at it’s best. Take your time, soak it all in and enjoy the ride!

With that said we wag our tails, raise our glasses and say goodbye to the wonderful coast…or rather I prefer adieu since there’s no doubt we’ll meet again.

EXTRA = Some Additonal Resources:

• Free Camping in Oregon – list of free or nearly free sites incl. the coast
• Private/County campgrounds on the Coast - the most comprehensive listing I’ve found for private camping. Sites are sorted by whether they have direct water views or within a short distance to the water.

Chance of Precipitation: 100% -> Musings On The OR Coast Weather

The forecast was not looking good. There was the melodic pitter, patter of rain combined with stimulating gusts of 50+ mph winds, friendly warnings of high surf and the cozy guarantee of fog. The cherry on top was the encouraging statistic of 100% chance of precipitation, leaving not much on the positive percentage side for good weather. They don’t call this the wet side of Oregon for nothing, you know.

But this is not just Oregon. This is the Coast of Oregon and anything can happen.

Anything can happen on the Coast. A gorgeous sunset after a crazy, rainy day.

Having spent close to 3 weeks out here I’m already well versed in the fact that the weather forecasts are…well…pretty much useless. It may rain like a monsoon madness in the morning, blow over with fog by noon and then spring out in summer-worthy sun just a few hours later.

You just never know….

Nonetheless my curiosity was piqued. IS there a perfect time to visit the wild and moody Oregon coast? DOES there exist the idyllic panacea of perfect weather window for the enterprising traveller? These philosophical questions demanded an answer and so I did a little research:

1/ The Oregon Coast Is Wet

Now, there’s really no disputing this. Much like the Eskimo’s have over 100 words for snow, local Oregonites are very liberal and forgiving in their description of rain. Having lived for 3 years in England I totally understand this phenomenon. A “light dusting of pleasant drops” would simply be described as a great, bloody rain-cloud anywhere else. It rains here and..well..it rains alot.  But there ARE what you would call drier seasons. As it turns out July is consistently the driest month in Oregon and the description holds (more or less) through September. Winter is consistently the wettest month.

Coastal Data 1971-2000, from oregon.com

Then again, this was the news on weatherundergound as of this morning:

“A record rainfall of 1.18 inch(es) was set at Astoria or yesterday. This breaks the old record of 0.82 set in 1948″

Which leads me back to the original conclusion of you just never know…

2/ The Oregon Coast is Foggy

A misty afternoon on the coast

So, let’s say you’ve scrutinized the numbers and finally decided to come visit the coast in summer. Ahhh, but you see you’ve forgotten to take into account the altitude of the inversion boundary layer combined with the multitude of  hygroscopic particles over the coast. In other words you forgot to think about the bleedin’ fog. To put this into perspective you need only remember those famous words popularly attributed to Mark Twain (altho’ there’s some controversy on that point) that ”the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco“.

He was talking about the fog and the point is it can get reaaly foggy on the coast, especially during summer when the hotter inland temperatures essentially “suck in” the humidity on the coast (called advection fog). Generally fog is less likely to form in winter and spring when temperature gradients are more moderate, suggesting late spring or early fall as the best options, but I’ve seen other reports saying you can get fog just about anytime out here. Case-in-point, Cape Dissapointment (just North of Astoria) is well known as one of the foggiest points on the coast. Once again we land back at the wise original statement of you just never know….

3/ The Oregon Coast Can Surprise You

A perfectly calm, blue day in Sept on the Coast

No matter what you read or how you interpret the data it seems that, anytime of year the Oregon Coast can surprise you. The weather here is such a complex dance of interacting factors, compounded by outside events such as El Niño/La Niña that you really can’t tell. September, from everything I’ve seen, seems to be one of the best months -> it’s relatively dry, less foggy and more moderate than most other, but I’ve also heard of great moments in Spring and even days of warmth in Winter. 

The bottom line is if you’re coming to the coast you better expect a bit of everything. There will almost certainly be rain, most likely fog, undoubtedly some wind, but also bursts of beautiful and stunning weather. In truth…you just never know…