We Are Not in Arizona Any More Daisy.......

I am reminded of this quote (or at least my version) as we drive north out of Arizona into Nevada, California and eventually Oregon. What were sunny days with temperatures in the 70’s were replaced with clouds, snow and lows at 10 degrees.  

Our first stop was a short 200 mile, 4 hour drive to Boulder Beach Campground in Lake Mead. We have been here several times before and each time for the same reason, not to enjoy the scenery (which is spectacular), nor was it to hike one of the many hiking trails in the area. Instead we were here to visit our friends Steve and Joan who are working for the park. These two are the first friends as met as fulltimers back in 2014. Since then we try to meet up whenever we are near each other. Our paths had not crossed since January of 2016 so it was nice to spend the day with them and catch up. They recently got an incredible new rig that you have to see to believe. As a bonus, Don and Ginny (another couple we had met through Steve and Joan) were also working for the park too so we got to catch up with them as well. Although it was only ½ a day it was nice to see them nonetheless.

Steve and Joan

Ginny and Don

Our site at Boulder Beach with Lake Mead in the background

Day two of our 4 day journey north turned out to be much longer than anticipated. We only planned on driving 4, 5 hours tops and then resting for the night but a quick look at the weather forecast showed us two snow storms headed our way a day apart. So what was to be 2 days travel turned into a one day 9 hour drive where we pulled into a truckstop just north of Reno just as the snow was starting to cover the roads.  The last 14 miles of this leg were white knuckled but we made it and tucked ourselves in for the night. It was a long day, everyone took turns driving and we were exhausted at the end of the day.

Even Daisy took her turn driving!

The next morning we waited until the sun was high enough to melt the snow on the roads before we started the last 5 hours of our journey to Klamath Falls. Although it had snowed the prior evening, the roads were clear and travel was going very good. The scenery in the was incredible with the pines and the snow covered ground.  All was going well until we hit a stretch where the trees sheltered the road from the sun. As luck would have it it was also a section with a mile long 6% downhill grade. Usually not a big deal but with what looked like slippery hard packed snow it was white knuckle time again.

We stopped to take a look at the road and see if it truly was as slippery as it looked. Yup….. it was. So with the truck in 4wd we crawled down the hill where the terrain opened up and the sun had melted the snow off the road and before we knew it we were in Klamath Falls!

Beautiful but slippery!

So why were we in such a hurry to leave the warm in Arizona and head to this frozen landscape? Well, our son Forrest, his wife Somer and daughter Lily were about to close on their new house in the area! After being on the road almost 2 years they finally found a spot that they wanted to settle down and call home. Ironically this little town is also where Barb spent several years in elementary school. What are the odds? Barb, born in California, moved to this town in Oregon and then to Wisconsin and our son and his family picking this town as their new home?  

We settled in at the Klamath Falls KOA just a few sites away from Forrest’s rig. A nice quiet park in the center of town. There are not a lot of choices of parks in town as the county parks are not open until April. At $32/night with full hook ups, showers and free Wi-Fi this park will do until we can move out to their new house.

 Dakota, Barb and I welcome the change and actually are enjoying the snow. Daisy….not so much.

Dakota loves the snow!

Klamath Falls is right in the middle of the Pacific Flyway waterfowl traveling to and from their wintering grounds. With the somewhat mild temperatures and all the water in the area some of the ducks don't even bother flying any further south and spend the winter right here at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

There were ducks and geese of several varieties as well as swans and other shorebirds calling this area home. I added a new species to my list. The Greater White-Fronted Goose is a rarity in the Midwest but pretty common out in this area. Also known as "Specks" or Specklebelly" these are really cool birds and were intermixed with snow geese

Pintails and Mallards

Lots of Swans in the area as well

A couple of Specks coming in for a landing

Snows landing in the field

Drake Mallard and Pintail taking off

How many Snows in this flock?

More Specks coming in for a landing

Look how long their necks are!

Friday finally came and it was time to move into the new house! They have one problem....they sold most everything when they went fulltiming and what they did keep is in storage in Salt Lake City! So instead we rented a Skidsteer and cleared the driveway of snow and moved some rocks that will be in the way when we move the rigs over tomorrow.

Barb and Somer spent time inside doing some cleaning while Forrest and I cleared some limbs along the driveway and moved the rocks.....

They bought an A-frame house on 11 acres about 15 minutes outside of Klamath Falls. Close enough to town, school and work and far enough away to get to enjoy country living! No cell or internet service and so many tress that our dish does not pick up any satellites so we will be out of touch with the world while we are here. After a couple hours of pushing snow we got the driveway and parking area clear enough to park our rigs.

This is where our rig will be......

...and here she comes!

So this is our home for the next month. This morning we got up at 3:00am so we could drive 2 huors to Medford where I dropped Barb off at the airport for another trip back to Minnesota to help out her former employer, She will be gone 4 days but I am sure the time will go fast as Forrest and Somer have lots of projects to make this house their home so I am sure I will be busy!