June 21, 1991, we leave Berkeley in the orange Datsun truck we bought from Lynn, driving up the California coast to camp at Avenue of the Giants. For dinner, a can of Dinty Moore beef stew, (Steve’s client) Mrs. Giampaolo’s yummy cake, and an excellent Bollini Italian wine . . . and what we later call Skunk bread, after accidentally leaving it out where the critters tear off a few slices. For breakfast the next morning, canned hash, eggs, and potatoes. Steve always has a good supply of canned mystery meat.
Saturday June 22 we toured Steve’s beautiful Alma Mater, Humboldt State University, where he had an athletic scholarship from Antelope Valley College. In Arcata we bought some produce at the farmer’s market. In Eureka we searched for a battery–$15–for the camera, and once I found it, determined that any appliance taken camping needs to run on AA batteries. At the Trees of Mystery I bought a beaded belt- the smallest one they had, it says “Trees of Mystry”. At the beautiful, totally empty Smith River Gasquet campground (on a Saturday!) we had Filet mignon, steamed spinach, fresh tomatoes and a Gewurtztraminer.
Sunday June 23rd After breakfast of coffee, pancakes and fresh raspberries, we drove up the Oregon Coast to the Mo’s Restaurant in Florence–no clam fritters! I was so disappointed. I had the memory that Mo’s clam fritters were the most delectable thing ever eaten on my trip to Oregon–maybe they were. In Coos Bay we stopped at the Army Surplus store where we bought a tent and a broiler pan. We had been sleeping in the camper shell. After our late lunch we weren’t hungry for dinner. We stopped at Beachside Campground near Yachats. Crowded, but cozy, and near the beach–$6
Monday after coffee, cake, and raspberries, we drove to Lebanon and had Chicken Fried Steak at the Copper Kitchen. Then we went to the thrift store where we found a big carving fork and two drinking glasses. Steve found a wool plaid coat–Outside, he said, “I paid 25 for it . . . 25 cents”. After a hike and a soak, (wait–what? is there a hot spring here?) we got a six-pack of Miller beer and on to Olallieberry Campground in the Willamette National Forest. Again, a beautiful campground at the confluence of two mighty rivers, so cheap ($4 for De Luxe site #6) , and completely empty of people . . For dinner, spaghetti.
A beautiful empty campground at the confluence of the McKenzie River and another huge stream without a name.
Ok, so let me just say that we began seeking out hot springs soon after we began camping together, collecting books, collecting hot springs. I remember, in Oregon, Bagby, Breitenbush, Cougar, Terwilliger, Austin, Paulina Lake, Hart Mountain (one of my all-time favorites). I will be looking into the list to see which one we stopped at here.
Tuesday, over the pass and into the high desert, to Ana Reservoir and Ana cold spring, Fort Rock, and 50 miles outside Portland we hiked up a canyon to Bagby hot springs near Mt. Hood, Full Moon and on to free but trashed campground at Pringle Falls; broiled chicken, leftover spaghetti and a zinfandel. Wednesday June 26, Lava Cast Forest and Smith Rock, where I climbed all the way to the top but got scared and couldn’t figure out how to get down. Bend, Oregon, shopping. Then we went looking for Terwilliger Hot Springs, and Cougar Reservoir. $2 camping on the Deschutes River, steak, beans, baked potatoes. Thursday, $9.93 for 7.5 gallons of gas.
Friday June 28 we reached my Mom’s house in Portland. The next day we went to Larch Mountain with my mom and siblings and niece Becky, Aunt Jean, cousins Trinka, Bruce, and Blaine to scatter Daddy’s ashes. It was sopping wet, and windy, and no one could get the jar open, until Steve determined that it was sealed with silicone and opened it with a swiss army knife, to my Mom’s relief and gratitude. Afterward we all went to my sister Kathy’s house for a buffet dinner and more photographs.
orange datsun and 25-cent plaid coat
Steve and I left the next day, June 30, heading out the Columbia River Gorge via Multnomah Lodge for bacon cheeseburgers. I memorized the heights of mountains (Whitney 14,494) and the Sisters, all above 10,000 ft. St. Martin’s Springs, segregated tubs and cute cabins, where we camped in the $3 lot. Monday, Mt. St. Helens for biscuits and gravy at Adams Restaurant, and on to “Skamania County’s Home Valley Park” on the water, where trains ran all night in a ditch by our heads, weird, but cool. Monday July 1 we pulled in at Crescent Creek on hiway 97 at around 11 PM–$2. Big trucks ran on the hiway all night. In the morning we cooked up eggs, cheese, bacon and coffee, and blueberry pancakes–excellent! I noted Jeffrey Pines and Sugar pines, and collected the giant cones.
Into California, Mt. Lassen, hiking, another night camping, and home, to find my eviction from Emerson Street had been mysteriously cancelled, apparently due to my erudite letter and request for a buy-out.
Travels With Stevie 