June, 2018
Here’s my little campsite with my truck and trailer … all neat and tidy in a place that seems like heaven.
There were campers in a few sites across the road from me, but all of them were quiet and courteous … kids rode their bikes up and down, and down and up, and up and down, like kids do … one girl about 14 years old or so ran and ran and ran and ran. It practically wore me out just hearing her go by so many times!
One tent camper seemed to need to have his AM/FM radio on so the rest of us could listen to it too, but then it rained for 30 minutes and he told his wife and kids to pack up, that they weren’t staying in this #$%@*!-ing place any longer. Thank you lord for rain.
The photo above is a trail that leads away from the back edge of my campsite. It leads to another trail, and then that trail winds around through the woods to the showers and the bathroom. As you can see, there are no campers or campsites in that direction.
To the left (above).
To the right (above).
After you’ve been to the bathroom, you might find it challenging to find the path back to your rig. The photo above shows you the total sum of my trailer that you can see from the “main” trail. Look right in the center of the photo and you’ll see just a bit of white … that’s her! This of course is just advice for YOU … not that I ever missed the turn-off from the main trail to the smaller trail to my campsite … nope, nope, nope. It was nice (for you of course, if you missed that turn-off onto the smaller trail) that the main trail did lead to the campground road which then lead around to the front of my campsite. Yes indeed, hmmm.
Sneaking in via the back path.
That afternoon after lunch, I set off to explore another path through the woods.
All paths seem to lead to the river eventually. Look at the roots of that tree!
This plant (above and below) is commonly called Devil’s Club. It’s common in the understory of the forests of the Pacific Northwest of the USA and the Pacific coast of Canada, but it’s also found in a number of areas around Lake Superior … although no where in between. It’s known for its noxious and irritating spines, so don’t mess with this plant. The Latin name for it is Oplopanax horridus … isn’t that a wonderful name?
From Wikipedia: “….Native American peoples such as the Tlingit and Haida have used the plant as traditional medicine for ailments such as adult-onset diabetes, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. Studies have shown that extracts of devil’s club inhibit tuberculosis microbes. Additionally, devil’s club has been shown to extend life expectancy and reduce leukemia.”
Ok, what is the plant in the two photos above? I think you’ve told me, but I can’t remember.
Back to my rig after a long afternoon walk-about. What a welcome sight to come around the corner and see her there.
Another beautiful day. Love all the ferns and in fall they are such a bright red. The stream is lovely, is the water cold?
The water is cold! It flows from snow in the Cascade Mountains. In the summer, the sun warms those rock shelves that are just below the water level which in turn warm the water a bit. On a hot day, the cold water feels refreshing.
I love your pictures! The roots on that tree are wild.
How is the new bed in the Escape? I hope you are finding it nice and cozy.
It’s a foam mattress so it has been on my list to buy a different mattress or at least a “topper” of some sort depending on how hard or soft the mattress is. I was interested in testing it out for a few nights … problem is, I fall asleep and STAY asleep all night and wake up perfectly refreshed. I’m sound asleep in seconds. I can’t stay awake long enough to get a sense of how the mattress feels, so I guess that mattress is just fine! 🙂
I am so jealous of you. I toss and turn and finally sleep for a couple of hours, then wake up to start all over again.
You cracked me up with your comment about not being able to stay awake long enough to test the mattress!
I’ve had periods in life where I didn’t sleep well, it’s really frustrating. I sure hope that changes for you Ginger. Yeah, it’s hard when you can’t stay awake long enough to know whether you’re sleep or not … ha! 🙂
Great sense of humor, Ann, we really enjoy that. We also like the information you share like that Devils Club plant and everything else you teach us. Great blog!
Glad you like the humor. I do have a good time having a good time, and I sure like enjoying the world. Learning new things is one of the big reasons why I like traveling, whether with this trailer or on an airplane or just driving somewhere and learning something I didn’t know before. I’m happy to share all that with all of you for sure. I like it when I learn stuff from you folks too.
A neighbor of mine thinks those red berries are Elderberries that are not yet ripe … she thinks it’s all one word, Elderberry. Online info seems to say the plant might be a Red Berried Elder. Do any of you readers know? And are they edible?