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Winter 2008: Applegate, Oregon
Page 3
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| February 3, 2008: We make a winter storm visit to Howard Prairie Lake Resort. It wasn't difficult to get to the resort entrance but a 3-1/2 foot berm stopped us at the entrance. That gave me a chance to learn if the chains I bought three years ago fit my tires. I wasn't about to let deep snow stop me from getting to visit our friend Jen. After-all, I lived at Lake Tahoe for thirteen years, I know snow. Gwen may be adding traction to the rear wheels by standing in the pickup bed. Click the photo for the full story. |
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February 5, 2008: Dustin and Courtney showed the grandparents a cool way to spend quarters in an arcade. This music/dance machine plays tunes and shows where to put your feet while dancing. As you get better the arrows get faster. The arrows flash, the feet fly and the music is deafening. Each dancer is scored at the end of the quarter which may earn them another dance. They were pretty good. |
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| February 7, 2008: Tonight was the usual monthly meeting of the Rogue Valley Windchasers Kite Club in Grants Pass. There were a dozen members at the meeting. We were to bring a kite to show off whose name began with "A", "B" or "C". Randy brought an "Antique" kite. It had never been flown but was chewed by insects. I remember buying these "Hi-Flyer" kites for only 15¢ when I was a kid. I didn't even think of them as an antique. I don't own a kite whose name begins with A, B or C so I brought my new Silver Fox 2.5 kite and began my demostration with, "does anyone remember the atomic symbol for "silver". Someone suggested "AG" and I agreed. "This is my 'A' kite I bragged." |
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February 9, 2008: Finally, I have proof. I joke with all my friends who own a FORD that my hitch is always THERE to TOW a FORD. On the way to Klamath Falls to help Lesa and John load a U-Haul to move to southern California, we encountered a FORD pickup stalled in the mountains. We towed him to safety. So I have proof, my DODGE has towed a stalled FORD. Update: 2/19/08 ... a friend sent me a photo to go along with this one. Click the photo to see it. |
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| February 10, 2008: John has returned from Korea. He landed on Friday afternoon. John is Lesa's new husband. Lesa is Gwen's daughter. John must report to Fort Irwin in the Mohave desert early next week. This is the day they must load everything into a U-Haul and drive south out of the snow into the desert. Click on the photo to the right to enlarge. |
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Moving-day is THE day you learn who your true friends are. I've moved several times in my life and always had friends who helped me move. John and Lesa had friends help too. There was about three feet of snow on the ground in Klamath Falls which made it a bit more difficult to load the truck. John had to make several runs to back up the slight incline in the driveway and he spread kitty litter in front of the tires to be sure the truck did not slide down the include once loaded. With so many friends helping, it did not take long to load the truck and clean the house for the landlord. |
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| February 11, 2008: When we returned from our trip to Klamath Falls we found the Applegate Bridge closed due to damage from an accident. Our trailer is just one mile on the other side of the bridge. To go around the bridge requires driving an extra 24 miles. We've learned that many residents are leaving their cars parked on the Medford side |
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of the bridge and walking the rest of the way or calling a friend or partner for a ride. Over the weekend, a truck towing a trailer with a bulldozer on the trailer scraped the side of the bridge with the blade of the bulldozer. One beam was nearly sheared in two. Click to see the newspaper report. You can also click either photo to enlarge the photo. |
March 20, 2008: The repairs on the bridge have begun. The first project is to eliminate the lead based paint. They begin with hazmat suits and do their best to keep the flakes from falling into the Applegate River. All the paint must be removed before the welding can begin. |
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March 28, 2008: Bridge repair is still happening. It looks to be nearly complete. Since the accident the bridge must have 24 hour flagging to keep anything over 10,000 lbs off the bridge and of course to guide the one lane traffic across the bridge. The weather has been very cold lately but two flaggers must be here through the night. Slide your pointer over the photo to see the daylight view then click the photo to see a larger and wider view. |
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| March 31, 2008: A bridge painter puts the final coats onto the repaired parts of the bridge today. Once he completed the painting, the scaffolding was removed along with all the other equipment. The barricades where removed, the flaggers where told to go home and the bridge was opened for normal two way traffic with no weight restrictions. This means we can pull our trailer over the bridge once we head to Howard Prairie Lake Resort in ten days. Except, we are going north to Canyonville for a Chapter 37 rally and won't need to use the bridge again with our trailer until next October when we return to Applegate. Pass your pointer in and out of the photo to see the painter at work. |
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| February 12, 2008: A friend has sent me a great photo taken of the Rogue Valley from Roxy Ann summit to the east of Medford. In the photo, you are looking west with Medford in the valley. Our trailer is parked west of the mountains you see at the far side of the valley. |
| February 14, 2008: This is one of the best views in northern California. The view point is on Interstate 5 north of Yreka, California looking south at Mt. Shasta. We are en route to Chico, California to have a Transfer Flow toolbox/fuel tank installed. Click the photo to enlarge. |
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| February 16, 2008: While driving south through Live Oak, California, Tom was set up along side the road selling whirligigs. We made a quick U-turn because we thought a chicken whirligig would be perfect for my Father's birthday. He loves chicken things. Tom is a World War II veteran, 89 years old, deaf and blind on his left side, and with a silver plate in his head from war wounds. He suppliments his income with the whirligigs. I'm sure my father will like the story and the chicken whirligig. |
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February 17, 2008: Today was a special day where Gwen and I met with my son Joe and daughter Mindy in Auburn, California to celebrate my Father's 85th birthday. After lunch, we drove to a great view spot on the North Fork of the American River to let the dogs play and just do some more visiting. Mindy is from Truckee, California while Joe is from Roseville, California. We each drove about an hour to meet in Auburn. Click the photo to enlarge. Note that my Father and I are wearing the same hat. These are Transfer Flow hats I got after the installation of the toolbox/fuel tank. |
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February 18, 2008: This is the Sacramento River, only a few feet from our camp site. My sister Dorana has friends who own a giant house on the river road near Hood, California. They allowed us to |
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| camp behind their house. We love the quiet setting. Click the photo to see a 360° view. Look carefully and you'll see our trailer in the back yard. During the summer months, the river is full of fishing boats, speed boats, yachts, and sailboats. |
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February 19, 2008: Let the savings begin. This may look like sticker shock but we passed up Flying J in Corning, California where we usually fill up because the diesel was $3.50/gallon. We were expecting better prices |
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| in Grants Pass, Oregon and since we have the new Transfer Flow tank, we had the choice to continue to Oregon. The Grants Pass price was $3.38. The odometer to the right was the total miles since the installation of the tank in Chico and nearly all of the miles were while towing. So, in another 60,000 towing miles we'll have paid for the tank with the fuel savings. |
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February 23, 2008: During our trip to California last weekend we were able to visit the North Fork of the American River. This is a famous bridge in California, 730 feet above the river bed. It's the tallest bridge in California. Mindy and Gunnar are playing near the water's edge. Click the photo for other scenic views of this day. |
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| February 24, 2008: What is wrong with this picture? Several weeks ago, I bought Morgan a large, comfortable, bed so she would not have to lay on the hard floor and, of course, help to keep her shedding fur from the carpet. Slowly, Annie is finding the bed and taking over. Morgan takes her part of the bed when she feels like it. Those are Morgan's toys on the bed. |
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February 28, 2008: Between our location in Applegate and Jacksonville is a perfect mountain to fly a parasail. Today was perfect weather for a practice glide. There is a fence between the beef and the landing spot so they don't really have to land among the steers. The mountain is about 1,000 feet above the landing location. There is a higher launch point so I assume these pilots are practicing. Click the photo for an enlarged view. |
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| March 1, 2008: This was a day to visit the Valley View Winery only a few miles from our trailer. Not for wine but for the art show happening at the winery. Our neighbor Glenn was an exibitor at the show as well as a fantastic clay artist from down our road. Nancy Adams makes some incredible art pieces that seem spendy to me but this is true art. Click the photo to enlarge. |
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March 2, 2008: I returned to the Valley View Winery art show today because the weather was much better and I wanted to see more of the art work. Glenn was still exhibiting some of his carvings. I also got to meet Dave from Jacksonville Vineyards. We talked about the area and how it is generally a secret to most about the number of vineyards and wineries in the Applegate Valley. Also about how scenic this valley is but few tourists know to drive this route. He is trying to get the word out. I told him of my idea to write "backroad travel guides" and Highway 238 would be the first. Click the photo to see a 360° view of Valley View Winery. |
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