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Howard Prairie Lake Resort
2007 Season in our RV
page 5
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August 6, 2007: Another sunny day in southern Oregon. The marina is full of sail and powerboats. The marina building is on the other side of the sailboats, it's the small building with the green roof. The restaurant is hiding in the trees on the other side of the parking lot. I'm standing on the jetty to take the photograph. When the wind is blowing, the sound of the cables slapping the masts can mask all other sounds. |
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| August 7, 2007: This morning my commute from Howard Prairie Resort at 4,500 feet to my job in Medford at 1,300 feet greeted me with a huge blanket of white covering the valley floor. Once I arrived at Rogue Community College, the large square building in the lower photo, the cloud cover made for a gray day. The crane behind the college's main building is the crane building the new classroom building where my office will be. By 10 am, the clouds had burned away making for a bright, clear day. During the winter months, the cloud cover will often linger for a month making the valley a cold place to be while the mountains, with clear weather and bright sun, will feel warmer. |
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August 8, 2007: Howard Prairie Lake Resort has a new owner. One of his pet projects was to install Camp Wi-Fi. He purchased a 1 meter Hughesnet dish and commercial account for higher capacity. Then he buried electric cable to provide power to Camp Wi-Fi. The funny looking lamp is actually a propane heater. Campers have been discovering Camp Wi-Fi and have been accessing their email and the Internet daily. Madi is trying out Camp Wi-Fi, You can click on the photo to see an enlarged version. |
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| August 11, 2007: This is our third year of seasonal work at Howard Prairie Resort but the first time we have taken our kayaks only 5 miles up the road to Hyatt Lake. Hyatt is 500 feet higher than Howard Prairie, a much smaller and shallower lake. Still, it's good for kayaking, fishing, sailing and swimming. This lake freezes over in the winter |
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while Howard Prairie will only partially freeze. On Tuesday of next week I plan to have a 2 inch receiver installed in the front of the Dodge so this will be the last time to carry the kayaks like this. Instead we will carry them like kayaks we saw while visiting the Grand Canyon last December. This will allow us to carry the kayaks, the bicycles and tow the fifth wheel at the same time.
Gwen is floating near one of the submerged trees in the lake. There are a number of such large trunks, apparently kept for the wild life. I would not want to be near this tree during a strong wind. You can click the truck photo above or the photo of Gwen on the lake to enlarge. |
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| August 13, 2007: The Chiloquin Mountain Jazz Band performs at Hyatt Lake every weekend and sometimes more. This four person group is actually very good, so is the Pizza. We try to enjoy the music every chance we get. Click to get a closer view of the band. |
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August 15, 2007: Back on Howard Prairie Lake with the kayak and sharing the lake with the livestock. Most wild water fowl will not allow me close enough for a good photo so I must settle for the semi-domesticated wildlife. Click the photo to enlarge. |
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| August 24, 2007: Dustin and Courtney are visiting this week. They've had fun swimming, shopping in Ashland, and playing games. Today, a neighbor Bulldog came into our camp and attacked Morgan injuring her right front leg. We took her to a veterinarian in Ashland who stapled her wound closed and put on the heart decorated bandage over her wound. She has been pretty groggy today from the pain medication given to her at the Vet's office. We have camped at Howard Prairie for three years without dog problems. The owners of the Bulldog have been very concerned, checking on Morgan and paying for the Vet fees. The most difficult thing for Morgan is the rule that she can't swim for a couple of weeks. |
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| August 30, 2007: Today I tried Sonic Burger. It has a very strange business plan for a fast food restaurant. I was having a hard time understand the thought in their business plan. They have two lines of covered park spaces, each with 7 spaces. You order from your car, pay from you car and have the food delivered to the car. Every space was full with people eating in their car while running their engine and air conditioning on this hot afternoon except me. So, why would people prefer to eat in their car rather than an air conditioned lobby? I saw several families, perhaps it's easier with families if the kids are in car seats. I suppose you could make private phone calls because I saw several business people too. I did it just for fun and for the Java Chiller. |
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August 31, 2007: Dustin and Courtney continue to visit, they are near the end of week number two. They have had the chance to work at the resturant, swim, hike  and play with Morgan. We've also made marshmallow blow guns. One of the side effects of having the grandkids visit is the lack of toilet paper every morning. Perhaps they eat it. |
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| September 1, 2007: Bucky and Janice are from Arizona but spend every summer at Howard Prairie Lake to stay cool. This morning Bucky was spinning a tale of picking blackberries when this arrow came whizzing over his head into a nearby branch. Everyone was talking about it and had to see this hunting arrow. It is currently bow season in Oregon. Bucky finally admitted that he found the arrow but enjoyed telling the story. The arrow hit the branch hard enough to nearly split the branch. |
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September 3, 2007: Courtney decides she wants to sell her bicycle. When asked why she wanted to sell her bike, she says, I need the $100 to buy some skate shoes. Those are shoes which look like tennis shoes but have a roller on the bottom heel. She first wanted $200. When I questioned her price since you can buy her bike new for $100, she lowered her price to $100. She says her bike is worth $100 since it is broken-in. She walked around the resort looking for a buyer then set up |
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| shop in front of our trailer with the home-made sign. Click on the sign to enlarge it. She actually had several inquiries which inspired some of the items on her sign like the change in seat height (a lady told her the bike was too big). She did not sell her bike so I helped the kids take their bikes home today. |
| September 5, 2007: Bob was a friend of everyone at Howard Prairie Lake Resort and all who live on the mountain. He woke up one morning this week not feeling well so he took a trip to the hospital where he died. Bob was well liked by all, so his sudden death affected everyone at the resort and on the mountain. Today was a memorial meeting at Bob's house only a few miles from the resort. Bob was a collector. His yard was lined with quartz which he collected as he hiked around the mountain. There were thousands of quartz rocks neatly lining the walkways. |
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Bob also collected arrowheads long forgotten or lost by the Indians who inhabited this area only 150 years ago. Bob would announce the number of arrowheads he collected when we met him in the resort restaurant, it was in the tens of thousands. One moment you are making and arranging collections and retirement plans, then moments later your friends and family are having a good-bye party at your house. It makes one reconsider how to arrange a day. Bob will be missed.
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| September 10, 2007: The end of summer view of Mt. McLoughlin. No snow on the mountain this time of year. The north tip of Howard Prairie Lake is through the trees on the right of the photo. Click the photo to enlarge. |
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September 11, 2007: Today was our monthly meeting of Escapees Chapter 37 in Medford. It was quite a group of 19 campers. Everyone was sharing summer travel stories and planning for the upcoming rally in Montague, California next week. It is one of the best rally's in California and happens during the Montague balloon rally. |
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