Monday, June 17, 2024
After several years of researching vans and campers, David finally settled on purchasing the ROG made by Encore. He read many reviews, checked out their Facebook owners page, and we went to see one at camper show. It has turned out to be wonderful! He’s had fun and has done a great job finding accessories and making it super comfortable.
So, on Monday, June 17th, we hit the road loaded up with 2 kayaks on the ROG for the Middle Fork trip, lots of camping gear and Millie. She settled right into her hammock in the back seat of the truck complete with her pillow bed and a large towel to scratch up into the perfect nesting spot. We left home just before noon with 128,069 miles on the Silverado odometer. Soon we stopped at Bob and Sandra’s house in Franklin, Tennessee to load 4 more kayaks on the truck. Later that day, we picked up groceries and sandwiches at a Publix and proceeded into Kentucky and on to southern Illinois where the rainy evening gave way to a gorgeous orange and blue sunset. Our first night was spent in Site 42 of Shawnee Forest Campground, a former golf course on a hill, in the tiny town of Vienna, Illinois.
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
We woke up early after a good night’s sleep on the big comfy mattress with the air conditioning in the ROG keeping us cool. After exploring the grounds with Millie, quick showers, and enjoying coffee made in our little camper kitchen, we headed toward Missouri. Our first site of the arch in St. Louis was around 11:00 AM. We traveled through Missouri, briefly into Iowa and on into Syracuse, Nebraska to Rivers Edge Campground. It was very small with 14 sites and we were the only ones there except for one other car camping couple. The skies remained cloudy, but we had no rain and slept well with the AC on again. For someone who wasn’t too sure at all about giving up tent camping for a camper, I quickly decided that the convenience of just pulling in, plugging in electricity, hooking up water, and having the option of air conditioning was pretty wonderful! 😊
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Millie decided that we should rise early again. It was super having coffee quickly made in our new one cup Keurig that David decided the day before that we must have in our camper kitchen. It was super easy and convenient. After letting Millie have a walk about in the campground, we hit the road again and stopped later for a break at a beautiful rest area covered with green grass and huge cottonwood trees. About midafternoon we crossed the state line into Wyoming. After a dinner stop of salad from Love’s (our new favorite gas station with large pull throughs, grass for Millie, good snacks, and clean restrooms), we arrived in Pinedale around 11:00 PM and pulled into the Yellowstone RV Park. We enjoyed a great night’s sleep using only the fan and open windows.
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Waking up to fantastic cool temperatures in the 50’s was amazing. The RV park had the cleanest restrooms and showers ever, a big field for Millie to run in and friendly owners. It was a great stop! We took our time leaving and then headed north on WY highway 189/191. We were treated to beautiful mountain views coming through Bridger-Teton National Forest. After passing through Hoback Junction (just south of Jackson), we took a brief stop at West Table (the put in for the Snake River) and then onto through Alpine and into Idaho. We stopped for a picnic lunch near the Paradise Reservoir and Dam. The afternoon took us north up to Salmon, Idaho viewing the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains to our west and surrounded by huge yellow canola fields. Just before 4:00 p.m., we crossed the 45th parallel of latitude- halfway between the equator and the North Pole. After making a couple of stops in Salmon for gas, groceries, and a truck and trailer wash, we checked into to the Wagoneer RV Park just south of North Fork, Idaho. One of the campground host couples, Terri and Johnny from Florida, greeted us warmly and directed us to our campsite next to them. It was really nice to get into camp early, take Millie for a walk and run, and relax. The RV park was full of cottonwood trees that were shedding their cotton seed fluff. It blew around, covered the ground, and looked like snow! Dinner was simply cantaloupe, cheese, pretzels, beer and wine. We visited with our neighbors and another host couple and went to bed early to escape from the mosquitos.
Friday, June 21, 2024
We slept well again in our cozy camper with no need for air conditioning. It was a beautiful day, and it was nice to stay at our campsite for a while doing laundry, letting Millie play and knowing that we only had a short drive today. Around noon, we dropped Millie off for a week at Western Dog Salon with Catherine. We were a bit nervous leaving her, but knew she couldn’t go on the river trip with us. So, we headed back south through Salmon and arrived in Stanley at the Mountain Village Resort around 3:30 p.m. Our mileage so far was 130,394. We had traveled 2, 325 miles already!
After checking in, we got to meet precious baby Ava Freudenberg who graciously brought her parents, Jimmy and Crissy out to Idaho. We met Jared, owner of Rocky Mountain River Tours and Sawtooth Adventure Center, picked up our dry bags and headed over to Sawtooth Luce’s for a delicious dinner and meeting up with some of our river trip group.
Friday night, June 21 – Saturday, June 29 – see our Middle Fork Trip
Sunday, June 30, 2024
After one last coffee at Peaks and Perks, we left Stanley about 8:30 a.m. and headed southwest on Idaho 21 toward Lewiston. We drove along the South Fork of the Payette River, then the main Payette, and soon turned right on ID 55 to follow North Fork. The North Fork consisted of miles of Class IV and V continuous whitewater. As we continued to head north, we noticed that most of the traffic was headed south toward Boise. Passing by Lake Cascade State Park and then winding through the obvious tourist town of McCall on Payette Lake, we realized that it was definitely a weekend destination for many. Soon we arrived in Riggins, crossed the Salmon River and entered the Pacific Time Zone. Going through some rain, we headed farther north to Hell’s Gate State Park on the Snake River. The Snake is the state line between Idaho and Washington. Arriving early at our beautiful campsite with a large sycamore tree, a walking path along the river, and shady grassy areas, we spent a cool evening finally trying out the amazing 270-degree awning on the ROG, having a solo stove campfire, and watching the native rabbit play and hop around the woods.
Monday, July 1, 2024
We woke up early, ate a leisurely breakfast and had coffee, took Millie for a good walk and then headed north to Moscow, ID to visit the NRS (Northwest River Supply) flagship store. It was not nearly as big as we expected but had a friendly staff who welcomed Millie in to shop with us. They graciously exchanged David’s paddling jacket that had ripped on the Middle Fork, and we found a few other items to purchase. Soon after, we came to the confluence of the Snack and Columbia Rivers and moved into southern Washington. It was pretty rural with many wheat and yellow canola fields. We continued on to the small town of Cascade Locks, home of the Bridge of the Gods, and reminisced about the time we spent there when David hiked the PCT in 2014. After a brief stop in town, we spent a comfortable night at the Cascade Locks KOA which was a beautiful campground full of giant trees. The only drawback was that a busy train track was located just behind the campground and the many train whistles continued through the night.
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Our first stop on this day was Multnomah Falls. It’s a beautiful place, but it was extremely crowded as it is one of the main tourist attractions near Portland, Oregon. After passing many Christmas tree farms and vineyards on this beautiful sunny day, we decided to stop at Silver Falls State Park around 3:00 p.m. What a fantastic place! We had a grassy shady campsite in a clearing with lots of privacy. Millie and I took a long walk on a nature trail while David set up the grill that attaches to the side of the ROG. After enjoying some libations and cheese and apple appetizers, David cooked us a delicious dinner of grilled vegetables, steaks and potatoes. What a feast! It was fun trying out yet another accessory on the ROG! After dinner we took a walk through the rest of the campground which was filled with campers enjoying great sites under giant Douglas firs. It was such a peaceful place. We really wished we had more time to stay there and take the waterfall hikes and enjoy the scenery.
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning with the temperature around 50 degrees and Stellar’s Jays squawking all around us. They are much bigger than bluejays in the south with big black crests on their heads. We took our time and didn’t leave until around 11:00 a.m. heading over through Eugene, Oregon and then on to Wax Myrtle Campground near the Siltcoos River and is situated among shore pine, huckleberry, and other coastal shrubs. Most of the campsites are surrounded by coastal shrubbery. The campground is part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which is known for its sand dunes towering up to 500 feet above sea level. Many OHVs (off highway vehicles) enjoy the trails and those big dunes. We arrived around 4:00 p.m. and soon after our friends, Jeanene and Loren Hall, their granddaughter, Abby, niece, Holly and her family, Dan, Kayla, and Shayna arrived. We all walked down the road & up over the huge sand dunes to the beach and the Pacific Ocean. The ocean water was chilly, and it was VERY WINDY!! Needless to say, we didn’t stay on the beach long. That evening we went to the Siuslaw Marina in the port town of Florence for a seafood dinner and ice cream and returned to the campsite for a fire. It was a beautiful, but cool night.
Thursday, July 4, 2024
It was cool, but comfortable when we got up and less windy than the day before. Jeanene cooked us all a delicious breakfast of bacon, egg scramble, toasted English muffins with her own homemade strawberry jam and fruit. We were spoiled!! Later, Jeanene’s sister, Kathy and her son Dana joined us. The Oregon family kayaked up the river toward the lake and David and I stayed at the campsite with Millie and enjoyed a walk and a nap. Loren and I took a short walk around the river with Millie and were blessed with beautiful views of the Pacific. Burgers on the grill, chips, fruit, and veggies were a great 4th of July meal. Just before dark, we headed toward town searching for a spot to view the fireworks and ended up at the Siuslaw Marina where there was a huge crowd and a band. They had a terrific fireworks display, and Millie survived the loud noises tucked in between all of us. It was hard for David & I to comprehend wearing a jacket and being chilly on July 4th!
Friday, July 5, 2024
We spent the early morning chatting with Loren and Jeanene, enjoyed a Holly’s breakfast of “sausage goodness” (which we plan to have again at home), and said goodbye to the Oregon gang around 11 a.m. They headed out to kayak to the ocean and on Loren’s advice we took the highway along the Pacific Coast to Newport. It was an absolutely beautiful drive! We then headed east across Oregon seeing The Three Sisters, and Bend. The temperature gage in the truck registered 100 degrees that afternoon in eastern Oregon and the highway went through lots of open land. We found a little campground on our DYRT app just past Burns, Oregon and headed through town to get there. As we traveled through the small town, a truck pulled up behind us flashing his headlights and beeping his horn. We pulled over to see what the all the fuss was about, and he informed us that our camper door had come open and bags were falling out. About the same time, we got a phone call from an unknown number which we didn’t answer. A few minutes later, a text came through from the same number and a kind man had found David’s duffle bag and was waiting to return it to him. Greatly relieved to have encountered such nice guys, we retrieved the bag, thanked the man and then went on to the campground. After a bit of frustration locating a site, we finally located a nice level one and settled in. Unfortunately, the mosquitos liked it also, so we ate a quick dinner, took showers and jumped in the camper for the night.
Saturday, July 6, 2024
We headed out this morning through southern Oregon and Idaho, wide open spaces, dry, with lots of wind turbines. We stopped at Jimmy John’s for subs. We finally got into Montana, took a break in West Yellowstone for gas, a carwash, and a walk in the park for Millie. We then headed north up Highway 191 for a beautiful drive along the Gallatin River through the Gallatin National Forest and arrived in Belgrade, Montana at Dawn and Les’ house around 9:30 P.M. Their dog, Kai, got to know Millie while we sat outside in their beautiful backyard looking at the Absaroka Mountains. David and Millie spent the night in the ROG while I enjoyed the comfortable upstairs bedroom in the Inafuku’s house.
Sunday, July 7, 2024
Dawn and Les fixed us a delicious breakfast and then we headed off to hike in Hyalite Canyon. Millie and Kai enjoyed running free on the trails, greeting other hikers and dogs, and sipping water from the creeks as we hiked to Grotto Falls and then to Palisade Falls. Both trails were easily accessible and somewhat busy on this beautiful Sunday. We stopped back by the Hyalite Reservoir where Millie enjoyed a brisk swim. Our Southern golden retriever wasn’t used to the temperature in a high-altitude lake! Later that afternoon, we met Molly Cashion and her partner Andre’ Ray on the patio at MAP Brewing Company in Bozeman. It was great to meet Andre’ and introduce them to both to Dawn and Les. After returning back to the Inafuku’s for chicken enchiladas, salad fresh from their garden and ice cream, Dawn and David reminisced about while we looked at some “Dew Crew” photo albums from the 1980’s.
Monday, July 8, 2024
It was hard to say goodbye, but we headed out about 8:30 through Livingston and Gardiner, Montana toward Yellowstone. We stopped briefly at the YPSS (Yellowstone Park Service Stations- David’s employer for 5 summers and mine for 1) headquarters in Gardiner. Here we met a nice young man, Ben, from Hall County, Georgia, just down the road from us, who listened to our tales of old times and gave us a couple of new YPSS ball caps. Then we drove through the North entrance and into the park on the new road. The old one was destroyed by the flood in June 2022 when the area received more rain in one day than it usually did in an entire month. We continued on the North Loop by Mammoth, Roosevelt, Tower, over Dunraven Pass and stopped in Canyon for a short break. After seeing a few bison in Hayden Valley, we stopped at Fishing Bridge for some engine oil and then went out through the South entrance. Lucky for us, the park was easy to navigate and there wasn’t much traffic at all. We continued on through Grand Teton National Park, passing by Jackson and Jenny Lakes and took another break in Jackson. We were disappointed with how much it had grown, how crowded it was, and how it seemed that there were many more trinket stores and many less art galleries. We were happy that Tom Mangelsen’s Images of Nature Gallery, Teton Mountaineering, and the beautiful St. John’s Episcopal Church and grounds were still on North Cache Street. The evening drive through the fascinating rock formations in Shoshone National Forest and enjoying the views of the Wind River Range was a perfect end to the day. We settled into the cozy Windhaven RV Resort around 8:00 P.M. where Millie enjoyed a brief walk, and we all appreciated the cool breeze and lack of mosquitos.
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
Early this morning, Randy and Melissa, one of the campground host couples, came by with their little white dog, Texas, to see the ROG and say hello. We discovered in our conversation that they have been to Blue Ridge several times and really like our home turf. We left around 9:45 with beautiful sunny skies and a nice 77-degree temperature. After a while, we stopped in Rawlins for gas and groceries. Later in the afternoon a rock flew up from an 18-wheeler in front of us and nicked the truck windshield. Since Laramie was close by, we stopped, found an auto glass repair shop and a super nice young man repaired and glued the cracked spot. After a delicious DQ stop, we drove south, by Denver and on to interstate 70. Once again, using the DYRT app, we found a nice KOA in Strasburg, CO and pulled in for the night.
Wednesday, July 10,2024
We began driving again today with sunny and nice temperatures. After a few hours, we entered Kansas and returned to the Central Time Zone. We spent a long day driving across Kansas passing endless fields of corn and wind turbines. It is a long way across Interstate 70, but we finally made it through St. Louis around 12:30 P.M., drove a bit longer to a TA Travel Truck Stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois and decided to hop in the camper for some rest. With the fan on and windows open, we slept well in the parking lot with several other vehicles doing the same thing.
Thursday, July 11, 2024
We were on the road again by 7:30 A.M. and arrived in Franklin, TN at Sandra and Bob Sarratt’s house around 11:45 A.M. After unloading the kayaks, catching up with the two of them and letting Millie run around with Tilly for a little while, we took off again around 12:30 P.M. excited to be getting close to home. However, we hit our worst traffic and road construction in and around Chattanooga. There were so many delays! After so many travel days, we were quite frustrated. We finally got through it all, and then got stuck behind an 18-wheeler on Highway 64-74 driving along the Ocoee River. We made it to our local brewery, Buck Bald in Copperhill, TN just in time for a local’s night beer with our hometown friends. Around 8:40 P.M., we pulled in our driveway ending our first fun ROG trip of 24 days and traveling 6,514 miles. 😊
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