Simple is good...

We started on the Simple trip with Dad saying, "I really enjoy these trips. You're so relaxing to travel with Sis".  This as he is hanging on for dear life to the OS handle above his door.

First day, we made it to Bend, OR in good time to meet up with brother & SIL and a cousin from Portlandia. Next day, while brother took Dad to Ideeho, I was off to Sisters, OR to take part in the Cowman's family's reunion.

Cold Springs Resort, Camp Sherman, OR

Had an awesome time at the reunion, we were only missing a SIL, a nephew, a niece, and the corpsman. Fifty three of us out in the open & under canopies as it rained off and on.   On arrival there was a moment of shear terror for the kids, when they found out...there was no cell service in the area.  They soon adjusted, and only occasionally checked their phones to see if the Gods might have provided service while they weren't looking.  
 A little rain didn't dampen the spirits of our crew at all. 

half of my crew:  ccw:  me, Lauren, Ali, Tyler, Marymine, Colt

We went on expeditions, played washers, fly fished, cooked, ate, drank, cuddled the littles, told stories, and had huge bonfires!

After the reunion, I drove to Ontario, OR to meet up with brother and pickup Dad. Then I drove us on to Riggins, Ideeho. We spent a night there on the Salmon River, and the next morn on to Kamiah ID to visit an old friend of Dad's. 

Camas Prairie, Idaho     sunlight on rapeseed field

Here is where I told Dad that if we looped West instead of East, one of my brother-in-laws (Don) had said he would gladly meet us at their river house on the Columbia and take us fishing, if Dad would like that. It took Dad about a 1/2 second to say, "What are you waiting for, call & tell him we are on our way to the river house!" I drove another 5 hours to make that date. We spent the night with my BIL and were on the water fishing early the next morning. 

Dad fishing on the Columbia River

After a morning of fishing, we caught a bunch of bass, no salmon, we headed to my Sean's in Vancouver, WA. Spent the night in his new house, and the next morning I drove the eight hours home. Wouldn't have taken me that long but, I stopped to see Jolee at Del Rio Vineyards in Gold Hill, OR and Dad wanted to stop and see friends in Mt Shasta.

Mt Shasta, Calif.  close to home

A Simple 2,200 mile loop under our belts, and we are home.  Most importantly Dad had a great time, and says his hand is getting better after the cramping from holding on to the OS handle above his door.

 

I loved camping and still do

I was always the kid that loved to go camping at the lake. Water skiing til our arms were ready to fall off. Swimming, skipping rocks, packing fire wood, finding treasures. Eating fresh peaches from home, trout from the lake.  The smell of the forest, the smell of wood smoke from the fire.  The sounds of the loons calling in the evening. Up early to watch the sun come up, the lake was like glass. I loved camping and still do.
Mom and dad had an ol army tent to sleep in.  My brother, the three boys that came with us, and I slept out under a blanket of stars.  We had ancient camp cots to put our bedrolls on.  The only flat ground was taken up by the tent, camp table, and fire pit, so we dug holes for our cot legs.  If you moved around too much on your cot you would find yourself rolling down hill into the lake.  Not real great, as you would invariably bounce off a few boulders on the way down and as you were usually snugged into an old mummy bag, the air hole having become fixed at the back of your head, you couldn't see, and you sure couldn't stop. You just knew you better hope that one of those thick headed boys would wake up and keep you from turning into the girl of the lake.
One night after more smores than any kid should eat, we slipped off to dreamland. Then the screaming began, up popped five heads, again the scream. Now there are five heads up,and five flashlight beams whipping around amid a chorus of frightened voices.  Dad called from the tent to "pipe down out there and go to sleep".  "But, but, what was that, who had screamed, and it seems to be getting closer?"  Dad said, "it's just a mountain lion, across the lake, go to sleep, now."   "OK, if you say so, but, it sounded like a woman screaming." "It's not, it's just a big mountain lion, they sound like that."  We finally settled down, and went back to sleep. 
I was woken by the sound of something moving around in camp, oh God, it's a bear or the mountain lion come to get us.  Having scrunched down to the bottom of my bag, I could only see a small area in front of my cot, but I could hear what ever it was getting into stuff in camp.  I could hear it eating what sounded like Fritos, and getting closer to my cot.  Then an ol doe stuck her nose in the end of my bag,  and that's how come I screamed, rolled off the cot, rolled down the hill, bounced off a bunch of boulders, and nearly drowned in the lake.  I loved camping and still do.