Wednesday, August 6, 2014

We were up early this morning to look for a brake repair shop, as one the brakes on the passenger side is squealing. It is overcast (as it always is on the coast) and 15C.
Found a "Les Schwab Tire Centre" in Reedsport, 6 miles north. We arrived there at 7:48, but they didn't open until 9:00.
They performed a free brake check & assured us that there is nothing wrong. Reassured, we headed back to the RV park.

On the way, we stopped at the Umpqua River Lighthouse, which was the first lighthouse in the Oregon Territory. It was built in 1857 hear the mouth of the river. It was undermined and destroyed by flood in 1864.Rebuilt on the present site in 1891, it shines a guiding light to all mariners. The tower is 65 feet tall and sits 165 feet above seal level.







From the viewpoint across from the lighthouse, we could see 50 - 60 boats in the ocean - some fishing and some whale-watching.
All you can see in the pic (if you look closely) are some tiny dots!








Finally, we were hooked up & on the way. It is sunny and 16C as we turn east onto OR-38 at 29 feet elevation following the Umpqua River.

Soon, we passed the Dean Creek Elk Viewing area which is the year-round residence for a heard of about 100 Roosevelt Elk.A mild winter climate and abundant food allow the Elk to remain all year.







It is a beautiful morning and the river is smooth as glass.

We drove by Scottsburg Park which has a picnic area overlooking the river and several rare Myrtle trees, which are harvested for their texture, grain and colour.

Kellogg is home to the Hinds Walnut tree, which was planted more than 250 years ago and stands over 100 feet tall. It's circumference is 20 feet! It is notable for its size, age and that it is not native to Oregon.

We departed from the river and after a short drive on Interstate 5, we turned back on to OR-138 at Roseburg, a town built up by the lumber industry, and now a popular recreational centre.

At the community of Glide, we went by the Colliding Rivers, where the North Umpqua and Little River converge in a fury of white water. It's one of the few places in the world where rivers meet head on.

We stopped for lunch at Swiftwater Recreation Site, at 831 ft elevation,then went for a hike along the North Umpqua River. The water was crystal clear and very inviting considering the 30C temperature!










Once again, there were many huge trees.







The next stop was Steamboat at 1276  ft. to view the Mott Bridge.The bridge is a recognized Oregon Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935-36, the bridge is the only surviving example of three such structures built at that time.


Following that, we climbed steadily on our way to Crater Lake, gaining about 500 feet every 5 - 8 minutes until arriving at Diamond Lake RV Park at 5274 feet.
There is no TV reception, no radio and the wi-fi is unreliable. We are here for three nights!!