Where is Gold Coast Truck Repair, Coos Bay, OR?
Well, here I sit, in the parking lot of Gold Coast Truck Repair, Coos Bay OR, ready to try to negotiate a speedy repair when they open tommorrow morning. Kinda boring, this concrete slab, within immediate proxinity to the highway.
Unfortunately, this news has somewhat overshadowed my exhuberance of the sights and State Park campgrounds on the Oregon coast. They are abundant, and beautiful.
Where is Humbug State Park, OR?
More Trials!
I arrived at Humbug State Park, OR, about 3:00 PM. John (from Trinity Lake) recommended this place, and after about 8 hours of driving curving mountains at slow speed, I was ready to stop.
And STOP I did. When I arrived into the campground, I stopped at the camp host site to make inquiries. He climbed in the coach, and when I restarted the coach, my air brakes were out – 20 lbs pressure, couldn’t budge! I was dismayed, but very thankful that it had not happened on the narrow mountain roads that I had just come from.
I contacted the roadside service company (actually my insurance company). They are going to tow/haul me to Coos Bay for repairs (they pay tow, I pay repairs). That is about 60 miles away, and costs about $500.00 per hour. Apart from the cost of tows, having someone do the legwork to locate repair and tow facilities is very nice. I can’t imagine my trying to locate appropriate facilities in an unfamiliar location.
I “camped” while parked in the campground street for two nights. My electric cable is not long enough to reach the connection. From the neighboring site, Dave volunteered a 20 amp extension cord to allow me to reach the electric plug at the site I was aiming at, but for some reason, the motorhome would not recognize the connection. So although within 30 feet of power, I am running on batteries still.
Dave is on a 39-day trip to a family reunion back east, “if he makes it” so he says.
I will get my tow tomorrow, Monday morning so that I literally will be camped out at the repair facility on Tuesday morning when they open.
This has been a laid back, relaxing day. Mostly walking, reading, and napping. Went walking with Annie along the shore and ran into… Carl, of course, along with about four other fishermen. Seems that they were not biting today.
Carl (having caught 3 nice fish the last two days) suggested that I join him for a fish fry. I felt awkward declining, so I agreed. He supplied the fish and potato salad. I contributed all I had that was not from a can, tomatoes, green onions, and corn on the cob (I eat a lot of corn on the cob since I discovered how easy it is to microwave). So we had a feast.
Since I am pulling outa here at 6:00 AM tomorrow, headed California way, I’m gonna miss Carl’s fish!
On 27 May, while on my way from NV to the coast, I wheeled into the Lassen Peak National Park. Lassen has some beautiful campgrounds, but I really had not put near enough miles under the wheels, so I just looked around, walked dog, and came upon the campground hostess. During the ensuing conversation, she told e about the National Forest Service Recreation Area known as Trinity, between Redding and the coast. She was very helpful, giving me explicit but incorrect directions. Sounded perfect, so I took a quick drive tour of Lassen and moved on. I managed to recover from slightly askew directions
At Trinity, I discovered a small campground, Cooper Gulch, that has only 4 sites, plus a host, and it is right on the shore of Lewiston Lake. The prime site, right by the water was available, so I grabbed it! Annie loved the lake shore trail through the trees, and wading in the lake. But that was only the beginning of a camping experience that would entice me to stay at Cooper’s Gulch three nights, putting m already behind schedule. Rather expectations, since there is no schedule.
When I arrived, I was greeted by the campground hosts, Leonard and Stella. Leonard assisted my backing into the campsite. Also there was John, awaiting his wife. And Larry and wife Liddy later took the last open site (of four).
It seems that this site is so small it is little known. Leonard has been host here for four summers. Apparently many regulars show up each your, keeping this gem a secret. Leonard knew John and Larry from previous summers. They all embraced me, the intruder, as one of the family. Last evening we all contributed to a group dinner at Leonard’s pad. The fare included fish freshly taken from the Lewiston Lake minutes before by John. I ate so much I was seriously treading on Jeep’s reputation as an “California Excessive Emitter”.
Stella paints rocks with interesting shapes, such as flowers, animals, etc. It is an art form with which I was unfamiliar. The ones that she has sold are among her best work, as determined from a collection of pictures that she keeps.
Someone should have told me that Northern CA has beautiful campgrounds!
While leaving Death Valley, I got a late start, after dumping/filling various tanks. I also got caught up in a tour at Scotty’s castle at my exit from Death Valley. Very interesting place, and legend. Glad I did not miss it!
I finally got out of AZ, now near Hawthorne, NV. This spot has a post card perfect view over Walker Lake, and I am (currently) about 1/2 mile from the nearest person. Actually, there are only two or three campers here! Too bad I am not a fisherman, like Carl is. Who is Carl, you ask?
On the way in yesterday, as I tried to get into one spot on this lake, and ran into a crusty Vietnam Vet that has been camping alone for 20 (?) years. This site falls under the jurisdiction of BLM, and is not fully developed. He directed me to this better spot, and he appeared here about sundown. He talked a lot, about his life style, Vietnam, children, etc. As I was cooking my store-bought bacon and eggs for the morning’s breakfast, I heard a knock on my door. There stood Carl with two 4-lb. Trout that he had just caught from the lake for his breakfast.
Of course, he wanted to show me how he dressed the fish. He had an electric knife, 12 volt version, with clips on the end, attached to the battery with the hood up. At first I thought he was going to defibrillat them! He proceeded to carve a fillet from each side of the fish, and was done in about 60 seconds, both fish!
Carl was in a 1974 Ford Camper, pulling a 1974 Lineman’s 3/4 ton pickup, the kind that has cabinets with doors all around that open for tools. He was changing the plugs this morning. I noticed a shiny new generator and starter that he had recently put on the camper.
Carl is a special breed, and I could have talked with him for hours! One great part about this trip so far is the occasional colorful character I meet.
This place is so pleasant that I may stay here a third night. As with everything else on this trip, I will decide when the sun comes up tomorrow if I am moving on or hanging here.
