I’m sad to say, the year 2023 didn’t end on a cheerful note for me. While boarding a plane in December, I slipped and broke the head of my right humerus in three places. Doctor appointments and physical therapy kept us from venturing too far from home.

Our “get-away” day finally came on June 20, 2024, after my final physical therapy session. We hooked up the fifth wheel, climbed in the truck, and headed north with smiles on our faces and adventure in our hearts.

While many RVers might rush to reach their destination, putting in long hours of driving, we prefer a more leisurely pace. We planned six days for our trip to Gig Harbor, Washington, from the San Francisco Bay Area. This allowed us to stay two nights at each stop and poke around a bit.

Our first stop was Fawndale Oaks RV Park in Redding, California. I would rate this park as “okay,” if we ignore the electrical issue that prevented us from running the AC. Thank goodness trees provided enough shade to limit the heat. Fortunately, the grass had not yet turned brown because the antique fire truck did nothing to soothe our fear of a fire evacuation order during our stay.

A recent resident at the Fawndale Oaks RV Park is the Sacramento Valley & Eastern Railway Locomotive No. 2, a Baldwin 2-6-2T. The plaque says it was dedicated on December 11, 2021.

The next day we drove to Shasta Dam. My goal was to capture another photo of the Three Shastas: Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, and Mt. Shasta. We last visited the area in 2013. That year we took the full tour of the dam, which we enjoyed and highly recommend. This year we only walked along the top and enjoyed the view.

We then drove to Burney Falls, only to see them from a distance because the trail was under construction.

Nearby, we saw a cabin constructed in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The sign says the Friends of the Falls restored the cabin. I’m guessing the restoration occurred between 1984 and 1986 since the plaque includes those dates. It amazes me whenever we encounter a CCC project, and I’m pleased we can enjoy the hard work the men put in to create all the infrastructure and amenities throughout the country.

For our second stop, we chose Rising River RV in Roseburg, Oregon, on the banks of the South Umpqua River. This RV Park earned a “great’ rating for their wide spots with short picket fences between them, plenty of grassy areas, and large shade trees that weren’t overgrown. They also had awesome bath houses with individual showers and restrooms like campers might encounter at a state or federal park.

The next day, Jon was on a mission to: 1) find fabric for a tablecloth he wanted me to make and 2) search for a water-flow gauge. I’m not sure why he thought we needed fabric then. It’s not like we had the sewing machine with us and I sure wouldn’t sew it by hand. We found material we liked at Joann’s and packed it away for when we returned home. He wasn’t so lucky in the search for a water-flow gauge. We tried at least six stores with no luck. Defeated, we drove through the Dutch Bros Coffee and treated ourselves to mocha frappes. There’s nothing like a mocha frappe on a hot summer day to soothe disappointment.

Next stop was Salem, Oregon, where we hoped to visit the Capitol building and take a tour. We arrived at Hee Hee Illahee RV Park around two. After set up, it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner, so we found the Flight Deck Restaurant at the Salem-Willamette Valley Airport serving exceptional food. So if you eat around three do you call it “dunch” or “linner”?

We’ve had positive experiences with regional airport restaurants in the past and Flight Deck did not disappoint. Salmon and asparagus for me were delicious, and Jon dubbed his Swiss burger, “the best I’ve eaten in a long time.” Another winner.

Our planned adventures in Salem didn’t turn out the way our meal did. A major reconstruction project at the Oregon Capitol prevented us from seeing most of the building. Elevator access to an upper level allowed us to walk onto a balcony that ran from one wing of the building to another. From there, we could see Waller Hall across the street.

Oregon Pioneer (also known as Gold Man), created by Ulric Ellerhusen, is a twenty-two-foot-tall hollow bronze sculpture with gold leaf. Installed The sculpture, installed in 1938, is visible from various places throughout Salem.

Waller Hall, built between 1864 and 1867, had started its life known as University Hall. The name changed in 1912 to honor Reverend Alvan (Alvin) F. Waller, the person who spearheaded the fundraising to construct the building. Materials used in construction included 500,000 bricks made from the clay soil removed to build the basement. While a fire decimated the interior of the building in 1921, the sturdy brick walls—about thirty inches thick—remained intact.

And as one might imagine, the building has gone through major renovations throughout its nearly 160 years. From the one building university, Willamette University has grown to 56 buildings around Salem and in Portland, Oregon.

A quick peek at the capitol’s website at the time of writing this post revealed all guided tours should resume during 2025. Perhaps they will occur in the fall?

On June 26, 2024, we pulled our rig into Sun Outdoor Gig Harbor Resort for a 12-night stay. At first, the tight spot they gave us with no neighbors on either side was a disappointment. Once we settled in, though, we had to rate it “excellent” for its coziness and privacy.

After our days of travel, we craved a reward: a seafood dinner, a glass of sparkling wine, and views of the harbor at Anthony’s at Gig Harbor. Viewing the photos and writing about the meal made my mouth water.

We were happy to have arrived safely in Gig Harbor and looked forward to all we would do and see, even if we looked a bit bedraggled and tired.

Up Next: Museums, farmers’ market, gardens, boat tour, and so much more.

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