A surprising change of plans.....

Since this trip is our last planned trip in Rose, we decided to post an RV for sale ad on the internet while we were traveling to “test the waters”.  Rose’s unique design and features have attracted a lot of interest from potential buyers. In fact, while on our travels on the way to Washington state, one of the calls we got was from a family that was very interested in her but they preferred not to drive all the way to Tennessee to see her. Coincidentally, our planned travel route took us very close to where they live so they stopped by to check her out and decided she was exactly what they were looking for in an RV. They are a very active couple with two great kids. They plan to use Rose for ski trips, hauling dirt bikes for motor cross races, transporting their ATVs to the sand dunes for some off roading, hauling their ski/fishing boat and who knows what other sport they may get into! We are delighted to have found Rose such a good home ( she even has her own bedroom!) – she will have very exciting travels with them!

Andrew, Shane, Jen, Amy and their dogs Ju Ju and Kit

Amy on one of the ATVs that will travel in Rose's garage

Rose in her new bedroom with the dirt bikes!

Rose in her new home

There is one problem we have now….. 

Rose will be staying in Washington State and we are going back home, so we now have to drive over 3,200 miles across the country in Scooter – no cruise control; no big, plush, overstuffed seats for Molly and I to share so she has to sit in my lap; no kitchen stocked with food; no bathroom; no comfy bed of our own …you get the picture! It’s going to be a challenge but we’re up for that and excited about getting back home a little earlier than planned so we can enjoy the rest of summer on the lake!  

Needless to say, all of our “stuff” won’t fit in Scooter ( aka “Rosebud” now that she is filling in for Rose as our cross country transportation)) so we plan to ship most everything home and take only the essentials with us. It was a shock to find out how expensive it is to ship stuff across the country! Now we are trying to figure out what we really, really want to keep and what can be left behind….tough decisions for such frugal people!

Will all of this fit in little Rosebud?

All of our stuff that wouldn't fit in Rosebud is packed and  ready to go to the UPS store - it will be home before we will!

So what are the plans for the trek home….

Fortunately , we have been able to go to all of the places we had planned to visit in Washington and Oregon while we were still travelling in Rose so we just have a  few more stops that we’ll do in Rosebud (aka Scooter) on our way back home - no doubt we'll be ready for a break!

So here are the highlights from the last of our stops in Washington and Oregon – a nature lover’s paradise!

Redwood  National Park

Giant Redwood - 21.5' in diameter and 1500 years old!

Amazing 150' tall fern covered canyon walls

On a hike in Fern Canyon

Herd of Roosevelt elk - a bull elk with his harem

Crater Lake National Park

Crater lake with 700' high cinder cone inside of it

Soaking up the incredible view!

View from the cliffs above - visibility is 120' deep - the cleanest, clearest lake in the world!

Another view of the beautiful lake - the crater is 6 miles across and 1,932 feet deep!

Columbia River Gorge

Mt Hood on a clear,  sunny day

Multonomah Falls - 634' high

100's of people wind sailing on the Hood River

Mt St Helens

Mt St Helens with the new dome forming in the crater

This was an old growth forest area before the eruption 33 years ago

The ash and mud from the eruption filled up the valley 600' deep

Oregon Trail

Old wagon chute. The mountain was so steep the pioneers had to lower their wagons down the mountain by tying ropes to trees.

Toll gate on the old Oregon Trail. This road was used by the pioneers to get to Oregon City where they settled. They paid 25 cents per covered wagon to use the road.

We’re off …. the three of us. Stuffed into Rosebud for the next 12 days – what an adventure!