Four Nights at Waldo

How I love Waldo Lake!   I can't even describe how much I love it there.

I had a  four night voucher from the Forest Service, from last year, set to expire next month.

Can't waste something that valuable!

Still it was a last minute thing and I had no idea how long I'd stay when I took off or even if I'd get a site.  So my packing took maybe an hour, at most, and  was basically just throwing things in, hoping for the best.

Since I didn't take a lot, I could also carry my kayak inside the car, sticking out the back, which makes for a fast exit from town.

I slept in the back of my car.  I took food I already had here, plus an ice chest and water and some minimal camp gear, like my propane canister stove, and some pans.  I also took my changing tent.  When I sleep in the back of my car, I find it nice to have somewhere to change.

I took a recliner chair.  Because whey not?  I love them.

Mine is a bit worse for wear, rusty in places now.  But it still works!

I left to arrive up there at check out time.  It was a Sunday afterall.  Someone must be leaving to go home.  I really lucked out and got one of my favorite sites that had just vacated.   The two sites next to me were caution taped off.  The camp hosts told me at some point, Monday or Tuesday, a hazardous tree would be cut down in that space.   It turned out to be Tuesday.  After that, the circus began--so many people coming looking for site spaces near the water.  Who could blame them.  

All the neighbors in that loop I found to be quite nice people although I only chatted with a couple of them.  A kid from Creswell, there with his family, even brought me a nice large log for my fire.  Those kids in that family had so much fun!   

Lots of dogs, all well behaved, a few came to say hello.

I went kayaking every day I was there and twice one day.  Three days I went on very long paddles, well they didn't seem long to me, but I noticed I was out for hours.   Sunday was cloudy and windy and not that great out on the water but I went for a shorter paddle anyway.  Monday was better but still a bit on the cool side with clouds.   The rest of the days--fabulous.

Here are some photos from Sunday, the first day.

Just getting there.  Chair up first, of course.  But I only took one book and quickly finished it.

Back of my campsite, lake beyond

Changing tent and clothesline up.  I keep my camp gear tote in there too.

Campfires have not been banned, but I didn't take wood along.  Was too rushed.  But there was plenty to be had around and about, and even some left from previous  campers.  I had a fold up camp saw along.

Had a fire every morning and every evening.

Shoreline trail.  It used to go all around the lake but the fires changed that.

I stow my kayak down the trail, along the shore.  This is looking back towards the swim beach, although you can't see it.  There are other campsites all along the shore but hidden in the trees.

Almost looked as if it might rain Sunday but it didn't.
But I went out on the kayak anyway.

Well that was day one, Sunday.       A four day voucher is worth, in money, if I'd paid for the campsite, almost $120.   That's still less than one night at some cheap motel, something many of us could never afford (even one night in a motel or hotel).  I would only have gone for two nights were it not for that voucher.    I have so much respect for the US Forest Service.   Our current admin does not, but their opinion hardly matters.  I would guess not one of them has ever camped out or has any desire to or knows the peace many of us find, outside of the cities.

If I was better off, sure I'd go to places with friends that involved staying in a motel, paying to go to events, all that, and being comfortable now and then.  But I'd still go to places like Waldo Lake and I will go there til I drop.  I grew  up camping.  We'd go camp somewhere and it would be a production for my poor mother who did the lions share of all work.  She did it all, worked at an office, cleaned the house, shopped, cared for us kids, made dinner, that often was refused by my father and she was told to make something else he liked better.   It was hard to watch, growing up.   The camp trips were likely a nightmare for her also, of work.   We used an old canvas tent and were warned over and over not to touch the sides, when we were on the inside, or it would leak.   Often it leaked anyway.

Sometimes I feel, that when she died, her soul whisked into mine.  She liked to have fun, to joke and laugh, and help animals and people and now she does that, through me.  That's how I feel sometimes.