MOUNT ST. HELENS, SUE’S NEW HOUSE AND HOME

June 23 AND 24, 2006

When we left Hood River our plan was to stop to meet another Rhoda Cousin who lives north of Portland.  We also decided, since we were going up that way, to take a side trip over to Mt. St. Helens for a look around.

Well, I tried several times to telephone my cousin, to no avail, and when we got to her house the front door was being guarded by a huge German Shepherd, so we decided to pass up the visit and continued on to the volcano.

When we got to the park we first stopped at the visitor center to get oriented.  There we saw a film about the eruption.  It was very interesting and included interviews with several survivors.  We explored around the museum and learned all about the 1980 eruption and also about the continuing scientific studies being performed.  The mountain continues to be active and is growing a new lava dome in the crater, which was created from the 1980 explosion.

 After leaving the visitor center we drove up the mountainside to the Johnston Ridge Observatory.  All along the way we could see new forest growing, lots of wildflowers and evergreen trees.  From the observatory we could clearly see the crater and the dome.  There is a wispy plume of steam being emitted, but scientists are continuously monitoring the activity, so no worries of an imminent eruption.  In fact, as we watched, a helicopter flew right into the crater and hovered over the dome buildup.

We spent the night in Kelso and then the next day we headed south for Salem.  We met my sister, Susan’s, realtor there for a tour of Sue and Roger’s new home.  They are finally going to realize their dream and move back to Oregon.  Roger has arranged with ATT to work from home and so now they are busy packing and getting their Manteca home ready to sell.  They hope to move in July or August.

Sue’s new home is really nice and very spacious.  The main floor has an entry area, very large living room with a nice view, formal dining room, modern kitchen, family room and three bedrooms.  There is a full basement with three more bedrooms, a huge storage room and an enormous greatroom.  Sue will have a wonderful time decorating and fixing everything up to her taste.

In addition to a nice house they have a very nice yard with an additional area behind a hedge for vegetable and cutting flower gardens.  There are already fruit trees and berries planted there.  Lots of fun for Sue and her green thumb.

After leaving Salem we stopped briefly in Eugene to visit the BikeFriday factory and from there we were homeward bound.  We made it to Yreka that night.

The next morning we turned on the air conditioning, popped in our new bluegrass cd and headed down the road. 

“Don’t like my peaches, don’t shake my tree!

Stay out of my orchard where my peaches be!”

There goes Weed, Mt. Shasta, Pollard Flat.

“I’ll be glad when you’re dead, you rascal you!

I’ll be tickled to death when you leave this earthly dog!

You asked my wife for cabbage

And ate it just like a savage!

I’ll be glad when you’re dead, you rascal you!”

Shasta Lake, Redding, Anderson.

“Groundhog, Groundhog.

Caught a big groundhog

Tanned his hide.

Made the best shoestrings ever was tied.

Groundhog.  Groundhog.

Yonder come Sal with a snigger and a grin

Groundhog grease all over her chin.

Groundhog.  Groundhog.”

Red Bluff, (it is now 104 degrees), Corning, Orland.

“ Oh there ain't nobody gonna miss me when I'm gone
   There ain't nobody gonna mourn for me too long
   Oh won't you write these words upon my tombstone
   There ain't nobody gonna miss me when I'm gone.”

Willows, Williams, Dunnigan.  Gas is $2.99.  No more $2.64 for us.

“I got drunk and I got in jail.

I got drunk and I got in jail.

I got drunk and I got in jail,

Got no one to stand my bail.

All my sins is taken away, taken away.”

Vacaville, Fairfield, Cordelia.  Getting’ close now.  We can smell the ocean air.

“What’s the matter with the mill?

Cain’t get no grindin’,

What’s the matter with the mill?”

Concord, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Berkeley.

We stopped off for a quick visit with Pauline and Jerry, ate lunch there and then drove the last 35 miles to Sunnyvale.  The trip is over!

What a great trip!