Rocky Point on the Lower Klamath

     What is that saying about the best laid plans? The parts did not arrive to repair the Goose, but I had already paid for the spot in Rocky Point on the lower Klamath Lake and arranged to have my mail forwarded. So Wednesday I was on the road again. Part of my trip was on Highway 199, known as The Redwood Highway, twisting through breathtaking beautiful stands of giant redwoods that scrape the heavens and are inches from scraping the Old Gray Goose. I stopped in Grant’s Pass at a WalMart and bought way too many groceries just because it was so nice to see foods I recognize at prices I expect in places I can find. The refrigerator door wouldn’t lock (so it won’t fly open in transit). My theory is—if it won’t stick and it should, use duct tape and if it sticks and it shouldn’t, use WD40. Big swath of duct tape solved the problem.
     After about four hours on the road (175 miles), Gypsy performed flawlessly and brought us exactly into camp. I parked under three magnificent trees, the smallest of which is 10 feet around. Unlike Smith River where the temperature barely fluctuated ten degrees, it was in the 40’s last night and is expected to reach 80 this afternoon. I picked up my mail (mostly final utility bills for the house, which strangely seems a long time ago), determined that my satellite won’t work (probably because of all the trees), finished the vegetarian chili for dinner and fed and walked Gracie. The stars in the clear night sky were bedazzling. Who needs television when Mother Nature puts on a magnificent display?  
     The positioning of the Goose is perfect. It’s a pull through, nicely level spot. The bath house and office/store are in front, so Gracie can see me from her favorite perch in the driver’s seat. The view from my dining room table is out onto the water. A not-very-hot shower started my day. Breakfast was hot waffles with blackberries. A fat chipmunk munching seed outside the camp store ignored me as I dropped off my outgoing mail.
     Gracie and I walked a couple miles. All along the road are low, shiny-leafed holly plants with the bright blue berries that will turn red by the holidays. Flanked by lush ferns, they could have come straight from a florist display. Paths through the woods are cushioned by layers of pine needles. I found a pine cone nearly a foot long. Alas, we missed the raspberry season, but Gracie does not seem disappointed by the lack of edible berries. Do I even have to mention that Gracie went swimming?    
     Doing laundry was the cheapest so far, one dollar per load and a dollar for over 30 minutes of drying. We fired up our little barbecue grill and Gracie and I cooked pork steaks and grilled ears of corn for dinner over charcoal. Tomorrow I have to back track to get the Goose repaired. This was a nice respite from the coast.