Whirlwind Visit

Weather Update for 27 July – 4 July

High Temp.: 91.6

Low: 61.2

Humidity: 86% - 14%

Rain: Zip

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

30 June 2015

Guests arrive!

Theresa and Phil land in Natural Bridge Campground, visit, and stay overnight in site 16. They brought gold: fresh blueberries and homemade pesto sauce. The pesto sauce we ate with gusto over noodles. Leftover olive oil from the pesto sauce we drizzled over bread. Exquisitisimo! 

Phil, Terry, and Rich

I managed to save a few blueberries for pancakes, very yummy. The rest disappeared quickly down our gullets. Short life expectancy for both the blueberries and pesto.

Rich and I also took them on a mini-tour visiting Natural Bridge and the Rogue Gorge. Then, in less than 24 hours since their arrival, they head out. A whirlwind visit, to be sure, but great fun for us. And you can't beat visitors coming bearing gold.

Rogue Gorge

By the way, Campsite 16 in Natural Bridge Campground is ranked as one of the top ten campsites in Oregon.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2008/07/camping_oregon_top_10_tent_sit.html

From Kittens to Tadpoles

Rich's News from Camp Webegone

July 1, 2015

For those who have been following along, you may remember that last year we rescued some kittens. Well, this year we are rescuing tadpoles...

Tadpoles

When I was growing up outside Grants Pass, the area was filled with various sumps and pools that frogs loved. I can remember seeing the eggs and watching the tadpoles. But I have realized that I did not have any guidance while exploring the natural phenomenons that surrounded me.  In those days the only natural exploration and experimentation was the usual kind of cruelty administered often by young boys. I don't remember doing anything cruel myself, but I certainly did have friends who did. And frogs were an easy target.

So as I experience this place now, I regret that I did not have guidance that might have opened my mind to the miracles around me. Without that guidance, as I grew up, I soon abandoned those explorations of the wilds. And it is only now that I am recovering what I think is my natural curiosity.

Getting Water

Each day I get the opportunity to observe a new bird or mushroom or bug. Some we can identify like the pilated woodpecker, but many we cannot. How do you distinguish a white fir from a grand fir? And there, what a gorgeous beetle, and what bird sings that beautiful song?

The diversity here is thrilling, and in being here I slowly reclaim some of that curiosity and awe from my childhood.

Adding Water

But to get back to tadpole rescue. On one of our journeys to watch the water ouzels, we came across a small pool of water. It was the only standing pool on the lava flow that still had water - after this long, hot summer. And inside that pool are lots of tadpoles.

We started to watch them each time we came up, and soon realized that the pool (which is at most 2 ft. wide) was losing water. So we have been getting river water and filling the pool. We missed one day, and the pool was very depleted when we arrived the next day, and I am sure we lost half of the tadpoles. But the remaining tadpoles are now developing legs, and we hope that they get a chance to fully develop into frogs. 

Meanwhile the ouzel nest is now silent, and we hope they survived their introduction to air and water. We cross our fingers.

Late Update: Alas, alack, last visit to the little pool of tad poles and the water was gone..... Dang....

A Day Off in Paradise

Weekly Weather Update

14 June – 20 June

Weekly High: 78.1

Low: 45.9

Humidity: 31% - 77%

Rain: Zip

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

Rich and I

Wednesday, June 17th, we have a day off. A day to be lazy. A day to eat and read to our heart's content. Back before we started camp hosting, when Rich and I would go camping, we called it going to eat and read, because that was how most of our time was spent.

On this break, in the afternoon after a long period of reading, we walk from camp to Natural Bridge. We walk along the Rouge River. Decades ago, in prelitigation era, the path, a small portion of which still exists,

Old Path

took you to the river's edge. You could sit and dip your toes in the water. You could walk across the natural bridge. Those days are long gone. However, for adventurous campers at Natural Bridge Campground, it is still an option. 

Still, there is a trade-off to doing so. Sitting at the river's edge, you miss the spectacular falls.

The main reason I wanted to walk this particular trail (deer trail for the most part), is there is a better view of the Rogue River entering the lava tube tunnel.

Into the Tunnel

Unfortunately, it's real hard to capture what's happening in a pic. Dang. But what you are seeing in the above pic is the river flowing under the log then into the tunnel.

After spending a leisurely time at Natural Bridge, we meander home to camp. Dinner is pan-fried pork chops, steamed yams served with a bit of butter and brown sugar and salad. The last of the salad until Tuesday. Dinner followed with reading while sitting outside in the meshed shelter until it is too dark to read. A wonderful meal and enjoyable books to close a wonderful day off.