Camper_Jeff_+_Kelli
Seattle
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Made it through ten days on the road. about 800 miles, 600.00 worth of gas. Truck is running great and the head gaskets are still doing their job.
Started up in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for 5 days at one of the many lakes up there. Great swimming and fishing, not to many bugs. The snow had cleared off the ground only 3 weeks ago. One of the latest openings for the forest in many years. Probably no huckleberries this year because the growing season is so shortened by the cold weather.
Mt Adams
Charlie posing.
This camper looked like an IKEA commercial gone bad.
The camp host was amazed.
Camp sweet camp.
We took an alternate road out of the forest since the main road was washed out. This picture was taken at the bottom after about 3 miles of a steep one vehicle width adventure. The other route we could have taken to get to where we were going would have been about 150 miles vs 3 miles down the road we took. At one point, there was only a 1/4 inch clearance for the camper jacks. I thought I might have to do some digging but we went slow and easy and had no problems.
Here was another road slide in progress.
Next we spent a couple days at a friends house in Eastern Washington. Once upon a time, all you could see from his deck was grassland and the horizon. Now there are 218 windmills all around him with more on the way. His pristine escape is gone due to alternative energy technology. The first is a night shot with a long exposure.
These things are about 350 feet tall plus another 150 feet taller when the fan blade is at the top of the rotation.
Interestingly, there have been a couple times when the wind has blown enough that the windmills produced enough power to force the shut down of the John Day Dam on the Columbia. They had to open the spillways to release water which introduced nitrogen into the water and caused a small fish kill.
Charlie taking the humans for a walk.
Next we went to the Potholes State Park and nature preserve.
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We met Andrew from Maui. He was riding his bike from Portland to the Grand Coulee Dam over a planned five week period.
He was planning to spend the night at this lookout location.
This water fall only appears when the water level is low at the end of the season in the group camp area of the Potholes State Park.
Lots of birds take advantage of the nature preserve.
The Potholes Reservoir.
The grounds are beautifully maintained. Practiced my irons a bit.
The trees provide a wind break and shade.
Next was Steamboat Rock State Park. This is the road heading in.
Lots of deer and fishing. This park is best for people with boats or better yet, people who know people with boats. 
Crazy kids.
My brother's, new to him, S&S 9.5 TC. Boy do they like it.
I like my S&S better though. It's fixed up the way I like it.
The Air Force flys stuff over the park regularly. F-16's this day.
One last look back at Steamboat Rock from the dump station.
Off we go to Conconully State Park. Some sights along the way.
Conconully State Park.
The giant Willows are beautifully maintained.
Assorted sights.
Sadly, it was time to go home, so we took the beaten path over Baldy Pass 6515' to Winthrop. About 40 miles.
Mt. Baldy.
There was a huge forest fire here a couple years ago.
Welcome to Winthrop.
We headed home over the North Cascades Pass. Stopped in Mazama to get gas as it is the last place to get it for about 80 miles. We got to the filling station only ten minutes before it closed. That would have cost us time back tracking to get gas to make it over the pass. This is a neat little store with some good stuff in it. This is also where you would go if you were going to go up to "Harts Pass". Search on that for a recent trip report.
North Cascades Highway, Washington Pass, I think it is.
Gowing down the west side of the pass, it was wet, cold, rainy, nasty.
Diablo Lake.
Charlie in his command post.
So that was our trip. 10 days around the state in 4 different state parks. Very relaxing, I could use another week and that would be just about right. I think we may go out again this weekend and brave the crowds since the camper is still provisioned and ready to roll.
The new head gaskets are still doing their job and we put a pretty heavy demand on them during this trip so I think we are good to go mechanically.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures and be sure check out a couple of these places for yourself.
Jeff
* This post was
edited 08/28/08 02:02am by Camper_Jeff_+_Kelli *
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RichandLiz
Connecticut
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Joined: 04/17/2005
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BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! Thanks for sharing! Looks like you had a wonderful trip. Felt like I was along for the ride
Just love that car, must have been the laugh of the moment....Do you think he has supersprings or airbags? If I packed that much junk to camp, I think I'd be over weight.
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silversand
Montreal
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Joined: 09/12/2004
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Wow! Huge Report!
Well illustrated and comprehensive.
I'll get it into Trip Reports on Sunday (Sunday is my new schedule for posting Reports, from here on)...
Cheers,
Silver-
Silver
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 6.0L Ext/LB Tow Package 4L80E Michelin AT2s| Outfitter Caribou
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F350OilBurner
Central MA
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That looks like an awesome trip... thanks for sharing the pics! But $600 in gas to go 800 miles?  That's brutal. The truck may be running great but wouldn't that mean you're only getting somewhere around 5 mpg?
2006 Ford F350 Lariat CC LB DRW
6.0 PSD w/TorqShift 4x4 4.10LSD
Airlift Airbags/SureSet Controller - Timbrens
2007 Lance 1181 - All the Options
Torklift Superhitch/Tiedowns/Fastguns
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luv2skyski
Stockbridge, Georgia
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Great report! Do those windmills make a lot of noise? I loved the first picture of that "crazy kid". Priceless! And did you really post this at 3 in the morning? Wow...I thought I had it bad. Thanks again for the report. Dave.
1999 F250
2004 Northern Lite 10-2000RR
What do you do when you miss your in-laws? Your reload and shoot again!
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~DJ~
Boise, Idaho
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Joined: 05/10/2005
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Great trip!!!
I've never seen an S&S like that. Is that factory or did someone do a "make over" on all the front windows?
05 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT SC DRW 4X4 CTD G56 373's CAI,Edge Juice/Attitude,Jake,Rancho9000x,Torklift tie downs,Superhitch,Stable Loads
04 S&S Avalanche 9' with slide
26th Marines RVN 69-70 Semper Fi
M-14 was the only Woodstock I saw in 1969.
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Oldtymeflyr
Littleton, CO
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Joined: 04/18/2004
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Looks like a fun trip. Good presentation!
* This post was
edited 08/28/08 01:57pm by Oldtymeflyr *
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Camper_Jeff_+_Kelli
Seattle
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The cost on gas was so high because a lot of our travel was at high elevation on steep gravel forest service roads. Some extended ideling to recharge batteries. I usually get about 9 mpg loaded on highway but you get into the mountians and you can kiss mileage good riddance.
Yes I did post this late. It's the only time I have and it took a while to put together.
This is the way I got my S&S canper. I know it doesn't have all the bubble windows but I guess it was ordered that way as a cold weather package. I understand that the S&S bed area got cold because of all the windows during winter camping. This one stays warm down to 15F.
You can barely hear the windmills at my friends house but as you get closer, you begin to hear an incustrial whirr of the generators turning. You would not want to live any closer than he is now. I guess the closest ones are about an eigth mile away.
Off to work now. Darn it.
Jeff
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MrPhelps
Huntsville, AL
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Joined: 06/25/2005
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Thanks! Very nice trip/report!
- 06 Dodge DRW CTD QC 4x4 Laramie, Nav, Powersteps, Exhaust Brake, Ricksons w/Dunlop SP431H , Ride Rites, Ranchos, Bump Stops, Superhitch, Bodiak
- 06 Host Yellowstone Double Slide, Wet Bath
- Wife, Son and Flo Dog 
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dakonthemountain
Crestline, California
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Joined: 04/13/2004
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What a great trip with beautiful pictures! It's sure looked like fun. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.
Those fires..I remember them well. Those of us living in these here mountains were evacuated twice in the last 5 years!
Cheers,
Dak
1977 F250 Ranger (My Baby!)
1992 Sierra 21' TT by Cobra (pictures coming!)
Escapee #22435
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