Saturday, January 21, 2012

Valley of the Rogue State Park, Oregon


 usbackroads destination--Valley of the Rogue State Park, Oregon

We are back for our yearly stop at the Valley of the Rogue State Park in Oregon.  Last year we noted that it was cool, rainy, and of course cloudy.  Well, this time it is just plain wet.  It has rained for the past two days constantly and it looks like we are headed for day three.  The pitter patter of raindrops on the roof has become the equivalent of a chinese water torture!

I-5 is totally snow covered around Shasta City so we will wait out the storm once again.  There are also high wind warnings for folks towing trailers.

At least this is a nice campground and most importantly a great bicycle and walking trail along the river.  The picture above is the trail next to the campground loop.  Bugaboo and I went for a several mile walk towards Grants Pass today.  Wet, and more wet.  It does not seem to bother Bugaboo.  We thought about getting out the electric bicycles but the steady downpour indicates that it might be a totally bad idea.  So here we sit.

It looks like a window of opportunity tomorrow (no opportunity, though checking the web cams perhaps we should have made the run).  However, if that does not work it does look like early next week before we get to finally leave Oregon.  Next year, we might need to stage the 5th wheel farther south!!

So e-books to read.  Just finished July Collins autobiography on her life.  Need to find something more uplifting for the next book.

Watch the dogs sleep and take some long naps in the grey days.  And they are good at it.



One good about being stuck in the Rogue River Valley is FM 94.7 KKRM.  Real country and western music and bluegrass.  Sorry no internet streaming.  So you have to camp in the Rogue River Valley for the real thing.

Take it from somebody named Vladimir this is REAL American country and western music.  It does not get any better than this on the airwaves.

Now why would somebody named Vladimir know anything about American country music.   Well, while in Russia on a forestry exchange trip with regard to the recovery of the Siberian Tiger  I kept telling my Russian interpreters that I knew I had a accent when I spoke Russian, but what was it?  They stalled and avoided an answer.  Russians are very class conscious.  They definitely respected my degree from Berkeley, and somehow their avoidance of the question raised those class issues in my mind.  

Finally, one of the interpreters said "Vladimir, your accent is a very soft Georgian drawl".  That's the Georgia that is 12 time zones opposite of Atlanta.  So there you have it.  Uh, that also translates to country.  You might say that I have the original "soft Georgian drawl".  So this is where my expertise in country music has its roots.

Throughout this country there are great radio stations with great programming.  Somebody could make himself an awful lot of money broadcasting these stations on satellite complete with commercials.  KKRM might be country.  But there are others like KPIG for hippie cowboys and cowgirls out of Freedom, California.  Of course, KPIG has sold out to their capitalist masters and now you have to pay to get their stream!!!  I am sure there are blues, cajun, texas swing, folk, soul, jazz, and even some of those stations that play noise like rap that could use the exposure on satellite.

Oh, well better Merle, Bob, and Pasty than the pitter patter of raindrops.

Saturday, we went into Medford to shop for food and do the laundry.   On a whim we stopped by The Wharf seafood market and restaurant.  What a surprise!  An informal place where you can wear your orange ball cap during lunch.  The wine list is decent and very reasonable priced.  Susie had the spearfish and clam chowder, while I had halibut.  Great food, well prepared.  A very special find.  It is now on our mandatory stop list while passing through Medford.  There is a community center across the street with plenty of parking.  Access is good from the freeway, but make sure it is in your GPS.  The Wharf, 827 W Jackson St., Medford, Oregon, 97501.  The phone number is 541 858 0200.  Great stop along the usbackroads.

Don't get fooled by the shadows and blue sky patch.  That was the first in four or five days!!

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