Wintertime in Rocky Point (the cold one)

 

Laurie Brown commented that every time I mention Rocky Point, she pictures the warm wintertime Mexican RV destination.  The Rocky Point where I now live isn’t warm in winter.  Not even close.  However it is quite lovely.  In winters to come, we plan to keep the MoHo someplace where she can actually move forward without chains.  In the mean time, she is safe and warm here in her special berth, an electric heater running full time.  Mo is the one responsible for plowing the snow and I will snow blow and shovel when needed.  The fire keeps us warm and cozy, and needs constant tending.  It’s a nice place to spend winter when work doesn’t require daily trips to town over icy roads.  Still, in spite of the lovely snow and the warm house, we sometimes decide to take a quick trip over the mountain to find a warmer, wetter greener winter, typical of Oregon on the west side of the Cascades.  

 

Destination Roseburg and The Umpqua Festival of Lights.  At one time, Klamath Falls actually managed a similar festival here in Moore Park, a walk-through event, with hot cider and chocolate, and beautiful light displays.  Sadly, it wasn’t profitable enough and after 2 short years it died.  Now, in order to see some of the animated displays, you have to drive all over town trying to find them.  Not particularly fun, so instead we decided to drive 3 hours, over a snowy pass, stay in a hotel, and go see a great drive-through light show. 

Driving west from Rocky Point on OR140 in winter can be challenging.  We decided to take the baby car, our “toad”. With 4 wheel drive and studs, it can go just about anywhere safely.  She handled the icy road easily and within an hour we were out of the snow and enjoying beautiful misty vistas of green Oregon mountains and moderate weekday traffic on I-5.  I now have an iPhone, and get a big kick out of watching our progress along the highways, checking for traffic, looking at the satellite imagery of the landscape we are crossing. It’s the mapmaker in me again, I guess. 

 

 

 

A bit beyond Sexton Pass, (clear, no ice) Mo mentioned that she might be thinking about someplace to stop and eat something.  I opened my “around me” application and up popped the Historic Wolf Creek Inn, just about the time we saw the exit on the freeway.  Perfect.  Mo had been to this small Oregon state Park in the past, but had never eaten there. They have a nice little restaurant that is charming and authentic.Our lunch was delightful, probably the best BLAT I ever ate, with homemade mushroom soup perfect for a misty Oregon day.

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We continued north to Roseburg and our hotel, the Quality Inn, right off the freeway.  We had a dog friendly room, and everything was comfortable and perfect for the rest of the afternoon relaxing with a Beavers football game while we waited to go see the light show.  The game was so bad that we left after half time for the show, just six miles west at the park.   There were lots of big vans full of little kids hanging out the open windows wide eyed and excited.  The last light show we saw like this was in South Carolina on St James Island.  Roseburg put on an excellent show, and checking, I see that Roseburg and Klamath Falls are approximately the same in population.  I really wish our town could manage this kind of special Christmas event again.

Next morning we woke to a warm breakfast, decided that shopping for Christmas dinner early in Roseburg would be much easier than shopping during the busy mid day in Medford. We had fun exploring Freddy’s and Bi Mart, two of my favorites, no sales taxes thank you, and then headed south on I-5.  At Canyonville we checked out the Seven Feathers RV Resort and were very impressed.  What a great place to spend a few days when it’s snowy at home!  We definitely will come back to stay at this place.  There’s a huge heated pool and spa, a fitness room, 24 hour laundry, and included in the discounted 29 per day weekday price, are electric, wi-fi and cable.  There are trails for walking and roads for biking, and oh, yes…the casino.  Not so sure if that is a good thing or not, but everything else is just lovely, the freeway sounds are completely muffled, the sites are big and comfy, and there is no snow to plow!  We just have to get that MoHo baby out of her snowy berth and over that mountain!  Ahh, maybe next year.

We ambled on home, appreciated the beautiful green hills swathed in mist, dark green forests, and warm green hills.  Topping the highway above Medford, we could see snowy McLoughlin towering over the valley.  The towering mountain is a remnant of a Cascade volcano, visible from Medford, and from Rocky Point Road on the other side.  We once climbed to the peak of the mountain, and are both glad that we did it then and don’t have to do it again!  Home before dark to our freshly plowed road in time to build a big warm fire and settle in for Christmas.