Alfred Loeb Camping 2009

So, remember a few posts ago I said we went camping. Well, it was A.J.'s birthday that Thursday and he didn't exactly start his new job at Dairy Queen like he thought. Long story short - DQ hired four new people that were 16 or over already whilst A.J. was waiting to turn 16 and now he is on the wait list to "maybe" start work sometime in mid-August.

Anyway, Phillip and I had planned to go camping with our friends, Kristin and Jeff, for Thursday and Friday, to try out our newly acquired RV. Since it was A.J.'s birthday weekend and all, we suggested he "call-a-friend" and get ready to go with us. After much rumbling and debate, he decided maybe it would be fun to go.

Birthday Boy (Mr. Make-A-Face) and his Friend, Jeremy.

So, off we were the next morning, Thursday, his birthday, heading towards the Oregon Coast in search of a "hopefully-not-so-full-campground-with-two-adjacent-RV-hookup-sites". This was our first experience with an RV and we wanted the full treatment. Electric and Water Hook-ups. True, the RV has holding tanks, batteries, and a generator, but if we were going to give it the run-down, we wanted to try it all.

Being the Summer, and with the economy the way it is right now, more and more campgrounds are FULL, FULL, FULL and many are first come, first serve. This would be interesting. We crossed our fingers and set out following our friends truck and trailer.

Following Jeff and Kristin towards the Coast.

First stop. A cute campground along the Smith River. No Hookups and a little too cold and shady, I think. Next stop. Jedediah Smith State Park. Four sites left. Drive around the tiny, winding campground road like an RV train - us being the caboose. Yes, four seemingly nice sites. River close. NO Hookups.

Back on the highway. Heading North towards Brookings. We take the turn off about 1 pm to go about 9 miles inland to Alfred Loeb on the Chetco River. About 2 miles in, there's a sign - Campground FULL. Oh no! We all pull over and decide to "take a chance" because the nice lady on the phone said checkout is at 1 and we may get lucky.

Back on the road. We pass two trucks and trailers going the other way. Either - they just got turned away OR there are two spots waiting for us! Keep hope alive.

We finally arrive and the first spot on one side is open #2 and the second spot on the other side is open #3. We pull into one and Jeff and Kristin make a pass through the campground "just to see". They found a couple right on the river, but wait, there's a tent tucked way back in the trees.

Alfred Loeb - Site #2. Don't ask me what that splot is? It was there when we got there....I don't want to know.

The campground was FULL! We got really, really, really LUCKY! I wasn't sure what our options would have been if it wouldn't have worked out. Even the BEACH sites around Brookings were FULL - and COLD and WINDY! I hates the cold and the wind!!!

This campground was very, very nice. We'll definitely be going back - and keeping our fingers crossed - 'cause ya can't make reservations....

The Boys' Tent.

HUGE, OLD stump!

Our camp table. Complete with recycling bag. AND mouthwash to spray around the campsite to keep the mosquitoes away - THANKS, JEFF!!! Great Idea!!!!

Our RV.


Dishes - DONE!

Cleaning out the cast iron pans.

BBQ.

Morning campfire.

The beautiful Chetco River.

The river was so shallow in some parts, Kristin and I just put our chairs in it and relaxed, keeping our tootsies cool.

There were a bunch of little crawdads, red salamanders, some frogs, and tons of minnow schools.

Gunney played for hours in the river. Wonka would have had fun too. He'll definitely go next time.

So calm, fresh and relaxing.

A cool ring of rock. Man-made of course, but fun!


I think I found a Flintstone flip-flop..?

Another HUGE stump.

Awesome fern.

Jeff and Kristin's dog, Gunney.

Gunney in the bay in Crescent City. No, it's an otter. Or a seal. OR maybe it is Gunney????