hortly after arriving in Oregon, we moved closer to Medford, where Landra found an office job through a temp agency. She is enjoying this less stressful employment and the lack of management responsibilities. Charlie is working as a web site developer from the RV.
Landra on the Suzuki Burgman, on the outskirts of Phoenix, Oregon.
In March, we purchased a second mode of transportation—a Suzuki Burgman 400 scooter. The Burgman was to be our sightseeing vehicle. It is light enough to carry on a hitch rack, either on the truck’s front bumper or the fifth wheel’s rear bumper.
Soon after buying it, we found out that our first child was arriving later in the year. Through the summer we took advantage of the scooter by seeing beautiful places in northern California and southern Oregon, and then put it up for sale. Our reason for selling it was not safety, but the lack of use it will get with three of us. It was such an ideal mode of transportation that I’m leaving up the Burgman For Sale page on this web site, for those of you interested in the specifications and photos.
Update for the Second Half of 2005
Summer in the Rogue Valley was absolutely beautiful; sun-filled days with comfortable evenings and very little rain.
Landra was fortunate to work in one place as a temp, all year long. At the end of June, we moved from the RV park in Phoenix to a KOA in Gold Hill. This added another 5 minutes to her commute into Medford, for a total of 20 minutes. Not bad, compared to the average Dallas commute of 45 minutes.
Haystack rock on Cannon Beach, about an hour drive from Portland.
We liked Gold Hill better than Phoenix because the road noise was less (though we could still hear it while outside the RV), and it was within walking distance to the Rogue River.
On the weekends, we continued to see nearby sights. The only time we moved our trailer from Gold Hill was to visit family in Portland over Labor Day. While there, Landra’s cousins took us to the coast at Cannon Beach. After a frustrating 45 minutes of not finding a parking space large enough for our truck, we talked the parking officials into letting us park in an RV slot. Our frustration was quickly displaced with relaxing walks on the beach and wading through the very cold ocean water.
As Landra’s pregnancy progressed, we chose less challenging outings. But, we were not about to pass up kayaking the Rogue. In late August, we rented an inflatable kayak and floated a mild section of the river from Gold Hill to the Valley of the Rogue State Park.
Mid-October brought rains to the valley. Sightseeing opportunities became fewer and more spaced out. Winter brought even more rain, sometimes non-stop for days. Our baby was due in early January, so the end of 2005 focused our attention on his birth and subsequent visits from parents.
Charlie in the “nursery slide” with baby.
To make room for a crib, we sold the sleeper sofa and converted the living room slide into the “nursery slide”. There was just enough room to fit the crib, a hanging organizer on one end, and a small diaper trash can in the corner.
Hotels were lacking near our location in Gold Hill. For this reason we made a move to the nearby town of Grants Pass. The RV park there has two hotels just outside the gate, making it an ideal place to receive visiting family.
In less than a week after moving to Grants Pass, our baby boy arrived just before Christmas, several weeks earlier than estimated. The delivery went smoothly and quickly, and we now have a healthy baby boy with whom to share the adventure.
The only thing remaining in Oregon are the doctor visits for Landra and Baby. After that, we plan on taking a southern route across the country to see family. The Baby Tour of 2006 will last until early summer. Our destination after that is still unknown.
The places we have seen in 2005 are too numerous to mention here, but we do have a couple of articles with additional details and photos. First, One Year in the Rogue Valley gives an overview of the most memorable places. Second, A Night In The Lilly Pad Tree House describes our stay in a tree house in Takilma
Original founder and writer for Changin' Gears. Former full-time RVer!
