Farewell...Champoeg

The month of December opened up with one of Oregon's worst storms in the last twelve years. After being battered by a category 2 hurricane with winds up to 129 mph, major flooding, hundreds of trees toppled, road closures and week long power outages, it is no wonder that the majority of the northern Oregon Coast was declared a State of Emergency. Our friends Dick & Melinda had a ringside seat during this spectacular weather show, watching in awe as nature flexed its magnificent muscles of raw power. Although trees fell all around their rig, they sustained no damage and departed safely…carrying with them an unforgettable experience.
We managed to fare much better…almost boring compared to the coast. Hannah did stand up to 60 mph gusts and 2 days of continuous rain. And the Willamette River had at least 10 more feet of bank before cresting. We did stay warm, dry and very snug…but this definitely was a vivid reminder of what a winter in this Valley can offer.

Our rookie year Park Hosting at Champoeg State Heritage Park is now a memory. No longer will we occupy “B1”, greet the faithful Champoegnites and provide our daily TLC“ to its cabins. Oh …how we fell in love with this beautiful park and the serenity it offered. How can we forget the dazzling fall colors that the forest canopies provided , those peaceful, mindless walks on the river trail and the daily serenade from all the joyous song birds? We had a wonderful experience here and will always be stewards of this park. We hope to be invited back some day in the future.
We will also miss the camaraderie and friendship of a special band of happy souls...the camp hosts…who year after year dedicate their lives to volunteer in parks nationwide. We hope our membership in this unique “club” will do it honor. So here is a sincere thank you to our mentors and friends…John & Joan, Jim & Virginia, Dick & Melinda, Kent, Nancy, Patrick & Cheryl, Mel & Bonnie and John & Nancy. Until we meet again, may the roads you travel be safe, your adventures bring joy and those “potlucks” fill you up.