About Us

Chris and Dennis are traveling around the country seeing the sights and occasionally volunteering at select locations. We avoid the interstate as much as we can and tend to stop for squirrels and shiny objects.

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Farewell Goose Lake

Berk_SelfieSmall towns. You know, those ideal communities you've seen on television where everything seems way too good to be true. My first recollection of such small towns were Mayberry from the Andy Griffith show and of course Hooterville from Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Regardless of the story plots one thing rang true for all of the shows, people in the town cared and watched out for people in the town.

IMG_20180722_112224265_HDRA few weeks ago my wife and I were involved in a nasty car accident that left us with no transportation and doctor appointments some distance away – the closest being 14 miles one way and the other just over one hundred. Enter two small towns: New Pine Creek (population 120) and Lakeview Oregon (2300 people). New Pine Creek, when all is said and done consists of the post office and an antique store across the street. The post master allowed us to use the general delivery address and she kept an eye out for our prescriptions and other incoming mail and we got the word we had mail. Sort of critical when we had to chase down transportation to get there (about 2 miles from the park).

GL_Distance_sunsetLakeview has a Safeway grocery store and we had been going there about once a week during the month of June so I guess we were “regulars” - at least the cashiers made us feel that way by always greeting us with a hello and a smile. A few days after the accident we were shopping and I can't count the number of people who asked after us and offered help in one form or another; not just store folks but fellow shoppers as well. Made us feel like we were back in the small town of Ucon Idaho (pop: 640) where we grew up and everyone knew everyone else.

DSC_0343Now here we are the end of July and our time at Goose Lake is coming to a close. Tomorrow morning we'll be heading to Klamath Falls for a post surgical evaluation on Chris' wrist and since we'll be in the “big” city, we'll of course pay the obligatory visit to Wally World to stock for our next journey – Hyrum Reservoir in Utah.

IMG_20180722_110822791_HDRIt has been a little hectic what with doctor appointments and a little painful discovering new bruises on an almost daily basis but despite the adversity a couple of facts remain. Our stay here was very rewarding, leaving us with a feeling of accomplishment and sure in the knowledge we have indeed made a difference. Further, we  have thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Our permanent ranger Rick and the seasonal ranger Lee and of course, our guardian angel and park aid Tina have made us feel right at home. Without their guidance, input, and support our time here could have been quite the opposite. Couple the environment these three fostered with our co-hosts Charlie and Becky and you know what? We were our own very small town.

Shoot, it certainly is not too much of a stretch to say... We're home.

Perhaps we’ll return next year.

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