Goose Lake–Avoiding the Crazy

RV'ers are crazy. I know this is fact based on my observations in the campground (and I read it on the internet so it has to be true). Einstein perhaps said it best with “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”

This week has been a case where the theory is proven. The evidence involves several short stories so please, indulge me.

Camper #1 Actually not a camper, just a visitor to the dump station. Yes, I do hang out there on occasion solely for the entertainment um, er, to assist campers; yea that's it, assist campers. I digress.

The subject of our study enters the park missing the actual turn into the dump station area and so ends up going into the exit instead. Not a major problem as the whole thing is a looping affair which in his case, takes him right back to the entrance. Of course, since he went the wrong way on the loop, his dump side was on the opposite side from the actual dump station. He stops and you could almost hear the gears going round as he thought of his predicament. No worries, he'll simply go around once again and that should fix the problem. As he approaches the station this second time round he's already realizing it just isn't going to happen – again. Without stopping he speeds up ever so slightly and; want to take a guess?; yep, goes around for the third time. I figure he sped up thinking a faster pace will make it all work better. Upon arrival at the dump station for this, the THIRD time, our visitor finally realizes something is just not working. He's not sure what but there must definitely be a trick to lining up on that silly dump station.

Cue the park host, aka, me.

I calmly arrive in our little host gator (going the correct way) and inquire if there is a problem. The visitor, who obviously saw me approaching across the VERY LARGE turn-around area, sheepishly admits he was just a bit disoriented. You see, this was his first time at this campground and was unfamiliar with the layout. I nodded understandingly and wisely did not mention the three foot long reflective white arrows painted on the pavement nor did I point out the large square sign marked “Wrong Way, Use Turn-Around”. I did give them a long hard stare and wished him good luck as I mounted back up and went off to patrol the park.

Campers #2 and #3. Yes, a group of campers occupying two sites and perhaps partying just a bit past their limits. This group decided to pool their resources and have a communal campfire at one site.

I have to break away for just a moment. Our motorhome is a 2015 Berkshire which features a full frontal, one piece windshield. The anti-glare treatment and the lighting differences makes it very difficult for outside people to see inside though I can assure you looking outside is completely unrestricted. For the purposes of this missive, simply think of our windshield as our own one-way glass bubble looking out into the wonderful world of crazy campers. An added bonus is the thickness which renders it a very effective noise blanket.

Returning to the partying campers. I happened to be sitting in the passenger's seat (it has an electric foot rest and really reclines nicely – cozy), and was looking out over the campground. I could clearly see them gathered around the fire ring attempting to light their fire with wooden matches. Match after match was struck, lowered into the ring, and promptly snuffed out by the very light breeze. About every third match or so, the person lighting them would become mesmerized by the flame and forget the objective was to actually light a larger fire. I'm pretty sure they went through about half of the box before someone in their group decided it was the location causing the problem. In just a matter of minutes the fire makings had been stripped from the one ring and moved to the other and our expert match lighter once again began striking matches.

Perhaps it was the mesmerizing flames holding the match too long or maybe a match held incorrectly when transferring to the ring, but at one point our fearless not-maker of fire burnt his fingers. I am now very familiar with the allure of the silent movie. I had a front row seat watching the victim mouth words and swing his arms about trying to cool off his burnt hands. I'm sure my rather crusty, retired sailor vocabulary did not diminish the impact of what words were probably actually spoken.

I'm also assuming it was the guy's wife who gathered up the spilled matches, (there were really not that many left), gave the patient a cold beer and proceeded to crumple up some paper, add it to the wood, and light the fire. All with just one match.

The last camper, #4, demonstrated either an immeasurable amount of perseverance or, more likely, a truly serious case of crazy. Standing about 10 feet from a gopher hole, camera at the ready, our camper was bound and determined to snap a closeup of one of our park residents. Every time he moved back a few paces the gopher would rise up out of the hole only to drop back down as the camper/photographer stepped close to take the shot. I watched this activity for quite some time and finally saw what was happening. The gopher, after dropping down one hole, would peek out a nearby one to see if the coast was clear. I believe it was a toss up between the gopher and myself on who was having the most fun.

I can't say it enough. Goose Lake State Park is one of the most peaceful, laid back, and relaxing stays we have experienced. Cell service is sketchy, TV non existent for non satellite users, there is no internet to tempt, and the nearest town is far enough away to discourage running in on a lark. No matter though. If you hang around the dump station or simply observe your fellow campers, there is some really good entertainment to be had.

Until next time, safe travels and please, avoid the crazy.

Goose Lake State Recreation Area

The first of June has arrived and so have we – to a new campground that is. Welcome to Goose Lake State Park located just off highway 395 on the Oregon California border. This non-descript park consists of nearly 72 acres with 49 partial hookup sites (water and 20amp service) sitting on the banks of a very large but extremely shallow Goose lake. You could almost call it a wading pool if you disregarded the miles and miles of “pool”. Remember those old western movies where they show a flat desert and the heat shimmering like water as far as the eye can see? Like that. But with water. And no desert. At 4500ft. With trees.

What struck us on arrival was there was no one here. The park did have at least one guest since there was a travel trailer parked but the occupant had already left for the area's primary past time of hunting rocks. The quarter mile single loop has, as I mentioned, 49 well spaced out sites on both sides of a paved albeit gravelly road with a large communal space in the center holding picnic tables and fire ring. There is about a mile long trail that runs along the perimeter of the campground as well. I call it a trail but it really is just a 6ft mowed swath through the grass. Very nice for an evening stroll bird watching.

Twice the size of the campground, the day use area is split by a huge paved parking lot bracketed on one side by an open grass area about the size of a soccer field (it really could be a soccer field if it wasn't for all of the ankle twisting, leg breaking gopher holes) and another large area holding horseshoe courts. Tucked away may be the wrong phrase to describe the remaining area since it is comprised of a full baseball field sized, shaded picnic area scattered about with tables.

Combine the two areas and you have what could be a little bit of heaven for a myriad of people. For the artists there are the numerous lilacs, trees, flowers, and critters in settings made for the canvas or paper. For birders, sit back and simply listen the the cacophony from the song birds or the screech of the eagles and hawks or look out on the majestic pelicans in the lake. For the botanist the area also offers an excellent example of where high desert meets wetlands with its vast diversity.

Okay, enough of that, I'm starting to sound like some sort of chamber of commerce travelogue!

Our camp hosting duties are very much similar to the other camps we've been at with one major exception - I get to run a John Deere diesel lawnmower. Just think of the ape sounds Tim Allen made in his show “Tool Time” and you'll get an idea.

That's all for this week, I'm off to cut some more grass (yea, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) Chris is cleaning the two fire rings left from departing campers.