Artic Fox Travel Trailer

PANDEMIC 2020

Forty Three days we have stayed home, stayed away from friends and family and survived. Jeff and I have as everyone should, taken this pandemic very seriously, besides our children would kill us if we got sick. So what have we been doing, you ask?

Painting, finishing projects that have been on hold for years, cribbage, puzzles, Planting a garden, going on lots of walks and cooking. I am very lucky in the fact I have Jeff as he is a lot of company and loves projects. So needless to say we have not been bored. Jeff took over the sewing machine as we made mask for us and family members.

In our neighborhood of over 300 + homes we hardly ever see many people or children. Wow ! there are sure a lot of people now, joggers, bikers, dog walkers ,children riding on anything with wheels. The yards have never looked so good as people seem to have a lot of extra time on there hands. We have had groceries delivered and picked them up at Fred Meyer as they are not charging seniors for grocery pick up. We have twice phone ordered a pizza from Little Pizza Paradise , our fav to help support the owner in these times. We are doing a lot of reading and research into plant based diets as we are moving in that direction with are diets. We have new heroes in Dr Greger. Dr William LI, Dr Campbell, Dr Dean Ornish, Dr Esselftyn and the folks at Forks over Knives. We are spending a lot of time in the kitchen trying to learn new cooking methods with our lifestyle. Jeffs brother Richard has had heart surgery and is learning a lot of the same methods. We are Dehrating more than ever, getting ready for when we can hit the road with our trailer again. We have whole meals dehydrated and lots of greens, herbs, lemons, limes and fruit in general. WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT BORED.

As we are entering into May with no set script for everyday life we are continuing are careful measures and cautions. We hope that you are all safe and well out there. We are lucky to live in a smaller population center of Central Oregon which hasn’t been hit as hard as some areas. Please stay SAFE AND WELL. CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND.

ELK COUNTRY RV RESORT AND CAMPGROUND

The beginning of our 2019 snowbird travels we took a recommendation from Ray at Love your RV and checked out Elk Country RV Resort just a few miles south of Orick California .
This place is not only a bargain at 35 dollars a night for full hook up and wi fi the location and wildlife viewing was exceptional. We have watched Ray for years showing the Roosevelt Elk herd so very near his trailer and we were not disappointed .

One evening I was taking photos at the red schoolhouse and the herd migrated toward our trailer. I had to hustle back so I could get in the trailer before they were to close and safety wise I couldn’t get back in for the night. When they bed down for the night they stay put. You definitely don’t want to get to close to an elk for they will protect their territory and their adorable babies. We stayed 5 days and never tired of watching the herd. If it wasn’t for an extreme storm headed our way we would have stayed longer for further exploration of the area. The management was extremely nice and filled us in on the history of the area and things to see and do.

NOTE: When you get to Elk Country RV Park remember to take the south entrance road as there are posted closed signs on the old bridge because of so many tourists coming to gawk at the elk. It is private property but the tourist enter anyway. There is a red schoolhouse which was stone lagoon school from 1893/1958. They moved it from the west side of 101 to its present location . They will let you look inside if you ask.
You can see a lot of our shots are taken from our trailer from the Windows as the elk are just feet from the trailer. Where else can you be in the middle of an elk herd from the comfort of your own trailer. Try out Elk Country RV Resort you won’t be disappointed.

Our first day of exploration took us to Fern Canyon. You walk down a groomed trail for about a 1/2 mile then you turn right and walk straight up another canyon but this time you walk in the middle of a creek. Wear your rubber boots for this one or you will get very wet. This is the canyon they filmed Jurassic Park #3 and Star Wars in, the farther you walk the more it seems you are in the middle of either movie. So green and lush with 5 finger ferns growing down the steep walls . Keep your eye out as this is a favorite place for another herd of Roosevelt ELK.

FERN CANYON

Another little side trip was Patrick’s Point State Park which is a fee area with Great cliff top views and trails.
Patrick’s point road into Trinidad is very scenic. We had some great clam chowder at Trinidad bay eatery and gallery. The public beach is great in Trinidad and a cool wharf to walk out on to see the bay.

Cheers From Just Around The Bend Jeff and Liz

Next Adventure is THE REDWOODS

Grand Teton National Park

Words haven’t been designed to explain the beauty of the Tetons. We have traveled to a lot of amazing National Parks, for this one Jeff and Liz are finally out of words to describe.

We left Phillips Lake campground where if you remember we met up with are goods friends and camped. Jeff with his traveling brilliance came up with a great idea of since we were already halfway to The Grand Tetons, why not just head that way. Long story short we did just that and now here we are camping at Gros Ventre Campground – site B99, just spectacular. At $15.00 a night (golden age pass) we stayed for a glorious 13 days. Now this is dry camping, so our solar really came in handy as the nights got down into the high thirties. But the views from every angle were priceless. Gros Ventre is just yards from the Snake River and sometimes inches from Bull Moose. Gros Ventre Campground has over 300 first come, first serve sites with one loop of full hookup ,one for employees only, one tent only no generators and one group Loop. Always Remember National Parks have strict rules on pets so check regulations before you come. BE BEAR AWARE. Bring bear spray and carry it at all times. It is much cheaper to buy at home than in the Tetons.

So much to do, the pristine bike trails are a must and kayaking the many lakes as well as the Snake River will leave you with endless memories. A word to the wise..hit the lakes and trailheads early which means by 8 am.Those happy campers can clog a parking lot like a bird getting the early worm. You can find yourself parking on the road side where allowed and hiking an extra mile or more to the trailhead parking lot. Also the best photo opportunities of nature and wildlife are early. Moose and Bears are not much for luncheons. Our Bull Moose showed up at 5:30 am by our campground and left by 7:00 am for the river wilds.

If you get burnt out of nature things to do there is always the town of Jackson to explore.You can shop, eat and drink to your heats content. Jackson is very popular, traffic and parking are a challenge. We did find some great Bakeries, Ice cream and really enjoyed Snake River Brewery which had a lot of healthy choices of pub food which we found to be much better than our local Bend Oregon Breweries. The town also has numerous Art Galleries and Museums.

Until our next adventure – CHEERS from JUST AROUND THE BEND _ Jeff and Liz

Snake River

Union Creek Camp Ground Oregon 2018

Every year we migrate to Union Creek Campground, it happens to be one our favorite peaceful RVing locations. This year we are being joined by our good friends Dave and Jen and Ross and Cheryl, fun times ahead with this group of friends.

This year we decided to mix it up a little and ride The Historic Narrow-Gauge Sumpter Railroad. A six-mile round trip ride staffed by all volunteers and two fully restored original steam locomotives we were sure to have a great experience. Running on the reconstructed gold rush train tracks between McEwen and the historic mining town of Sumpter, its a guarantee that the whole family will enjoy this relaxing trip back in time. DON’T forget THE TRAIN ROBBERY BY THE GOLD RUSH BANDITS!! A historic shooting group with period firearms, costumes, all performed on horseback. This was a highlight of the train ride.

Your round-trip ride begins at McEwen station to the rustic town of Sumpter. The train allows you to get off to tour the town and visit the

historic dredge. For reservations call 541-894-2268,

sumptervalleyrailroad.org.

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Now back to our camping experience, Union Creek Campground offers a wide range of amenities and activities. Boating and fishing is one of our favorites as catching fish is abundant. The water is a very comfortable degree which makes kayaking, paddle boarding and just plain old-fashioned swimming an enjoyable experience. A well-groomed 6.5 mile hiking trail traverses around the lake with numerous scenic views. The trail is one of several mountain bike and hiking trails that are found in the Phillips Lake Trail System.

Campsites are very large, spaced well from each other and set in the pines. Includes water, electric, fire ring, BBQ, picnic tables, immaculate restrooms with flushometer toilets. A Boat launch with bait shop is a nice amenities with the most helpful and friendly staff we have ever encountered they will even deliver worms and ice to your campsite. Golden Age passport rate was $13.00 a night, we love site B17 very private, flat with a scenic view of the lake.

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Until our next destination CHEERS from Jeff and Liz

BLIX ELECTRIC BIKES

Good Day to all who follow my blog and a big THANK YOU.

This year I turn 67 years young and my wonderful husband decided to surprise me with an electric bike for my birthday. In the recent years I have done a lot of research on electric bikes, interviewed people who either own one for pleasure or commute to work on a daily basis on electric bikes. On a recent trip to Vancouver, BC, I was overwhelmed at how popular electric bikes were for commuting to work. That’s where I saw my first BLIX Electric Bike in action. I’m only 5 feet tall and my husband is 5″ 8″ , in my researching I felt we required something that fit us and would also fold up nicely for our RVing travels. The Blix Vika+ met all of our criteria, including an option for upgrading the panasonic 36 volt, 620 wh lithium battery which extended our range from 35 to 55 miles.

Total weight of bike – 49 pounds

Recommended total max weight is 220 lbs (rider and cargo)

Accessories included:

LCD Display water resistant

Heavy duty rear rack

Front and rear LED lights

Battery Charger

Fenders

Option for Travel bag $69.00

Extra fuses

PROS:

The bike is very stylish with a classic design

Stability

Very fun to ride

Blix E-Bike has to be the most user friendly and well thought out Swedish design, with Beautiful, Smart, Easy, Practical and Reliable technology. The panasonic Lithium-ion battery is located under the saddle, locks in place which allows for a low center of gravity for better stability when cycling.

We went for a short night ride in the neighborhood and the headlight did a pretty good job of iluminating the street and the rear tail light is very bright so you can be seen by night traffic. The lights are powered by the battery so will last as long as you are charged.

The process to fold this bike down has to be so easy, it’s just what we were looking for. We modified the folding process by adding some small pieces of swimming pool noodles in strategic places so when you fold it up there is no damage to the beautiful paint and decals. See pictures.

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The other really nice surprise was when folded these bikes fit perfectly in the back of our classic 2000, 4runner. When we are on the road Rving they fit perfectly inside our 25ft travel trailer or plenty of room in the back of the truck. When folded up it forms a cube, 34 inches long, by 27 inches high and 20 inches deep. Super compact. See pictures.

Blix E-Bikes

Lights On

Folded Up-Very Compact

Leather Seat

Back Of The Car

Fits perfectly without folding

Handlebars-Leather Grips

CONS:

To soon to give any cons if any, the one thing I have noticed is the seat is a little hard after a 15 mile ride. That could be because I am not used to riding that far , so time will tell. Otherwise so far nothing to report. I will give it several months of riding and enjoyment and review again.

WARNING: I did have a little mishap my fault entirely. You have to be very cautious of the accelerator knob when standing next to the bike. Its located by the readout unit on the left side. The switch sticks up a bit and if you accidentally move it the bike will take off and take you with it. The bike accelerates very quickly and has a lot of torque. I rubbed the switch by accident and was ran over and knocked down by my own bicycle. If the bike is turned on it is ON even if the peddle assist is on zero. Be very cautious of that switch if you are not mounted on the bike. The bummer is I scratched my paint and scraped the seat up ,so much for brand new.

When we were in Campbell River on Vancouver Island BC there was a free foot ferry over to Quadra Island. The Island is one of the larger Gulf Islands and has many a country roads that beckon to be explored. April Point Resort rented electric bikes but the 3 hour time would not have been enough to experience the beauty of Quadra Island. Had we had our Blik Vika + with us with the 55 mile range we probably would spend 2 days exploring the island and meeting the super friendly Canadian People.

I could go on and on about how wonderful and fun this bike is but instead we are going to take off and go for a morning ride. See you on the trail.

CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND ♥♥♥♥♥

A big Thank You to Marc and Renge’ for their expert help and customer service at Backcountry Recumbent Cycles located in Tumalo, Oregon.

Backcountry Recumbent Cycles

Mark

Renge’

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