Boating

STEHEKIN WASHINGTON CAMPING IN OUR BOAT

What if you had an idea to camp in your 19 foot boat, drive 55 miles on Lake Chelan to reach your destination of Stehekin. Only way to get to Stehekin is by a Ferry, your personal boat or I guess swim. A very isolated but magical location well worth the journey.

Stehekin is located at the head of Lake Chelan, there are no roads connecting this tiny community of 75 permanent residents. A fifty mile scenic journey in which you can reach Stehekin only by foot, horseback, your own boat or by passenger ferry boat. We opted to use our own 19 foot boat and boated the fifty miles exploring the shoreline as we traveled. The panorama of stark steep mountains took your breath away. The beauty of this country left us speechless. It actually only took less than 3 hrs to reach our destination and well worth it. A fee of $5.00 a day to dock your boat was a good deal as we were also camping on our boat. Cheap Digs with a view to remember. Fortunately we brought our Blix foldable electric bikes to explore with. Bikes are available to rent or you can bring your own highly recommend for exploring.

First Stop :

The Stehekin Pastry Company and log cabins are located two miles up the Stehekin Valley Road from the boat landing where the Ferries let off passengers. The bakery was built in 1989 and has a homey rustic feel besides the aroma of home baked goods and killer coffee and espresso. Delicious Cinnamon rolls the size of a small dinner plate for $2.25, pastries, cookies, ice cream, I could go on and on. The selections are varied depending on the day you visit, we visited everyday for 6 days, need I say more. The bakery is very considerate of those with special dietary concerns ( low carb and gluten free) are also very delicious. Their from scratch soups, sandwiches and quiches are also delicious with people coming from a far just for the goodness. As we headed back towards the boat dock one more stop a mere mile from the bakery was mandatory. Karl’s Garden!!!

Second stop:

Another hidden gem called THE GARDEN. Owned and fully operated by KARL a BAREFOOTED ORGANIC GARDENER.

Karl is amazing with a fairyland entryway into his garden lined by gorgeous flowers as big as your hand. You immediately feel transformed to another land with the aromas of flowers, goats he raises for yogurt and cheese, to the bees buzzing everywhere which help with his honey harvest. OK lets start with the goats: He raises them for making the most incredible creamy Chevre cheese (plain or herbed) or homemade yogurt flavored with his incredible honey he harvests on site. He uses the goat poop to fertilize his gardens which appears to be on steroids. Everything is on steroids I think even the bees were bigger . His garden is seasonal with homemade cosmetics, holistic medicine to some of his own bakery goods. A bit about Karl, he owned a Organic bakery called the honey hole located in Wenatchee years ago. Get him talking and you can learn some fascinating garden and baking tips. We left with our bike bags overflowing with giant beets, kale, fresh honey, chevre and fresh made goat yogurt. I myself was in organic heaven, Jeff wasn’t to far behind..

Stay Tuned for part Two of our Stehekin Adventures CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND

NOTE: We visited Stehekin in early August 2019 beautiful time of year for perfect weather.

Dillon Falls Oregon Kayaking Adventure

Today we are  kayaking with our friends Dave, Jen and their cool dog Mocha from Enterprise, Oregon. One of our favorite kayak floats is a scenic and relaxing stretch of the Deschutes River just below Dillon Falls.  With 78 degree weather , a swift cold current and wildlife abundant you could not ask for a more perfect kayaking day.

Mocha
Dave and Jen

Directions:

From Bend, OR: Travel 7.9 miles west on Cascade Lakes Highway (46), then 2.6 miles south on Forest Road 41. At this junction there are signs to direct you to Dillon Falls and to a decent boat ramp. Day use pass is required.

Dave, Jen and Mocha
Just Beautiful
Nu Canoe adventures

We splashed our kayaks into the cold water and headed upriver towards Dillon Falls. The current was strong and we had to work at rowing hard and staying in unison, but as we approached the falls maybe a mere 1 mile paddle it was worth it.  The Roar of Dillon Falls one of the mightiest Falls along the Deschutes River can be heard well before one sees it. Strange on this perfect fall day we were the only paddlers on this stretch of the Deschutes River.

A very popular area for Anglers, just ask Dave, he has caught many German Browns in this stretch of the water. Believe me he knows where the fish are hiding, with catch and release his style, he stays true to the environment.

Dave
Can you see the fish
Riding the rapids
Beautiful
Dillon Falls
Watching an Eagle

A LITTLE HISTORY:

The Falls named for Leander Dillon, who came with his family from Chico California in 1885 established a Homestead along the river, where he raised stock. Dylan later lost his  land when his claim was denied. He moved to Prineville in 1890.

Cheers Until Our Next Adventure From Just Around The Bend

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Join us as we explore Whidbey Island in Washington State and stay at our first Harvest Host Destination – stay tuned♥♥♥

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UNION CREEK CAMPGROUND, OR

We love this campground, with this being our third return visit. Beautiful, Quiet and well maintained, with the most helpful camp  hosts we have yet encountered. The camp hosts deliver ice and even fishing worms to your camp site on golf carts. Ha, too funny, but we loved it. Our favorite site is # B17, a large very private site overlooking Phillips Lake.

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This year we were very fortunate to be able to meet our good friends Dave and Jen from Enterprise, Oregon. We kayaked, BBQed and drank a lot of homemade Kombucha together and just caught up on our lives and what adventure and great fun awaits us. Planning on making this an annual camping experience with our great friends, oh and Mocha!

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Facilities

The parking spurs are paved and gravel and large enough for any size RV. Several sites offer full hookups,and some others offer water and electric.

Units are equipped with picnic tables and grills. Drinking water and very clean restrooms with yes flush toilets are available. Some of the facilities are handicap-accessible. Upon leaving is a very modern and free dump station, very important.

This camp is part of the Union Creek Recreation Area, which includes a picnic and day-use area. Union Creek Campground is set on three loops with separate walk-in tent camping, and it has four group sites that can accommodate from 60-100 people.

Natural Features:

Phillips Reservoir is a popular destination within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest because it offers scenic views of the surrounding Elkhorn Mountains. The shoreline is forested with a mix of Ponderosa pine and various firs interspersed with small grasslands.

Visitors enjoy several varieties of colorful wildflowers in the spring.

Recreation:

The campground is near a boat launch and a small, rocky swim beach. Activities include swimming, fishing, boating and water skiing.

Anglers can fish for bass, trout and perch. There’s an access point for the Phillips Lake Shoreline Trail, a 6.5-mile scenic trail for hiking and mountain biking.

Nearby Attractions:

The historic gold mining town of Sumpter is about 10 miles away. Visitors can explore the Sumpter Dredge State Heritage Park, browse the holiday weekend flea markets or take a ride on a historic steam locomotive.

Overview

The Union Creek Campground is one of the largest Forest Service campgrounds in eastern Oregon. It’s nestled on the northern shore of Phillips Reservoir amid mature Ponderosa pine, with a few sites offering views of the lake.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
  • Accessible Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Flush Toilets
  • Accessible Swimming
  • Beach Access
  • Birding
  • Boat Ramp
  • Boat Trailer Parking
  • Boating
  • Canoeing
  • Concessions
  • Drinking Water
  • Dump Station
  • Firewood
  • Fish Cleaning Stations
  • Fishing
  • Flush Toilets
  • General Store
  • Grills
  • Group Camping
  • Hiking
  • Host
  • Lake Access
  • Mountain Biking
  • Paved Parking Spurs
  • Paved Roads
  • Picnic Area
  • Restaurant
  • Security Lights
  • Self Pay Station
  • Swimming
  • Getting There:
GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
44.69694, -118.01861
44°41’49″N, 118°1’7″WFrom Baker City, Oregon, travel south on Highway 7 for about 18 miles. The campground and day-use entrance is signed on the left side of the road. Follow the signs in the Union Creek Recreation Area down to the various campground loops and areas.

Contact Information:

Recreation.gov for reservations

Phone Number: 1-877-444-6777

Getting Ready To paddle
Paddle Boarding
Our Camp at North Twin Lake

Cheers from Just Around The Bend♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
PLEASE JOIN US ON OUR NEXT ADVENTURE AT CLIFFSIDE RV PARK WHIDBEY ISLAND

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Body Glove Performer Paddle Board

What do 66 year old retired people do in Bend, Oregon? Yes!!! that is correct we  play hard and buy paddle boards. Ok mom I hope you never read this. Our first plan is to get in shape with the Body Glove Performer 11′ Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board.
The Body Glove ISUP (Inflatable Stand-up Paddleboard) PERFORMER is a multipurpose design for families, fitness activities, fishing and on water yoga. The Performer is designed for incredible stability and durability while also exhibiting an industry leading performance shape from paddling professional Luke Hopkins. He designed this board to be the ultimate board for family fun, fitness, and on water adventures.

The ISUP is made from incredibly durable puncture resistant heavy duty PVC and can support over 320 pounds. This allows for an adult to paddleboard with a child (children) on board. The traction deck pad is made from EVA foam and provides a soft yet grippy feel, perfect for children or as a platform for yoga. The bungee tie down area is perfect for securing gear from fishing tackle to a cooler.

This ISUP package is easily portable, and includes many convenient accessories. When you are ready to hit the water, the high-pressure hand-pump can be used to fully inflate the board in as little as 5 minutes. When it is time to pack up, the board can be quickly deflated and will fit into the included backpack. The 3-Piece travel paddle allows increased portability and ease of use. Including accessories and the board, the backpack only weighs 32 lbs.

COSTCOS PRICE WITH FREE SHIPPING IS $479.99

Accessories include:

Lightweight 3 piece travel paddle
High pressure pump that can switch from single action to dual action
Leg coil/leash
Repair kit
Cell phone dry bag
Specifications:

Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board:

Length: 11 ft.
Width: 34 in.
Thickness: 6 in.
Nose Rocker: 4.5 in.
Tail Rocker: 0 in.
Board Weight: 24 lbs.

Paddle:

Length: 70 in. – 85 in. (Adjustable)
Weight: 29 oz.
Design: 3 Piece
Shaft: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
Blade: Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon

 

More Paddle Boarding

PERSONAL NOTE: Very stable, easy to carry and glides through the water very nicely, with easy effort. We also love the way the board deflates and packs away for easy storage, highly recommend. We rate the body glove inflatable board a 10 with no reservations.

Until our next adventure, stay tuned and Cheers from Just Around The Bend ♥♥♥♥

NOTE: We have not been contacted by body glove or Costco.

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Twin Lakes Resort RV Park

The Twin Lakes Resort RV Park sits adjacent to the Deschutes Channel into Wickiup and across the street from the Resort general store, restaurant, and cabins. All sites come with 30 amp electrical hook-ups, water, and sewer. Take a short stroll down to the channel shores for sandy beaches and amazing views. They also have real restrooms and showers available for RV Park guest use.

Twin Lakes Resort Restaurant

Nothing beats the lakeside dining experience at Twin Lakes Resort!  Join them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner on Wednesday through Sunday from opening day through Labor Day weekend.  They offer a full menu for dining in or take out service, with a wonderful selection of beer and wine.  Make sure to check back for daily specials, but you can count on their famous Slow Smoked Prime Rib dinner every Saturday evening.  Don’t miss  Sunday brunch as well.

Coffee! Oh yes Java Hut, located in the main parking lot. It’s worth stopping by for a Wickiup Wakeup or delicious espresso drinks, smoothies, milkshakes, and sno cones.

Restaurant Hours:

Wednesday through Sunday: 8am – 8pm
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays for our Lakeside Patio Cookout

Java Hut Hours:

Open Thursday through Sunday: 8am – 2pm

 

FISHING NEWS:

Fishing is open all year round at South and North Twin Lake and April 22nd for Wickiup!

General Store

The Twin Lakes General Store has most everything you’ll need for your stay at the resort.

Single day fishing licenses and live bait.
Large selection of fishing accessories.
Oil and other small items for your boat.
Souvenir t-shirts, sweatshirts and gifts.
Grocery and pharmaceutical items.
Snacks, drinks and  ice cream Jeff’s favorite food!!!
Beer and wine
Crushed and block ice, fire wood
Most things forgotten when camping!
They also have both unleaded gasoline and propane available for purchase

Java Hut
I Love Bears
Dining
Patio
View from restaurant
Store

 

We reserved RV Site 9 and definitely will  return again. Nestled in a waterfront,  back-in site approximately 65 ft long, with 30 amp electrical service, water, and sewer hookups. Two picnic tables and a nice over sized fire pit. The featured picture is a view from the kitchen window from our RV.

The Twin Lakes RV Park is located on the shore of the Deschutes Channel leading into Wickiup Reservoir, and each site has a fire pit and a picnic table. Check-in is at 1:00pm, and check-out is at 11:00am.
Price includes one RV, one vehicle, and no more than 2 pets that must be on-leash at all times. Each additional vehicle is $5 per night, parking tags available at the Twin Lakes Store. They do not allow tent camping, however you may set up a tent in addition to your RV and there is a $10 fee per tent per night and a limit of 2 tents per site. We paid $32.00 a night, in addition to a  8% Deschutes County lodging tax and 1% Oregon lodging tax.

Deer everywhere
View from camp
Sunset
Me
Our Camp at North Twin Lake
Exploring the lake
Nu Canoe adventures

We had great fun boating, paddle boarding, fishing and swimming. The water was incredibly warm and felt so good on a 90 degree day. We even found 4 geocaches by walking around South Twin lake which is a  very picturesque and enjoyable one mile walk . We will be back.

Cheers From Just Around The Bend ♥♥♥♥♥

PS: Our next Adventure takes us to Union Creek Campground located on Phillips Lake just out of Sumpter Eastern Oregon.

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North Twin Lake Oregon

This is a small but popular campground and lake just north of the South Twin Resort. Located next to North Twin Lake, this site offers opportunities for fishing in the summer as well as the winter. There is also a little beach at the shallow end of the lake that is great for wading and swimming.

There’s an interpretive trail leaving the campground near the water that informs visitors about “dwarf mistletoe” infecting the ponderosa pine trees in the area.
There is a boat launch area within this campground.Water levels vary little over the season and the lake is rich with weed beds.
At a Glance
Reservations:  visit HoodooRecreation.com.
Fees Per night, per site fee: $14/first vehicle; $7/each additional vehicle.
Open Season: 4/20/2017 – 10/31/2017
Usage: Medium-Heavy
Restrictions: Maximum site spur length is 30 feet.
Water: No
Restroom: Vault Toilet  Not my favorite, and heavily used!!!
General Information : Motorized boats are prohibited on this body of water. 
Directions:
From Bend, OR: Travel 26.8 miles south on Highway 97 to Wickiup Junction, then 11.0 miles west on County Road 43, then continue 4.6 miles west on County Road 42, and finally 0.2 miles south on County Road 4260.

On a personal note, we made it around the lake on a very nice groomed trail and found two very nicely placed geocaches. I also left a painted rock on a log, hopefully someone special will find and it puts a smile on their face. Next we are going to Paddle Board this lake as it is so calm, serene and scenic. Please join us for the next adventure and Cheers to all from JUST AROUND THE BEND♥♥♥♥♥liz-logo-1DCIM100GOPROGOPR0786.

NEHALEM BAY STATE PARK

It had been years since we had camped at Nehalem Bay State Park. Hard to believe how we had forgotten how beautiful, serene, and vast this campground is. Sites are easy to fit into, all on pavement, including fire pits and picnic tables. Water and electric are the only amenities, very clean restrooms including showers for $2.00 a pop.
WHAT TO DO! LET US START WITH THE 2 MILES OF PAVED WALKING BIKE TRAILS. Just a beautiful walk or ride through the forested terrain, which leads you from your campsite to Nehalem Bay and back again. Follow your map for beautiful viewings of eagles, seals, deer and an abundance of seagulls.


BEACHES: Nehalem beach stretching close to 2/12 miles is beautiful and so close to our campground you can  hear the sea, very calming. No matter which way you go on highway 101, there are amazing beaches to explore. One of my favorites was in the tiny town of Ocean Side; the beach looks out upon the three arches rocks, just spectacular.


CRABBING OR FISHING, Next, go crabbing or fishing as we did. Rockfish and sea perch are abundant, use a live sand shrimp or a worm and you have dinner.IMG_5975

 

GEOCACHING, Ok are you still bored, try Geocaching, yes we found every cache inside this park including a night cache, which was one of the top, most enjoyable caches we have ever done.

Geo found on top of a cliff
Geo Caching in the tunnel-fun

SHOPPING, Lots of cute shops in the tiny towns of Manzanita or Nehalem.
WALKING AND BIKE TRAILS: are numerous, to beaches or hike to the top of Neahkahnie Mountain and do not forget to look for the famous buried treasure.
FOOD! A mecca of creative cuisine. Let us start in Manzanita, about two miles from our campground. Our kids Ian and Alicia had just visited here and highly advised us to visit Marzano’s Pizza Pie. They make every pizza to order using fresh dough and only the best ingredients, including gluten free options. Hand tossed pizzas and baked on fire-heated stones, by bakers who care about great food. We rate our pizza pie a 10, as did Ian and Alicia.


Next culinary stop was in the cute little town of Nehalem. Again, Ian and Alicia advised us to find Buttercups for the best homemade ice cream they have ever had. We set out, one mile from our camp and in the most adorable little building to sample ice cream. Not only did we sample ice cream, we each ordered chowders. Not just your ordinary chowder, this was Malaysian laska fish chowder, made fresh with organic ingredients including the freshest just from the sea cod and shrimp. The owner’s years of culinary experience proved why her chowders and ice cream were to write home about. Highly recommend, it is another 10, in our book. The owner Julie Barker  even shared the recipe for the chowder we ordered, so nice.

Explore Tillamook and follow the map of the wood quilt trail – these are just a few examples. To get your free map go to the Tillamook Visitor Center.


We have very much enjoyed this leg of our journey, join us again as we next stay in The State of Washington at Cape Disappointment.
PLACES OF INTEREST:
Tillamook Cheese Factory- Tillamook, Oregon
Debbie D’s Jerky & Sausage Factory, all specially made by Debbie herself – Tillamook, Oregon
The Three Arch Inn in Oceanside Oregon- Homemade Daily cinnamon rolls and scones-YUM
Nehalem Bay Winery- Specialize in Fruit wines, my favorite, Blackberry and Peach
Buttercups – Award winning ice cream and chowders, Nehalem, Oregon
Marzano’s Pizza Pie – Manzanita, Oregon
Manzanita Grocery and Deli – Manzanita, Oregon

CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND

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Paulina Lake Campground

2016

A scenic 23.5 mile drive from Bend,Oregon and you are at Paulina Lake. With large camp sites, beautiful trails and amazing fishing, this is truly nirvana. After September 19th, its first come, first serve, with plenty of sites available. Sites include  standard non electric, a picnic table, fire pit, large camping site which we paid $27.00 for two nights. In early season the mosquitoes can be troublesome and late season the meat bees. There are 4 campgrounds on the lake. Paulina being the first, then chief Paulina horse camp second, Newberry Group Camp Site third and lastly Cinder Hill Campground.Cinder Hill is the most popular although the most windy.You can reserve the sites through Recreation.gov.
To do: Boat, kayak, canoe, paddle board, swim or fish.The state record for brown trout was at Paulina Lake weighing in at 28 pounds-5 ounces.Other species are kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. There is a maximum 10 mile per hour speed limit on the lake which affords you spectacular views of the lake and the Newberry Caldera. These campgrounds are all in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.There is an entry fee if you do not have a pass. Check out the obsidian Flow and Paulina Peak which on a clear day you could see Mt Shasta. If you make it to the other side of the lake, just right of the red cinder rock slide, you will find a beach that is actually a well hidden hot springs. Dig in the small rocks near the water’s edge and it will quickly fill with very clean hot water, so hot you will need to dilute it with some lake water, very clean and relaxing. You can also hike from the parking lot on a very nice groomed trail about 4 1/2 miles around to reach the hot springs. A lot of people were hiking around the whole lake which is posted as a 7 1/2 mile loop. In addition dont miss East Lake just past Paulina Lake which has a nice store and lodge , boat rentals and small cafe. There is a Mercury warning on fish caught on East Lake, check the Oregon fishing regulation before you fish. There are 2 public campgrounds and 1 private including (full hook ups) on East Lake.

Drive up 6000 + feet and explore Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

August 2017

This year we decided to spend a whole week at Paulina Lake and really get to dig into all of the activities the area has to offer. We had a really good week of fishing, getting up at 5 am and being on the water at 6 am. yikes, really early but worth it, seems that’s when the fish like to bite. NOTE:We did not keep any of the fish and returned them safely back into the lake.

Next we GeoCached a lot. Walking each day around a portion of the lake looking for hidden treasures. FUN.

Then we paddled boarded, finding we are getting better everyday, Jeff only fell once (darn boat waves).

So if you love to camp, fish, paddle board, hike and swim in a beautiful setting this is the place. This year we stayed in space 38, paved, huge and extremely quiet. Here are some pictures to show you of our great camping experience.

The Captain
Misty Morning
Eagle
Sunset
Volcanic Beauty
Geo Cache site
Great fly fishing
Beautiful Days
Our Boat
We named him Gary
Yeah caught one
Butterfly Hatch
Geo Caching
Go pro Action

Cheers from JUST AROUND THE BEND ♥♥♥♥

Next adventure we are headed to South Twin Lake Resort

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Lake Simtustus Oregon

Hello to all of my family, friends and followers. I am very excited to show you our pictures and share our boating adventures at Lake Simtustus on Saturday. It was one of those perfect boating days, very little wind, 68 degree water and a 90 degree day. Not to mention that the fish were in a good mood and we caught fish, yes Jeff and Liz caught fish!!!. Our trick was using old worms from our grandchildrens visit (3 weeks ago)and frozen scented white corn from last summer. We caught over 12 fish and managed to release them all back into the water and the fish were all in good shape, I love that for the environment.We especially like to fish and explore this lake as we actually catch fish and the set speed from the marina to the dam is 10 miles an hour, making it perfect for trolling for fish, swimming and napping on the boat (we do this often).

FISHING INFORMATION
The lake has steelhead trout, rainbow trout, kokanee, brown trout and a
few bull trout. Since it borders on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation,
a Tribal Permit is required for fishing. The lake is stocked annually with
catchable size hatchery steelhead. Kokanee found in the
lake have escaped from Lake Billy Chinook either through the turbines or
through underground channels. The last reservoir on the lower Deschutes River, in central Oregon, before the river flows into the Columbia River. The lake is formed by Pelton
Dam and stretches approximately 8 miles from below Round Butte Dam
to Pelton Dam.

  • Lake Simtustus was named after an Indian warrior who served with the U.S. army back in the mid-1800s. The warrior died on the Warm Springs Reservation in 1926 where he lived for many years.

PELTON PARK CAMPGROUND
The park is operated by PGE, which also operates Pelton Dam. The park
features RV Sites, platform tents (Yomes) and regular tent sites.  The camping sites  are very well maintained but narrow  and not very deep, if you are longer than 25 feet its tight. There is a store and marina at the south end of the park which has camping and
fishing supplies, boat rentals, fuel, moorage slip rentals and a restaurant.
PARK OFFICE 541.475.0517
STORE/MARINA 541.475.0516
OFFICE 541.475.1085

♥  Until Our Next Adventure  we are Just Around The Bend  ♥