Champoeg park campout

Champoeg (pronounced "Shampooy") Park Thanksgiving Campout.

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More photos can be seen at http://www.geocities.com/harald_nancy/champoeg.htm

Happy post holiday.
For those not attending Champoeg park campout it was a smashing success. Our
illustrious leader Bev Beam got there early Friday to corral us some spots and
was thwarted by an over zealous ranger trying to fill up the regular spots.
But being tenacious Bev just kept wearing him down by pacing with her cane back
and forth in front of where she wanted to be till eventually he let her in.
(with a little help from a savvy park host who put in a good word for her efforts)
She was able to get us a deserted end of a loop all to ourselves with no other
campers around so we were not even near the behemoths.

Amy and Dennis and bike boy Kollyn arrived early in the afternoon from Dallas.
This was their first event and they have a 70 orange westy. Susan and Jeff got
there about 4 from Drain and just after dark Margaret and Siobahn from Oregon City
came in the rodeo camper rather than the rodeo bus but it proved a warm place for
the little ones to play all weekend. Pete and Sallye from Loon Lake WA were close
on her heels as were Justin and his brother Jason new 'members' from Beaverton
(I think) in Justin's very clean 83 air-cooled white westy. This was his first
event and found us by browsing the web page. So keep your events on the calendar!
So that was Friday night's group and we had a huge fire to stay warm lots of wood
and a few blankets too. As we went to sleep that night Julie and Shamus from
Sheridan rolled in for the night too.

Saturday morning welcomed us with a layer of frost on everything. I know everyone
was plugged in all night! Most pop tops were down if possible! I would like to
report that my bubble wrap insulation on the outside of the Riviera top worked
great. Jeff could sleep up there and wasn't cold at all and all the heat didn't
exit out the top. (One roll for $19.99 at home depot perfectly wraps the outside
of a Riviera top and tucks above the gutter and under the roof.) Grilled over
the fire for breakfast and waited for everybody to get up and huddle. We pretty
much knew where everybody was… around the fire! Pot luck foods were started, Justin
and Jason had to leave, and day plans started. Margaret chauffeured Pete, Sallye,
Susan, Julie, shamus and Siobhan around to a few wineries where we saw way too
many people but a soul boat in a barn and some lovely vineyard scenery and a few
little wineries that we may not have been able to see other weekends. Margaret
was raised around there so she knew all the back roads and Shamus was in charge
of picking obscure choices for us. By the time we got back the day trippers had
arrived and been having a great day walking about and biking around the park and
to nearby Butteville.

Anita Lennon and her daughter Meghan, Kathleen Piper and Joyce and Jeff I think
were the dedicated bikers after Kollyn. He didn't go far but he did it ALL day!
Peggy Day came to visit in her HONDA. Jill Pruett came down. Alice Johnson and
her daughter Jennifer came in her 75 Westy that she got from her dad who had had
it since it was a year old. But it had been under a tarp for 10 years so needed
a little cleaning! What a great job she has done. It looks super. If Harald
sends his excellent pictures you will see it as the back drop for the group photo.
(it may not show up in mine we'll see) They came up from Corvallis. This was their
first event also. Mark Fitzsimmons and Betsy, Brian Tipsword, and Harald and Nancy
from Olympia all made it in time for Potluck. Steve Johnson made it in time for
dessert! And of course Juliana and Christopher, Jeremy and baby Jonathan came both
Friday and Saturday evenings for fire time but didn't spend the night due to the
coldness and the baby. But all bundled up he sat quietly by the fire. At 6 weeks
I think our youngest attendee.

So the fires and the visiting lasted till 11 both nights so there were plenty of
stories told and old bus memories recounted. Despite the cold 8 buses spent the
night Saturday also. We were so lucky to have no rain and beautiful sunsets both
nights. While the sun was out it seemed warmed ;-) but you found your coat as soon
as it went down and drew the chairs a little closer to the fire. Sunday morning
brought another fire as everybody started to slowly pick up and pack up. I think
everyone was gone by one. And still no rain!!! Everyone made it home safely
except for Pete and Sallye who are still out touring on the Oregon coast taking
advantage of the good weather. Thanks to Bev for spearheading and everyone who
braved the clear cold to see the shooting stars and enjoy a weekend together.