Havasu Springs Resort Archives

New YouTube Channel for RVers.Life – July Update

For several reasons, particularly to make our summer travel months more fun and engaging (for ourselves!)… we started a YouTube channel for RVers.Life.

Coaching I found on YouTube said, “Your first video will be your worst video, so get it over with. Then do 50 more!” And so it began…

I know. This is a huge learning curve for me. D.A. has some experience since he’s been making Facebook Reels for our HavasuNetEm.com page.

Let me restate that: Fun, engaging, and more challenging than I would ever expect. Bear with us, please…

Back on the Road…

So, we set off on the first of June… I intended to post our YouTube videos here, but changed my mind. I’ll update this blog page every month while we’re traveling in the summer, and I’ll show the current video count at the end.

It was D.A.’s turn for cataract surgeries, so we didn’t get on the road until June 1st. We had a few days in Salt Lake City, visiting family as always, then on to Boise.

…to Oregon

We set off for Oregon in the middle of June and spent a night at the Narrows RV Park – so we could visit Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. It was a new refuge for us and only about 25 miles south of Burns on Highway 20.

And there we found two common nighthawks sleeping on the fence of our RV spot!

Common Nighthawk at Narrows RV Park, Oregon

Next morning, we were off to see the refuge – famous for its tremendous diversity and spectacular concentrations of wildlife. With more than 340 bird species and 58 animal species, Malheur Refuge is a mecca for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Map of Malheur NWR, Oregon

Malheur Lake, Malheur NWR, Oregon

We’ll spend another night there on the return trip.

Crescent Lake Junction in the Cascades

After some “stocking up” shopping in Bend, we arrived at our summer camp at Crescent Lake Junction. What a beautiful area — all those amenities I love, blue skies, tall trees, and many lakes nearby.

Our spot was a little tight for getting our boat in and out easily, so we sought moorage at a nearby lake. It’s about 10 miles, but the western end of Odell Lake was suggested as the best home base for the boat. It’s called Shelter Cove, built originally in the 1930s on Deschutes National Forest Land. They cater to fishermen in the winter and snow activities in the winner, and it’s one of those wonderful places families return season after season.

RV camp at Crescent Junction RV Park, Oregon

View of Odell Lake at Shelter Cove Resort, Oregon

There are two great resorts on Odell Lake, and they both have RV camping, but neither has full hookups (or we’d be staying at one of those).

Nonetheless, we’re very happy with our situation this summer, and it’s so convenient to have the boat in the water whenever D.A. wants to go fishing.

On one of the first evenings we were here, Karen, the manager dropped by to say there was a fire in LaPine (about 30 minutes from here on the way to Bend), and we might lose power sometime that evening or night. It didn’t happen, but it increased our attention to local fires.

We have friends in LaPine, and he’s a former firefighter, but very fortunately, they were fine.

Fire Evacuation Order

And then on July 19th, we got alerts on our phone of a new fire – the Red Fire – that was started by lightning in the wilderness about five miles away. It was only a short time before we had a Level 1 evacuation order. The orders are 1-Get ready, 2-Get set, 3-GO! We gathered up all our stuff that was sitting around outside and waited, while it got smokier and smokier each day. It was pretty miserable and I gave up my evening walks.

Our park is located on Crescent Lake Road and two miles further from us is Crescent Lake Lodge – another beautiful and historical resort. They are owned by the same company that owns our park. There are no RV spots at the lodge.

We have a brand new state-of-the-art fire station (with evacuation facilities) less than a quarter mile away, and there’s a state airport across the street. Resources were so tight because of all the fires in Central Oregon, that they decided not to actively fight the fire since no structures were threatened. They worked on firebreaks and ladder fuel reduction. There was a lot of activity in the neighborhood! Eventually, about July 25th, they closed the road to the public and evacuated the Crescent Lake Lodge and all the homes on the side of Crescent Lake closest to the fire.

Our friends in LaPine called to say we were welcome to come to their home if we got evacuated, but they were under a Level 1 evacuation order too – from a different fire!

Meanwhile, D.A. had a date to go salmon fishing at the Coast on July 29th. Originally, we thought we would spend a night or two at Gold Beach, and then go camping a few nights at one of the many Oregon State Parks. But as the days wore on and more fires developed in the area, we had second thoughts. Eventually, we decided to go to Gold Beach for the fishing trip, but just spend two nights there and then come back. Karen promised to call immediately if she learned news we should know.

A Getaway from Vacation (Ya gotta be kidding!)

It was so smoky the morning we left! We drove an hour – almost to Eugene – before we got out of the smoke.

It turned out to be a great decision – a very sweet but short getaway. We stayed at Jot’s Resort. D.A.’s guide, Nate, from Scream-N-Reelz fishes from there. D.A. caught a 26-pound salmon, and I had a wonderful day exploring the scenic drive between Gold Beach and Brookings. And we even took the opportunity of a Rogue River jetboat trip, which was an awesome experience.

26 Lb Coho Salmon, Gold Beach OR

Jerry’s Rogue Jets is the original jet boat tour on the Rogue River. The tours are a perfect blend of adventurous jet boating, wildlife viewing opportunities, scenic vistas, and narration by the pilot highlighting river history and lore. Descendents of the original Rogue River mailmen, Jerry’s continues the uninterrupted mail delivery service to the town of Agness, Oregon. Just as has been done since 1895.

Jerry's Rogue Boats, Gold Beach OR

On our return to Crescent Lake Junction, we didn’t experience the smoke until about Oakridge, a town halfway between Eugene and our camp. That was encouraging. We were trying to decide if we should try to find another place for the next month – but it’s a difficult proposition since Labor Day has most parks booked. We decided to wait a couple of days and see what happened.

We really didn’t want to go because this is such a perfect place for us – surrounded by fishing, kayaking, hiking opportunities, and a lovely little community at Crescent Lake Junction.

And then it rained!

Fortunately, on Saturday we had a little rain, then by that night, it started pouring. We watched a steady parade of fire workers coming away from the fire. We had watched a steady parade going in for weeks. It seemed to mean those fire workers would get a night at home! We are so grateful for the work they do.

Sunday morning we awoke to bright blue skies! The first time in weeks!! And then we watched all those trucks of workers and equipment passing us again, returning to the fire. “Humbled” is inadequate.

As of today, we have 21 YouTube videos posted!

See you down the road…

Havasu Springs, near Lake Havasu City, is our Winter Home

It’s kind of an oxymoron, the words Winter and Arizona

Jude and I always say, “We can be anywhere in the summer, but Arizona is where we spend our Winters.” It is funny to call the season winter when you are blessed with a constant everyday repeat of sunshine, mild temperatures, and gentle winds. When you check the national weather, it is not hard to see how fortunate we are living in on the shores of the blue green waters of Lake Havasu!

While weather draws us to the Arizona/California state line on the Colorado River, it is not the only positive that exists here. The Sonoran and the Mohave deserts jostle for territory here. The Mohave is the driest desert and the Sonoran is the wettest. The Sonoran desert’s trademark of the Saguaro cactus is scattered here due to encroaching dryness of the Mohave. Throw in towering nameless Basalt thousand-foot rock cliffs that rise directly from the lake’s edge, and the jagged Needle Mountains that create a dark saw blade silhouette against violet blue sky. This place is often beyond words with its stunning beauty!

The Friends of Bill Williams River and Havasu NWRs

Punctuating the beauty along the Colorado River are two National Wildlife Refuges: the Bill Williams River and Havasu. They are a mere 30 miles apart and offer a wild variety of outdoor opportunities including kayaking, bird watching, photography, and fishing. But almost as important to us is that these NWRs usually have groups of individuals who form together and support the refuges in ways that the refuges cannot do themselves. These individuals are a source of community for us. Early on in our travels, we found that just visiting beautiful places was not enough for us. We needed the company of other like-minded people who exhibited the same appreciation of these places and would do anything to protect them. We gratefully joined the two refuge’s friends group.

So, beauty and community helped us choose the Lake Havasu, but there is something else: the importance of fishing to us choosing any destination. Our choice for our winter destination is no different!

I don’t often write much about fishing in our Nomad Travels, but it is one of the most important considerations in us choosing both our summer and winter destinations. The reason fishing is not logged as it is difficult to project what fishing is all about in our travel destinations. When you mention fishing to some individuals, they conjure up a vision of someone sitting on a water’s edge in a lounge chair drinking beer while chewing tobacco. It is one of the most misunderstood sports around!

I have fished all my life ever since I was young enough to follow behind my mother. Usually little boys are taught fishing by their father, but it was my mother who instilled my love for fishing. As I matured, I developed a solid mastery of fishing that in no way resembled an over-weight person in a lounge chair. I was always willing to expand that mastery and that led to being around other fisherman whose expertise was easily transferrable. I was the sponge!

Now I am a multi-species fisherman and enjoy the challenges fishing different waters in our travels. Each destination holds specific variances and discovering those little differences is exciting for me. Along with these variances is that different species have separate angling approaches. Over the years I have learned these approaches and become proficient in their applications. This sets me apart from most other fisherman who often usually concentrate on single species. Between the Stripers, Bass, Red Ear, and the occasional Flathead Catfish present in Lake Havasu, it is not uncommon for me to come in after a day of fishing with a catch bag of these species.

60 Minutes gave us a head’s up

When Jude and I left on our RV journey, we happened to watch an episode on 60 Minutes that featured some alarming information about the fish for sale in supermarkets. It reported that almost 60 percent of all fish sold in those national grocery chains were fillets that were mis-labeled. This percentage was due to the long supply chains associated with fish suppliers who substituted like-tasting cuts and sold them as the more expensive cuts. This percentage increased to 80 percent in smaller grocery outlets.

After years of being a catch-and-release fisherman, I turned to Jude and announced, “I know what species I catch!” From that moment on, I moved forward from catch-and-release to a subsistence fisherman! Oh sure, I catch and release sometimes, but that usually means the freezer is already full.

Fish live in beautiful places

Therefore, we choose our summer destinations with the idea that my love of fishing can produce meals of excellent nutrition for us. These are healthy additions to our diet, but also a filter for all Nomad Travel destinations. Fish live in beautiful places! Lake Havasu is beautiful! Its crystal- clear waters are a famed fishery for species including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, and a world class Red Ear population. Warm temperatures, sun-filled days, community and beauty cement our choice for our winter destination.

Second Winter at Havasu Springs

Jude and I have spent the winter at Havasu Springs resort nestled on the southern end of Lake Havasu. We arrived in early December fresh from our Amazon Camperforce adventure. We welcomed the more benign temperature here in western Arizona. It was a balmy 19 degrees when we left Campbellsville, KY.

After enduring the snow storms with our cross county trip, we welcome the 70 degree days and bring out our shorts. There is somethings so comforting as to wearing shorts and t-shirts on Christmas day!

We settle in but it soon becomes apparent that this will not be a normal winter in Arizona. The first clue is the amount of rain that comes in waves throughout January and February. Normally the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges suck all the moisture out of the storms and leave very little for the Mohave Desert. This year the Pacific storms overpower this barren and unleash their plentiful moisture on the steppes and mountains. It is still warm but the desert southwest is not behaving as a desert but more like the Amazon rainforest. We look at the radar when making plans.

With the increased precipitation, we are soon rewarded with an explosion of bloom. The desert has what is called a Super Bloom. This has not happened since 2006. It is so spectacular to see this phenomenon. It is just another reminder that the nomad life has such unexpected rewards at time when you least expect it. We are grateful and look for our plant identification books.

Havasu Springs is a resort of snow birds and golfers but they are also drawn to its shores because they like to fish. I don’t talk too much about fishing, but I love fishing!