Ed
and I do |
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First we attended the Vanagon List Members
Party Saturday, down at the Emoryville Marina,
in the Bay Area. We had a great time and met lots of List Member
friends who we had never eye-balled before.
Note: Party webpage at: Phaedra Vanagon Get-together.
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About 4:00 in the afternoon Ed and I decided to
hit the road.
Ah city traffic. I hate it.
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Evening found us in a County campground near
Winters, Ca.
It was a nice quiet place but a very windy night.
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We woke in the morning to a herd of over 50
wild turkeys
on the hillside just above our camp!!
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We decided to take the road less traveled on
our way back to the coast and so,
after zipping up Rumsey Canyon, we arrived on Hwy 20 and then
ducked back off
onto the Wilber Hot Spring road to Bear Valley.
Much more our idea of interesting travel.
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We stopped for a photo op and to let my dog piddle.
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Continuing on we soon entered the burnt area
where the huge 40,000 acre "Forks Fire"
happened six, or more, years ago.
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We started coming across trees that had blown
down over the road the night before. Fortunately,
we were able to squeeze past.
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Until it finally happened.
A big fir blown down right across the road with no way to get
around it.
We were almost exactly at the halfway point of our drive. One and
a half hours
into our adventure, one and a half hours to go...
Hum, what to do; turn around and retreat or
what. I had a dull axe on board and so
we took a few turns whacking on the tree where there was a crack
through it. Then I hooked
up my nylon strap and tried to pull it. No go. Heavy sucker!!
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In about half an hour help finally arrived.
A couple in a Model A!!
They were doing a side trip adventure on their
way home to Apple Valley after attending
a Model A get-together in Clearlake. They hopped out and took a
look.
Since the log favored pulling their way he took a whack at it by
pulling from his side with my nylon strap.
Sure a gutsey Model A!! but he still couldn't budge it.
I then remembered a steel post I happened to
have along and we tried again
using leverage and the strap. This time it moved a couple of
inches.
With a lot of repeated effort, it might be possible.
The guy's wife handed out cookies!!
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And then a couple showed up in a Ford 4X4 with
a winch!
Our troubles were over!! In a few minutes the log was pulled
aside. We all
shook hands and wished each other well and were on our way again!
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A few last broken trees to dodge around as we left the fire area.
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Finally we broke out of the forest overlooking
Clear Lake and zipped back down
to HWY 20. Nothing but easy sailing on home.
Dual Vanagon/Subaru campers!
E-Ha!
What a great weekend and adventure.