September 2003

Sorry we are so late in getting this off but it has been a busy six weeks. The last period of our 2003 season of research was something of a roller-coaster for us. We started the month off with heartbreak and ended the season with the delight of spending time with a terrific Grandson (and his parents) and enormous fun of looking for a new recreational vehicle.

After one to many incidents with Tazz, our Golden Retriever, we realized his personality and past experiences would not allow him to accept our life-style. Although we loved Tazz to pieces, our constant moving from one place to another seemed to be very unsettling to him. With so much changing each time we moved Tazz became more and more protective. Bouts of aggressive behavior became much too frequent for us to feel comfortable with him around others, so with a heavy heart we returned Tazz to the Rescue Group. Tazz has a ton of personality and is a smart dog so we hope he'll have little problem finding another family. We just wish the Rescue Group had been more "up front" with us and specific about just how needy and insecure Tazz was.

Frankly, losing another dog in less than four months took most of the "wind out of our sails" and we found ourselves in something of a "blue funk." We had planned to spend September finishing off the Plumas National Forest and Lassen National Forest before heading for Sacramento, California for their big RV show. But after returning Tazz, we just didn't have energy so we decided to finish the Plumas and postpone Lassen until next year. Than we spent a couple of weeks recovering from our loss and catching up with data entry work in Redding, California, before heading for Sacramento. Redding looked like a good place. Little did we know Redding was going to have a record heat wave during our stay. We watched our Tucson weatherperson's report (on the satellite television) on Bisbee's weather where temperatures were cooler than those in California! What crazy weather!

After gently simmering in Redding's heat wave and learning a lot at the RV show, we headed for Big Sky, Montana and a nice visit with our grandson, Tyler, and his parents. Oh, but he has grown! Seven teeth, a full head of hair, and walking everywhere. Tyler, at 13-months old, is showing his independence and an activity level that poops out his grandparents rather quickly. (It is good child-rearing is most often left to the young.) We had a great time with Tyler and his parent and got to see some frost a couple of times (which is almost enough winter for us).

A few comments about Plumas National Forest - The Plumas National Forest encompassed more or less the entire county of Plumas. It is a story we have seen many times during our travels. The County's economy is interwoven with what goes on with the Forest. With the decline of timber and logging in the Forest, the community's economy also goes into decline. For example, as we traveled around the Plumas, we saw a huge sawmill complex rotting away, many boarded up businesses, and "For Sale" signs as plentiful as dandelion blossoms in the front yard. To survive, many businesses branch-out expanding the range of services offered. A gas station in Sierraville now sells gas, does repairs, fresh produce and bakery goods; the camera shop in Sierra City offers copying services and videos as well as portrait photography; and yard sales around the Country are not just a week-end event but run all week.

Needles to say, the economy of places like Plumas County have been too invested logging and timber. Alternatives, like tourism, were never considered while the Forest could offer an endless supply of trees. Today, tourists, many in their recreational vehicle (RV), wander all over the place looking for new and great places to explore and enjoy. Of course, we are somewhat biased but do get frustrated with the Forest Service's attitude toward RV campers, which is rather dismissive. Places, like Plumas County, would follow the Forest Services lead and start trying to attract tourists, in their RVs, if the Forest Service would just provide a lead.. But than it doesn't help when money, promised to recreation, is siphoned off for non-related recreation efforts, never to be seen again. What is even more frustrating, no one seems to care! So communities, like Plumas County, with great potential but no way to develop it or get the word about its beauty, continue down a spiral of economic decline. Enough soapbox thanks for listening.

By the time you read this, our last Wanderings of 2003, we'll be home in Bisbee. We visited, collected data, and published information on some 184 campgrounds in six National Forests, drove over 10,000 miles, ate over 74 picnic lunches in some beautiful places, saw some amazing sights, and met some wonderful people. Overall, it has been a good year.

The drive home from Big Sky was reminded us of just how gorgeous this country is. It never fails to amaze us how many of us never explore beyond the backyard or wonder what is over that distance mountain. We can't imagine not discovering what might be waiting just over there or on the other side of a mountain. Our only regret is we won't be able to check out each and every one of place that tweaks our interest. Guess we'll have to leave some of you all.

One of our major objectives, once we get back to Bisbee and settled in, is to complete the Intermountain (that's Utah, Nevada, southern Idaho, and a very pretty part of Wyoming) Guide. The newly published Eastern Region is doing okay but not great, so we'll try to formulate and implement a marketing plan. And, of course, we have all the normal stuff every household must do, plus develop a plan for next year's research in Northern California. We'll be in touch.

Suzi and Fred