welshkate

Last Friday I headed out to the coast loaded with kayak, camping and fishing gear for a weekend at Siltcoos Lake, Florenece, OR. I didn’t quite take the route I planned. I was driving the HWY 34 and some 50 miles from my destination, I felt my car’s steering stiffen. I managed to pull into the roadside and noticed my oil temp was high. Having had car engines blow up on me in the past, I opted for a tow. No cell reception saw me knocking on a random home in the neighborhood asking to use the phone. The owner was a hunter and we spent time chatting about Oregon wildlife. He showed me his varied taxidermy animal collection that boasted black bears, dear, ducks, a bobcat and most impressive, a mountain lion, caught near the Alsea. Boy, I never want to encounter one of those at close range! The kindness of Oregonians never ceases to amaze me. Can you believe, while i waited for the tow truck, my new friend served me Black Bear Stew. Now thats something a bedraggled, broken-down Kate wouldn’t be offered in the UK.

Photos (L to R): Siltcoos Lake, OR; PBR/food chest; Loaded canoe and Toby

The kindness continued with my friend Jesse picking me up in Corvallis and driving me to the coast, to hitch a ride with Erin and Toby. Toby and I paddled the canoe to our campsite, about 1 mile away and Erin opted for the two mile hike in . We took a small detour to the center of the lake, but hey, all good exercise. And we had a chest of Peebers- but we stayed under the limit, Mr Ocifer, honest.