Waldo Lake

As most know, our family decided to buy an R.V. and travel for a bit around the country. Since gas is so ridiculous we figured that the smartest route to take would be to search for workamping jobs (jobs where you camp or do caretaking work in exchange for rent/stipend and/or pay). We took a paying job in Waldo Lake, Oregon where we will be taking care of a tent campsite. Our duties include trash, taking in site rent and bathrooms. We arrived last week and we love it! Currently, North Waldo campsite is still being cleaned and prepped (due to a long winter) for the camping season, so in the meantime we are staying in Dexter, Oregon (a small town 10 mins south east of Eugene).

Eugene is about 1 1/2 hours from where we will be camp-hosting. It's home of the Eugene "Ducks" which is one of the largest track universities in the world. Of course with a university you get a melting pot of people and stores. We will drive there to get any groceries or do any shopping. It's actually a cute city, reminding me of an upscale Berkeley. It has a variety of resturants and stores and you can be in normalcy in only a few minutes. Of course once we move up to our campsite the trips to Eugene will only be once a month. Thank-goodness for Eugene though!!!

This whole area is beautiful with several creeks and lakes all around us...even waterfalls. It's very green from all the rain they get during the winter. Luckly for us, the weather has been fabulous in the high 80's during the days and 40's at night. From Dexter R.V. park where we are stationed right now, I can look out at Dexter Lake and the surrounding mountains which are clustered with evergreens. It's so beautiful.

We started work this week and we've been up to Waldo Lake a few times. It is absolutely stunning and I feel so lucky that we scored this amazing opportunity to spend a couple months out with mother nature in the middle of no-where. Our campsite sits at 6500 feet elevation, 30 minutes from the closest town. The road up to the campsite is quiet and isolated. There is very very little traffic. It's wonderful! The first day I arrived at the site, Alison and I got out of the car and there was NO people noise! Only the wind through the trees and the birds and bugs. No airplane noise, freeway noise, or electronic white noise....just nature. Of course once the site is open and people start camping, it will change, but we've been told by our co-workers that our campsite is the most mellow because it's so far from town. Most locals don't venture up that way (thank-you!) so we will mostly get what they call "yuppies" who are big nature people. I'm sure they consider us "yuppies" too so we'll fit right in.

Waldo lake itself is a wonder. It's the 2nd largest lake in Oregon, covering 10 square miles. It was scoured out by alpine glaciers and is one of the clearest and purest lakes in the world. On a clear day you can see 100 feet down into the water. Snowmelt is the main source of water into the lake. There is little soil erosion so there is very little growth happening in this water. It's super clear and bright aqua and blue. It looks like tropical ocean water, but it's freezing cold!

Kelsey loves it of course! We can't get her out of the water. Even Ceniza took a dip the other day when it was hot. She's a great swimmer! The dogs have been tired every day from so much running around. Bean is our only concern with her odd shaped body. She's always had a neuroligical issue where she drags her front feet as she walks. We've had to nurse her bleeding paws each night. We are actually purchasing dog booties so she can run around with all the other dogs without getting the top of her paws shred to pieces. Ha! Should be comical to watch.

Alison is doing great and has started her homeschooling. She loves it up here and enjoys helping us work at the campsite. She's such a trooper and we are so lucky we have a child who is interested in doing this with us and who loves to get out and explore with us.

Next week we want to take a hour drive to Bend, and Redmond, Oregon to check that area out. We've been told by family and friends that we will really like that area and might consider it as a place to eventually settle. Redmond is supposed to be horse country and Bend, I've been told, is like an upscale version of Petaluma. We'll see and keep everyone updated! We should be in our campsite by next week so we'll cross our fingers!
I have a few pictures of our campsite up right now and there will be more to come.

For pics of Waldo lake click HERE