Got together with Chosstronaught over the weekend. Great time flying from CVO, along the coast hitting several strips along the way. Eventually we ended up at Tokatee for the night. Great camping strip. No roads nearby. The one thing it could use is better access to the river. We followed a trail for a ways then bushwacked our way down. The grass is getting a bit high and the mosquitoes were at normal July levels, high. There's potentially better access, we just need to do more exploring.

Sunday we worked our way up the edge of the fog line to McKenzie bridge which was socked in while to the north, south, and east was crystal clear. Popped over to Sisters then Madras for fuel. The FBO at Madras is top notch and Rob (not our OregonMaule Rob but another Rob) was a great host. Not saying OM Rob isn't a great host either or I am and it's the whiskey talking.

Tyler needed (relatively speaking) to get back to CVO and I to SBP. The gorge looked like the best option. 30mph winds entering the gorge had me white knuckling a bit but it soon calmed out by Wind Mountain. A little light rain at Cascade locks then easy going from there on.

A nice video put together by Tyler:


And something to fill in the time with here:


Craig

Cool video Craig! Thanks for flying with me, it was nice to feel like maybe I can actually hang with other people on this site and not feel like a total noob. Looking forward to doing it again soon!

Looks like a good time! Did you do any fishing? I was into Toketee last summer and it looked like a decent place to camp. Columbia helicopters had a support base set up for some heli-logging.

fern_hopper wrote:Looks like a good time! Did you do any fishing? I was into Toketee last summer and it looked like a decent place to camp. Columbia helicopters had a support base set up for some heli-logging.

We poked at fishing a bit. Didn't seem like there was anything in the spot we were at. The camping was great. It just needs better access down to the river or more exploring. It was nice and quiet without nearby roads and fantastic star viewing.

GroundLooper wrote:

fern_hopper wrote:Looks like a good time! Did you do any fishing? I was into Toketee last summer and it looked like a decent place to camp. Columbia helicopters had a support base set up for some heli-logging.

We poked at fishing a bit. Didn't seem like there was anything in the spot we were at. The camping was great. It just needs better access down to the river or more exploring. It was nice and quiet without nearby roads and fantastic star viewing.

Yeah no fish where we went, but it is called Fish Creek so I bet there might be something. I also know absolutely nothing about fly-fishing. I'll try and go back soon and "flag" a better trail down to the river... I'll report back when I make it happen. The camping at Toketee is a lot better than McKenzie Bridge which I know people camp at quite often, so I'm shocked more people don't camp at Toketee. No one else had camped there since I last camped there 6/15. They just need to mow the grass and it would be perfect!

chosstronaut wrote:

GroundLooper wrote:

fern_hopper wrote:Looks like a good time! Did you do any fishing? I was into Toketee last summer and it looked like a decent place to camp. Columbia helicopters had a support base set up for some heli-logging.

We poked at fishing a bit. Didn't seem like there was anything in the spot we were at. The camping was great. It just needs better access down to the river or more exploring. It was nice and quiet without nearby roads and fantastic star viewing.

Yeah no fish where we went, but it is called Fish Creek so I bet there might be something. I also know absolutely nothing about fly-fishing. I'll try and go back soon and "flag" a better trail down to the river... I'll report back when I make it happen. The camping at Toketee is a lot better than McKenzie Bridge which I know people camp at quite often, so I'm shocked more people don't camp at Toketee. No one else had camped there since I last camped there 6/15. They just need to mow the grass and it would be perfect!

I was surprised also that it doesn't get much traffic for being such a nice place. Most people I talk to haven't even heard of it.

fern_hopper wrote:I was surprised also that it doesn't get much traffic for being such a nice place. Most people I talk to haven't even heard of it.

Yeah it really is crazy more people don't visit Toketee. The register only had 11 other entries since June 2010. I think there where only 2 from 2011. Being almost 6,000' long anything can get in and out of there, thus it would be an excellent place for a get together.

Wandering aimlessly among the Pink Flamingo's at Wakonda Beach, (Walport).



What great weather at the coast!

Little John wrote:Wandering aimlessly among the Pink Flamingo's at Wakonda Beach, (Walport).

Cool runway end markers! Glad to see that someone has a sense of humor.

Anybody going to the NWAAC fly-in at Scappoose this weekend? I went to the 2 years at Pearson after they moved from MMV, not too bad, then they decided to go to Scappoose for last year but cancelled out kinda at the last minute. Looks lke they're actually gonna go through with it this time, I'm wondering if it's gonna be any good?

The McMinnville gang is headed to Nehalem Bay on the 17th, anyone else?

Terry wrote:The McMinnville gang is headed to Nehalem Bay on the 17th, anyone else?

i'm hoping to fly. if i can't i'll probably drive

We have decided to go to the Oregon coast (Nehalem Bay) instead of Idaho, due to the smoke. Thurs. - Sun.

Reminder, this coming weekend August 18th is the "Thun Field Cubs and Classics". We expect a good turn out of J-3s, PAs, and OTCs (Other Than Cubs) to include vintage types and an assortment of taildraggers.

No fly-outs, flour bombing, etc you just park, get issued a fly-in name tag, and mingle amongst other Cub folks for the day!

http://www.thuncubsandclassics.com

Mike-

I'm ground poundin' down to Rockaway (Twin Rocks area) Beach this afternoon for the weekend. Keep me posted on what's happenin'.....
We don't have wifi at our BH, but can check at breakfast time at the restaurant hot spot...

lc

I might could do a breakfast pastry run...

i'm ground pounding to pc. house permit work. then nehalem bay 4:30 today. over night in rockaway a bro n laws house. cliff lets meet. i'm meeting little john at nb 4:30
call me V 0three-VII 20-one9oneVII
home friday, saturday fly back, overnight saturday.

cheers...rob

thursday we made it to nehalem bay and met up with littlejohn and lora lee. the weather was hot till we got right to the beach. 62 on the beach was way better than 95 at home. we had dinner at the tsunami bar and grill in wheeler. great food! little cub and his wife kay met with me and my wife lisa this morning at the whales spout for breakfast, another super spot. it helps when you know the area, thanks cliff! after that we headed to littlecubs place to visit. beautiful beach home. whish we had more time. we then headed back to nehalem and hung with littlejohn, lora lee, bob and henery.

the mcminnville boys were on the way but we missed them as we were headed to tillamook county to turn in the paper work for the pacific city house. BAD!! news from the aHOLE county. i'll explain in the correct thread.

back home now. it hit 101 on the way back, to hot. car cruise in tomorrow then maybe try for nehalem in the maule, maybe.

g'day...rob

just looking at one of the forest fire. this one west of our madras home. you can see mt jefferson

Littlecub, thanks for the fresh pastries and starting the campfire Saturday morning! We had the leftover blueberry fritters this morning warmed up over the fire with hotdog sticks, it don't get any better.

Your welcome.
I intended to come back Sat eve for campfire, but it was drizzling slightly at our place, and I figured it couldn't be a lot different up there.... That tends to dampen a campfire....

Next time....if it works
lc

Hope everybody's ride home was ok.
Good to see/meet everybody Fri evening.