>This is a description of the proposed camping site. It was suggested by
>Jim Arnott, a member of both Vanagon and Type II lists. Together with
>him and Jack Manyard, we are trying to make this work out. We'll need
>confirmations as soon as people know if they can or cannot make it. So,
>once again, the preliminary plan is to go to Eastern Oregon, close to
>Union, on the 13/14th Sept. weekend.

Well, I got the maps out.

This sounds like an interesting area, and one i've been intending to
explore for awhile. But it sure looks like it will take 2 days to get there
from Seattle area - especially for me traveling with an infant. (although
I-90 to Ellensburg, then I-82 to Umatilla and picking up I-84 out near
Hermiston might be faster than I-5 & I-84, but it still looks like a very
long day of driving. )

This doesn't *entirely* rule it out for me since I was planning on taking
some time off around that time anyway, but  it might be worth taking a
straw poll on:
what people are looking for in a site;
where they might be coming from;
how long they're willing to travel to get there.

My guess is that most people are coming from the I-5 corridor, between
Everett and Eugene (perhaps some B'ham folks), and would consider more than
1 day travel in each direction to be a bit too much, even for a 3-day
weekend!

Perhaps there is something in the Columbia Gorge area, maybe up near Mt Hood?
That's probably 5+ hours from Seattle. Also, there are some funky spots on
the Washington side of the Gorge I've driven by before - but the
windsurfing crowd may  have overrun them by now.
Another area may be near Mt Adams - Gifford Pinchot National Forest -
although that's still a long drive around from Seattle. You get about 3
miles from the Pacific Crest Trail there though.

I still like the Mt St Helens area but if you go into the north section you
have to pay $. On the south side, it s "free-for-all" camping. Just find a
spot large and flat enough, and it's yours.

The key may be if people are looking for some funky out-of-the-way place or
are willing to take over a section of a more mainstream campground, say
like Fort Canby.

anyway, what do other folks think? I'm still likely to do it anyway but I
wasn't aware of just how far east you were talking about until tonight!

-rick

Rick Gordon
Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
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