Visit with Gypsy

With our real estate deal done, we were finally free to roam. After spending two days close to the coach, we were really ready for some exploring!

We headed up the road to the park and checked in with the good folks at the gate. We wanted to make sure Marty was at her post before we made the 65-mile round trip to see her. They assured us she was there and asked us to take some paperwork up to her. We felt so official. We were on government business for the National Park Service!

The road to Gypsy’s place was a scenic two-lane highway that offered sweeping views of the peaks of Mt. Lassen and the surrounding forest. We climbed another 1000 feet or so before we made the turn toward Butte Lake. To call Butte Lake Road a road is kind. It’s a six-mile stretch of gravel washboard. Our Jeep was dutifully up to the task. But, we kept thinking about Gypsy pulling a fiver up through there.

At the end of the bumpy trail, we found the campground and Gypsy’s host site. She welcomed us for our unannounced visit with big hugs. It was a real treat to see her. We quickly got down to the business of catching up since our first meeting. Turns out the timing of our visit was perfect. She arrived at Butte Lake just a few days ago, after spending a couple of weeks at the Lake Manzanita campground. And, in a couple of weeks, she’s planning to head back to Sacramento to see a new granddaughter that’s expected any day now. We’re so glad we didn’t miss her.

She’s been “offline” since the end of May, so Gypsy was curious to know what’s up with our blogging and chatting buddies. I did my best to report the highlights I could remember. She said to tell everybody hello and let them know she’s doing just fine. So, there you go! She is writing about her adventures every day. So, look for updates on her blog in early July.

Gypsy’s getting into the groove of her new duties. And, she reported, it’s going well. The wilderness campground attracts quiet campers and scout groups (which tend to be not as quiet but no trouble at all). We watched several of the campers come off the nearby hiking trails. They were all pretty tired, which provided added explanation to why the campground tends to be so mellow. (Besides, who would dare act up when you’ve got Gypsy keeping watch over you, with her two dogs, big diesel truck and bad-ass radio on her belt?)

The place is very peaceful. Gypsy says her favorite thing to do is sit outside and listen to the wind in the trees. On this calm day, the sound was faint but very soothing. If you had to pick a place to spend a summer in the wilderness, this would be a good one. It’s remote, but beautiful.

We asked lots of questions about her setup (water and sewer hookups, and plenty of propane), how far she goes for groceries (34 miles roundtrip), how often she gets mail (every two weeks), about life without an internet connection (it’s been quite an adjustment - she misses reading blogs - but it turns out to be a very welcome change) and how the dogs are doing (they’re great). And, we shared the very new news of our home sale. It was a joy to share the news with this special fulltimer. Her congratulations were especially meaningful to us.

Before we knew it, the afternoon was getting late. Gypsy had rounds to make and we had a long drive back to camp. We drew our very lively conversation to a close, snapped a few pictures, exchanged hugs and wished each other safe travels. We so look forward to seeing Gypsy on the road again soon.

An hour or so later we were back at camp for a celebratory dinner of burgers. The champagne toast will have to wait for now. But, we were definitely all smiles as we reflected on the events of this three-post day.

Today we’ve been reminded of life’s rich blessings: helpful people, beautiful forests and mountains, inspiring friends, and a ticket to our great RV escape that exceeded our wildest dreams.