Caldera Springs Fishing

With the camper all loaded and a full tank of diesel in the truck, we rambled out of Post Falls west to Ritzville and then south to the Tri-Cities. Taking a little rest break, we strolled around REI and chatted about how this business started as a lower-cost retailer for the outdoor-minded and that now they just carry the cool name brands at a large markup. We both couldn't remember when we bought something from REI and were happy with the price. I guess we are just showing our age again.

Sunset on Columbia River at Rufus.

Back in the rig, we motored out of Pasco and down to the Columbia River. Our destination for the night was a boondocking site at Rufus. We have stayed at this location several times before. It is a no-cost area and the noise from the train and highway is not as loud as some spots along this route.

The sunset was spectacular and we enjoyed our dinner and the view.

The night was windless (we couldn't remember the last time that the wind wasn't blowing in the gorge... if ever) and with those conditions, the temperature outside dropped significantly. Linda and I both woke up in the middle of the night and had to add blankets to our bed.

Our cabin on the lake.

The cold early wakeup got us up and on the road and we continued along the river to Biggs Junction where we turned south heading for Bend, OR.

There was no problem driving though Bend even though they were in the middle of a huge freeway construction project. We followed Highway 97 south to Sunriver. There, we wound our way through the neighborhoods in an area called Caldera Springs where we would join Caroline and Don at a home they had rented.

The house was a large three-bedroom place with a large kitchen connected to the living room. It was warm and comfortable and made a great getaway for our time with the Samulsons. 

One huge positive point for this house was that it was located on a private pond/stream. Because it was private, there was no Oregon fishing license required. Caroline and I took advantage of this by fly fishing every second we could.  One of us had a line in the water every minute from sun up to sunset.  We both caught some big fish. They were all over 14 inches with some measuring 22 inches or larger. 

This was Caroline's first attempt at fly fishing and she did a great job controlling the line.  She caught more fish than I did. It was apparent she enjoyed being on the water casting her green Woolly Bugger and hooking the big rainbows.

We had a great time and enjoyed every minute of the stay. Linda was able to drag me away from the fishing to do a long bike ride. During the bike ride, I was looking at the Deschutes River the entire time we rode, thinking about fishing the riffles and eddies. 

Meals while we were there were beyond belief. No one went hungry and we were able to try out a couple of new food items from Costco. Costco is a big meal provider for our travels. It is so easy to thaw a meal that has been pre-cooked and frozen and throw it in a pan or in the oven to reheat. 

The visit went very fast and before we were ready it was time for us to load up and make the drive back home.  We packed the truck, said our goodbyes, and hit the road.

We drove back to a camp spot we have used many times located in Arlington, OR. It is a port-managed camp spot and it costs $10.  We sat in the sun (windy, but expected 😊) and watched the river flow by until the sun dropped over the horizon.

The next morning we got up and hit the road and arrived home in the early afternoon. It was another great trip in our camper with a wonderful visit to a couple of our most cherished friends. Thanks, Don and Caroline!