Jantzen Beach R V Park

Arrived here July 19 for 7 nights in Portland, Oregon.  We come here every year to visit our son Matt and granddaughter Danika.  Not much has changed since our visit last year.  They did however, enclose the park on two sides with chain link fencing and planted some new plants and sod near the swimming pool and office.  This deters the exploding homeless population from wandering through the park.  This park is occupied about 85% full time residents who live here.  I would say about 50% are retired folks and the rest commuting to work from here.  People seem to be very friendly here and don't seem to mind the 15% who come and go on a daily basis.  If you like noise, this is your park.  24 hours a day you hear airplanes landing and taking off, trains with their horns all night, and boats blowing their air horns at night.  In addition, the military flies their jets about 2000 feet above the park between 0800 and 0900 hours daily.  Only a sonic boom would be louder.  That said, this park has full hookups, including 50 amp electric, water, and sewer.  I had a level site and I paid $250 for our weeks stay.  I rate this park P***.

Danika enjoyed the swimming pool 4 days and went on several bike rides with her dad.  We took several walks along the Columbia river, one of Buddy's favorite pastimes.  We toured Fort Vancouver, in Vancouver, Washington one day.  Aggie, Matt, & Danika toured the facilities while I stayed with Buddy.  I have seen several of these forts and in my opinion, they are all pretty similar to me.  But, this one did put on a live exhibit of iron work and woodworking and dogs were not allowed.  We visited Lewisville State Park for a picnic and Danika, Aggie, and Matt waded in the river.  We tossed the Frisbee and Danika played at the playground for a bit.  I brought my bathing suit, but did not feel like getting wet.  Does this mean I am getting OLD.  We dined at olive garden one night, ordered takeout pizza at MOD Pizza one night and went to Cold Stone Creamery for an ice cream treat one night.  We also toured Mount St. Helen's National Volcanic Monument.  While in the park, we visited the Ape Cave (a separate post).  There are a lot of volcanoes in this neck of the woods.  We tried to find a lake to launch the kayak, but I wanted to go to the largest lake in the area which was Swift Reservoir.  The reservoir was 25 feet low and the banks were very steep.  The only swimming area was dry.  Shucks, I should have listened to the ranger and back tracked to a smaller lake.  As it turned out, we cruised along the north side of the Columbia River which was more beautiful than the Oregon side,  and came across a nice park along the river with picnic tables and rest room in Stevenson, Washington.

  Buddy went for a little swim and we enjoyed our break.