When we bought Baby Beest sixteen months ago, we didn't realize that we would become a part of a very special group ... the Hymer-heads. Hymer is the company that outfitted our van, so owners often refer to themselves by this nickname. Unfortunately the company went out of business in early 2019 leaving owners with no one to support their repair issues and questions that normally would have be covered by the warranty. That happened a few months before we purchased our van, so while the price was appealing at the time, we also had some nagging questions:
What do you do when something needs fixing? I'm depending on you for that one, Doug!
or
Who does Doug consult when he has questions about how to fix it?? The Hymer-heads to the rescue!!
He was happy to find a knowledgeable and supportive Facebook group, Hymer Aktiv Owners and Wannabees, ready and willing to share their ''Aktiv'' wisdom. So when there was a chance to meet in person, we arranged our travel plans to attend a Hymer meet-up on the northern Oregon coast just after Labor Day.
Heading west from Bend, Oregon, we passed through some of the most magnificent forests that we have every seen. We passed through cute little mountain towns and admired the peaks of Mount Jefferson, Three Sisters, and Mount Washington rising in the distance. These peaks were surrounded with endless acres of fir, cedar, and hemlock trees that make up the wilderness area of Oregon's central Cascade Range. As we drove, I wished that I would have taken more pictures of the amazing beauty that surrounded us ... babbling brooks, cute little log homes, and world-class vineyards ... but I was focused on reading up on what to see and do on Oregon's famous Pacific Coast. As we drove, Doug commented about being surprised with how strong the winds seemed to be blowing ...
On our way, we passed through Salem, Oregon, so I was able to capture my twenty-first state capitol building. The beautiful gardens that made up Capitol Park looked a little parched despite being vigorously watered ... another not-so-great sign that this area was in need of rain.
Arriving at Fort Stevens State Park, we settled in for a week of beautiful beach walking, biking, and sunsets. That night strong winds rocked us to sleep. The next morning there was a slight hint of smoke in the air that grew stronger as the day wore on. By that evening, the sun was giving us an unusual show of color ... as if it know that it would be disappearing behind a wall of smoke for the next ten days.
As more of Baby Beest's relatives arrived, there were stories of roads closed and skies darkened with thick ash as close as Portland, Oregon. The highway that we took to Salem two days before (Highway 22) now had flames on both sides of it. These flames were consuming the cute little towns that I admired just days before. But there was also a sense of relief to have arrived safely on the coast and get to know like-minded individuals ... our fellow Hymer-heads.
Doug quickly got busy adding special ''fixes'' to our awning and shower. He also got recommendations for tires that Baby Beest will be needing soon. Of course, I saw some ideas for home improvements to add to my ''honey-do'' list ... a counter top extension would be very nice (hint hint).
... like all our new traveling buddies and their cute sidekicks.
''Tad'' won the prize for the friendliest and most adorable Hymer-head ... even though he ignored all the social distancing rules!
While our trip to the coast started out differently than we expected, we are grateful for the chance to connect ''masked'' faces with the names of our Facebook Hymer ''support group''. Safe travels, and we look forward to meeting up again somewhere down the road!
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