Grants Pass
May 20, 2013 12:04 PM
We pulled into Riverpark RV Resort in Grants Pass last Thursday. We’re parked under huge trees that line the southern bank of the Rogue River, about twenty feet from the water. The RV park is small and crowded, but the setting makes up for it. It’s quiet and peaceful and beautiful, encouraging us to continue to relax and unwind. As a result, we’ve once again been lousy tourists, choosing to spend much of our time sitting under our awning with a book—actually, an ebook—in our lap rather than trying to hit all the “Things to see and do in Grants Pass.”
Grants Pass was settled in the early-to-mid 1800’s and was finally incorporated in 1865 and named in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant’s shortly after his victory at Gettysburg. It’s a natural place for a town, being at the intersection of the Rogue River, which runs roughly east and west, and a natural series of passes through the mountains to the north. It’s a fairly small town with a rural feel, much like many of the small towns in Oklahoma where I grew up. In fact, the people are a lot like the Okies and Arkies I’ve lived amongst much of my life. As a result, if you’re into antiques or quilting or the like, you’re in heaven; otherwise, there’s not much to do in the town.
But the town isn’t what draws one here; it’s the river and mountains and all the outdoor recreation opportunities they provide. This time of year, most days are warm and sunny and dry with evening temperatures dropping into the lower forties. As a result of the nice weather and the many outdoor activities, tourism is one of the main industries in the area. The Rogue River, in particular, draws many campers, boaters, and fishermen to the area. In addition, several local companies offer tours of the river in jet boats. Since we’ll be at the mouth of the Rogue at Gold Beach next week , we chose not to do a jet boat tour here but to wait until we’re there. From what I hear, the tours at the mouth are better than the upriver ones.
As you know by now, one of my passions is visiting breweries along our route. There’s a single brewery in Grants Pass, the Wild River Brewing and Pizza Company. If you are looking for a family pizza and burger restaurant, Wild River is for you, but if you’re looking for a brew pub, forget it. They actually brew their own beer and it’s not bad, but the atmosphere is definitely not in keeping with the “Brewery” name.
We had more luck in Medford, about thirty miles to the east. In one afternoon, we visited Apocalypse Brewing Company, WalkAbout Brewing Company, BricktownE Brewing Company (no, the capital “E” is not a typo), and Portal Brewing Company. In each case, we were able to spend time with their brewmasters, all friendly folks who love to share their beers with other beerlovers. All four had some great beers, with WalkAbout being my personal favorite. Speaking of WalkAbout, when we passed through the area in 2008, we tried to find WalkAbout but kept ending up at someone’s house. We gave up, chalking it up to a bad Google address. Well, it turns out that Google was right. Russ, the owner and brewmaster, started his operation in his garage and only in the last year moved to his current location. He’s an Aussie expat, which explains all the Australian name of his business and some of his beers. All four breweries were fun and definitely worth a visit.
One of the challenges fulltime travel presents to Ann is finding someone to do her hair. In case you haven’t noticed, she has long, thick, naturally wavy hair—a test of any hair stylist’s skills. I’ve learned to do minor coloring and can even be pressed into trimming dead ends if I have to, but I wouldn’t attempt anything major. As a result, Ann simply picks a place and hopes for the best. The results have ranged from great to terrible, as you might expect. Well, sometimes luck comes your way. We became acquainted with a very nice couple who were spending a few days in the park. When Ann found out that Michelle owned a hair salon she asked, “How’d you like to cut my hair?” A short time later, she had a beautiful cut and Michelle’s business card, with plans to visit her salon as we pass through the Tacoma area in a couple of months. How’s that for getting lucky?
We leave tomorrow morning for Gold Beach, about 55 miles away as the crow flies, but 125 miles by highway. If the weather forecast is right, we can look forward to several days of cool rain while there, which means we’ll spend a lot of time sitting in the motorhome. Oh well, such is the life of the fulltimer.
Alan
Grants Pass was settled in the early-to-mid 1800’s and was finally incorporated in 1865 and named in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant’s shortly after his victory at Gettysburg. It’s a natural place for a town, being at the intersection of the Rogue River, which runs roughly east and west, and a natural series of passes through the mountains to the north. It’s a fairly small town with a rural feel, much like many of the small towns in Oklahoma where I grew up. In fact, the people are a lot like the Okies and Arkies I’ve lived amongst much of my life. As a result, if you’re into antiques or quilting or the like, you’re in heaven; otherwise, there’s not much to do in the town.
But the town isn’t what draws one here; it’s the river and mountains and all the outdoor recreation opportunities they provide. This time of year, most days are warm and sunny and dry with evening temperatures dropping into the lower forties. As a result of the nice weather and the many outdoor activities, tourism is one of the main industries in the area. The Rogue River, in particular, draws many campers, boaters, and fishermen to the area. In addition, several local companies offer tours of the river in jet boats. Since we’ll be at the mouth of the Rogue at Gold Beach next week , we chose not to do a jet boat tour here but to wait until we’re there. From what I hear, the tours at the mouth are better than the upriver ones.
As you know by now, one of my passions is visiting breweries along our route. There’s a single brewery in Grants Pass, the Wild River Brewing and Pizza Company. If you are looking for a family pizza and burger restaurant, Wild River is for you, but if you’re looking for a brew pub, forget it. They actually brew their own beer and it’s not bad, but the atmosphere is definitely not in keeping with the “Brewery” name.
We had more luck in Medford, about thirty miles to the east. In one afternoon, we visited Apocalypse Brewing Company, WalkAbout Brewing Company, BricktownE Brewing Company (no, the capital “E” is not a typo), and Portal Brewing Company. In each case, we were able to spend time with their brewmasters, all friendly folks who love to share their beers with other beerlovers. All four had some great beers, with WalkAbout being my personal favorite. Speaking of WalkAbout, when we passed through the area in 2008, we tried to find WalkAbout but kept ending up at someone’s house. We gave up, chalking it up to a bad Google address. Well, it turns out that Google was right. Russ, the owner and brewmaster, started his operation in his garage and only in the last year moved to his current location. He’s an Aussie expat, which explains all the Australian name of his business and some of his beers. All four breweries were fun and definitely worth a visit.
One of the challenges fulltime travel presents to Ann is finding someone to do her hair. In case you haven’t noticed, she has long, thick, naturally wavy hair—a test of any hair stylist’s skills. I’ve learned to do minor coloring and can even be pressed into trimming dead ends if I have to, but I wouldn’t attempt anything major. As a result, Ann simply picks a place and hopes for the best. The results have ranged from great to terrible, as you might expect. Well, sometimes luck comes your way. We became acquainted with a very nice couple who were spending a few days in the park. When Ann found out that Michelle owned a hair salon she asked, “How’d you like to cut my hair?” A short time later, she had a beautiful cut and Michelle’s business card, with plans to visit her salon as we pass through the Tacoma area in a couple of months. How’s that for getting lucky?
We leave tomorrow morning for Gold Beach, about 55 miles away as the crow flies, but 125 miles by highway. If the weather forecast is right, we can look forward to several days of cool rain while there, which means we’ll spend a lot of time sitting in the motorhome. Oh well, such is the life of the fulltimer.
Alan
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