We’ve driven by on the way east many times, the sign always beckoning, but the time not allowing a visit. This past weekend it was finally the destination.
Chickahominy is a reservoir in the high desert of eastern Oregon. Several hundred acres of water seem a bit out of place in the sagebrush ocean of Harney County. Along with the reservoir is a campground with well over 30 sites, a nice boat ramp and lots of fishing opportunities with views for miles. Saturday was going to be the nicest day in a week and it was time to start getting out and about. After a short drive we had a campsite with a lake view and were quickly trolling. Before long we started getting some takers and it didn’t take too much to figure out where the biters were.
When we first pulled in we had an isolated site, with only one other vacant site anywhere near. With only a spare table, and no real formal parking spot, fire ring or other amenities that all the other open sites offered I was sure we had quiet spot. Wrong, wrong and wrong. I don’t know what it is about people, but given a nearly empty campground they will pick the only spot next to someone else and move in. And not only that, they will be the people with the obnoxiously loud generator. Every. Time.
Not only that, but they will apologize knowing that their generator is annoying and then proceed to run it for hours on end, effectively voiding their so called apology. And what are you doing with said power for multiple hours in the middle of the day anyway? How is it that we can get by all weekend without this same power source and not suffer at all? You can up and move, but then there is just another huge 5th wheel a mile out that rushes to camp next to your next position, set up their satellite dish and climb inside for the duration of their stay. What about the sound of the birds, or the wind, or the quiet? I’ll never understand. So enough of that.
We easily limited on trout over the course of the day cruising the lake, except that we put all the fish back. There are some healthy holdover trout here from last season.
We enjoyed our afternoon on the water, trying to identify all the waterfowl that kept zooming overhead and ducking underwater if we got too close.
Then it was back to camp for a nice sunset and campfire.
Overnight the weather changed and it surprised me when it ended up raining off and on most of the night. Luckily the next morning brought back the sun and we grilled up a nice pork and pie breakfast.
After a few more trips around the lake to say hello to a few more fish we were pushed off the water by a stiff breeze and we made a hasty retreat back home.
Here’s to spring and more nights in the great out of doors (hopefully generator free). Time to make a stop at one of those spots you’ve been driving by for far too long, you just might find something interesting there.
