Huh. There’s gotta be a mosquito around here somewhere.

Last month Team Toto made its way to the Crater Lake area of south-central Oregon, so we could rendezvous with long-time friends from California and perform product tests for Johnson  & Johnson, makers of Off! bug repellent. These tests were unpaid; actually J&J doesn’t even know about them; in fact they weren’t really tests, at least not in the scientific sense. But we did learn that DEET, which is toxic to almost all living things, is a definite off-putter to the bloodthirsty little drones. A good thing, too.

We camped at a Forest Service campground hard upon the shores of Diamond Lake. The aptly named Diamond Lake Campground was a dry camping experience, and our first opportunity to see if the new Toto’s solar and battery setup was up to the task. I think it was; I’m not sure; more on that later.

It was too far to drive all the way to Diamond Lake in one day, so we stopped for one night at Armitage County Park, just north of Eugene. Months earlier, there had been plans to spend a few nights at other campgrounds, up high in the Cascades; but a larger rig and weather forecasts in the high 90s led us to adjust our schedule. Armitage was fine; we mostly saw it from inside the Toto, testing the air conditioning (Toto passed).

Armitage County Park, just north of Eugene, Oregon. This is campsite #2 and I recommend it for hot summer days, as it gets shade all afternoon. Not particularly private, but it’s a small, quiet campground and quite nice, with full hookups and low rates. There’s even cable (with the typical poor channel selection in Standard Definition, but at least we could watch the news so we would know how hot we were).

Over Willamette Pass the next day, then south along the east Cascades foothills and up over a 6,000 ft pass to get to Diamond Lake. Jack’s first experience pulling the Toto uphill, at altitude, in searing heat–and he impressed. With our previous rig we had just enough power to reasonably tow; with this rig we have power (and brakes) to spare, and I am now a convert to the extra-is-better school of tow vehicology.

Did I mention smoke yet? It was smoky. Something about wildfires spaced randomly around the continent, I dunno. The mornings, though, at Diamond Lake, were mostly clear skies.

Toto at Diamond Lake Oregon, USFS campground site #M17. Long, double site, accommodates two RVs. Also has view of sewer equipment for nearby bathrooms, and some kind of electrical meter–odd in this hookup-free campground.

Smoke from a big fire in Crater Lake National Park drifted in, later each day, to liven up the sunsets. Note: mosquitoes don’t mind smoke at all.

Did I mention mosquitoes? Diamond lake has squadrons of them. They’re big, they’re thirsty, and they’re not shy. Our DEET-free mosquito repellent evoked giggles from them. Our cancer-survivor friends from California were not gonna let a little toxicity come between them and their good times at Diamond Lake; they slathered on the DEET. And so did we. It worked. Wait, I think I have a new symptom, or something.

Also, there were gnats. I use the term loosely, because maybe they were no-see-ums, or maybe they even have a legitimate species name, but I don’t know it. They have the special talent of being small enough to COME THROUGH Toto’s WINDOW SCREENS. Good news, though: they didn’t bite. Just swarmed. We are still cleaning their remains off the tasteful vinyl ceilings.

Our “double site” at Diamond Lake campground. 104 feet of not-at-all-flat, mixed pavement and gravel. That’s “Chateau Miller” parked behind the Toto. We have known these “Miller” people (not their real name) since before  our collective tent-camping days in the 70s. To borrow from a clever Escape trailer owner we know as Robert from Texas, we are all now past tents.

One more thing about Diamond Lake, which, if  you want to know, I recommend, but maybe in late Spring before the world begins its vigorous burn cycle. Diamond Lake has, possibly, offered some sort of tax incentive encouraging ground squirrels to relocate there.

Other than genuine Native Americans, the indigenous people of the Diamond Lake area are ground squirrels. They come around before dinner is served and don’t leave until the dishes are done. They appear to be immune to mosquitoes. How nice for them.

Finally: why meet at Diamond Lake? Because our friends who are not named Miller camped there back in the day, and had some (possibly hazy) pleasant memories. Also: so we could all enjoy the Crater Lake Tourist experience. And we did.

We drove to Crater Lake one day. Knowledgeable folk advised us to go early, when there is still parking available and before the smoke builds up in the afternoon. We strolled with the boys, trying to keep cool in the occasional shady spot, while our friends took a bus tour around the lake. Yup — big lake in volcanic crater. No doubt about it.

On the way back home we visited Mount Hood National Forest, which featured smoke and heat, but few mosquitoes. I am gonna write about that soon.