Coastal Trip: Idaho, Oregon, California
Starvation Reservoir, Utah; Burley, ID; Boise, ID; Joseph, OR;
Drove through to Starvation Reservoir in Utah, above the Green River. For the first time we saw antelope north of Moab, and again in Price. Lots of 'em. Took highway 191 to Duchesne, which had 8% grades, pretty steep. We were trying to avoid the Salt Lake City traffic, which we did. At the campground it was a nice day but very windy, and being the day after Labor Day festivities, the campgrounds were full of litter--in the fire pits, with bits of paper all over. weird. Also the first state campground I can remember in a while that had wonderful grass and sprinklers! In the evening I tried my hand at night photography of the sky and trailer but not as good as at home. Too many lights and clouds were moving in.
Wednesday, Sept. 7
Today we drove on through north as far as we could, passing through Park City, UT. Another beautiful day about 70 degrees. Noticed a lot of leaves changing red in the canyons. Stayed one night in Heyburn at their city park at Heyburn RV Park, right along the Snake River. Took a great bike ride through their arboretum, then over the bridge to Burley, along the golf course, until the trail ended. Next: ride through the cemetery across the street when I noticed a sign for Marvin's Gardens local produce a few blocks away. Perfect! Corn, potatoes, garlic and a cuke. All was good except for the corn. It was funky-gummy. Pretty nice along the river area, but got windier as the day went on.
Thursday, Sept. 8
Finally will do some tourist stuff today as we make our way to Boise. First a stop in Twin Falls for the Shoshone Falls, only to find out they aren't falling -- farmers took all their water rights and left them high and dry; we were too late in the season. Next was a stop at Hagerman for the Fossil Museum (of a horse), interesting. Next was a stop at the Bird of Prey Museum outside Boise. Interesting place for all things in the sport of falconry, plus apparently this is the place that brought the peregrine falcon from the brink of extinction. I think. I read online that Sept. 24 they will be releasing two California Condors at the Grand Canyon. I didn't like to see some big birds in outside cage-room-prisons, but didn't find out if they are just in captivity now or if they were being rehabbed. oh well. Stayed two nights at Boise Riverside RV Park, right in the city and along their Greenbelt Bike Trail. It was warm in the afternoon when we arrived, but 45 degrees in the am. Scouted for a restaurant and went to a place called Grit over in the next town. It was ok, nothing fancy. burgers
Friday, Sept. 9
Did a 12-mile bike ride. Rode right in to the city to a park for a big art show, really nice in an nice grassy park. Not used to all this green and grass everywhere. After we rode back (the trail was all along the Boise River, very nice), got cleaned up and headed out back to the park to pick up Bill's purchase then on to the mall. Dinner at a Mexican place near the camp, and thankfully it was good!
Saturday, Sept. 10
Moved into Pacific time after crossing over into Oregon on our way west. On the lookout for Oregon Trail stuff. Stopped in Baker City to see the more than 100 buildings on the "National Register of Historic Buildings." I liked the town, very old dating back to 1874, spacious and not many people there! Very clean. Next stop was the Oregon Trail Visitor Center outside of town. Enjoyed that very much, very nice museum plus got to see wagon ruts; love that. Were going to only go as far as Richland, but after seeing the parking lot campground he decided to move on to, yes, Joseph. Another 70 miles of who knows what. We would be going near the Hell's Canyon Overlook area but opted not to go the extra 20 miles to get to that. Had enough to do with all the curving, winding narrow roads climbing up and plunging down at 8% at times. at least. Took almost 4 hours to go 70 miles, but we finally made it as very impressed with first sight of Joseph. very nice, and can't wait to see it tomorrow. I thought it was going to be on a mountain top and full of hippy artists, but not at all. Plus we passed Chief Joseph's final resting place, so will see that also. Went 5 miles south of town to campground on a big lake, very pretty except campground is at far end in the dark shadows… There is also a small lodge nearby, will need to tour that. Busy day tomorrow. We paid for two nights, that should be enough. Too dark here.
Sunday, Sept. 11
47 degrees this am. Went on a hike straight up to nowhere there behind camp. Met a few tame deer at the end, not much fear of humans. Rode bikes around the area, a shop owner told us bear and cougars are in the area, tho we didn't see any. Decided to try riding the rails on a little cart, signed up in town. You pedal 6 miles to the next town, it was great but unfortunately, the ride back was uphill. But it was a lot of fun, several other people went too. Afterward we shopped around in town, then made lasagna.
Monday, Sept. 12
Left Joseph with the intention of going to Pendleton to camp. Town very busy with big rodeo so we shopped the main Pendleton store (I bought a sweater that got shipped) and moved on to who knows where. Many camps along the Columbia Gorge, so we picked Memaloose. Nice park along the river, and it has a famous island out in the middle that Lewis and Clark visited. They actually camped on the Washington side nearby. too cool. In our rush we missed the town of Hood River, it was nice when we drove thru it the next day. I pooped out the day before after the long drive and we stayed in. My bad.
Tuesday, Sept. 13
Moved on from Memaloose to Ainsworth State Park dow the road. Very lucky to get in this one, about one spot left. Still along the river so we drove the historic highway looking at waterfalls and did a short hike.
Wednesday, Sept. 14
Went for a 4-mile bike ride. Was hoping to get to the fish hatchery but the road didn't go through and i didn't want to ride along the interstate. That's where the path was. Went back for the truck and toured the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, which was really interesting. Spent a bit of time there. Drove on and had lunch outside at Thunder Island, then went back because I wanted to re-hike the falls area. Ended up hiking 5.185 miles to triple falls, nearly killing us both. Well not that bad a trail but a long hike for us!!
Thursday, Sept. 15
Portland. Well, an hour in town and we decided we'd had enough. We have no idea what to do, have to pay meters, nut jobs walking around, talking to themselves, but we did see Powell's books and drove a bit to find Voo-Doo Donuts! That was worth it, got a box full and ran. We are camping in town over in Vancouver Washington in a tight little private place. Not bad. Bill washed the trailer and truck and I did laundry all night. ate in. exciting day. Full moon night.
Friday, Sept. 16
No more Portland for us; today we went to old Fort Vancouver, a rebuilt fort from the fur trading days of the Hudson's Bay Company, but they had an incredible flower and vegetable garden out front, really enjoyed that. They say master gardeners work on it. The hugest sunflowers I've ever seen. After a quick tour through the air museum as well, we drove to Vancouver's downtown and had dinner at Jorge's Tortilla Factory. very good and a very good FIRST margarita. The second one, not so much.
Saturday, Sept. 17
The rain started this morning. Today moved to to Astoria to Ft. Stevens State Park. Very huge and busy park and still raining. Everything wet. I feel for the Expedition back in 1805… how did they ever do it. Spent the afternoon driving around to see the sights of the park, the jetty, and military parts. The mist would gather in the trees and drop big drops onto the trailer and the sound was driving me nuts. Either rain or stop, but the big irregular drops just got to me. Like someone throwing rocks…
Sunday, Sept. 18
Rain finally stopped. The day got very very nice and we drove to Astoria to a very nice and big farmer's market (yep, scones). Next we visited their "column" — a tall tower for a 360 degree overlook, then on to Lewis & Clark's winter camp at Fort Clatsop, another reconstructed small fort. Stopped to shop at Fred Meyer, Bill got some chowder at Bouy 9 to bring home and we stayed in for dinner. Again, I couldn't stand the thought of driving all the way back to town for dinner.
Monday, Sept. 19
Drove from Astoria to Lincoln City, with a stop to walk through Seaside (bagels!). That was very touristy, glad we didn't camp around there. but it was a nasty gray out again for our drive. Stopped at Tillimook to tour the cheese factory and got some custard to bring home… of course…. Drove with the trailer to Ecola Beach to see the Haystack Rock (Haystock Rack) not knowing how the road would be, with the trailer… well it was very tight, but he managed. whew. Good thing cuz no where to turn around. Got some overlook shots and off we go again. Camping in Lincoln City at the only in-town camp, Devil's Lake. Walked to town for dinner at Kyllos, had one of the best kale salads ever, as well as a great cherry vanilla vodka martini. Very damp out, but we visited the beach before dinner, which was right on the beach anyway.
Tuesday, Sept. 20
Before we left we visited the artist coop up at the corner and glad we did -- had some cute zipper pulls I was looking for, perfect! Nice stuff in there too. Drove just 30 miles to next stop: Newport. Finally a nice open air campground, where the sun can reach the ground! Just 1/4 mile to the beach so we rode the bikes over. Later we drove around sightseeing to Yaquina Lighthouse. In camp I keep hearing seals barking, we must find them. Finally we can use the dish!! no trees in the way.
Wed., Sept. 21
Newport. Second night at South Beach SP. Foggy wet am, but sun soon out. Finally getting out to see where that seal barking coming from. 6-mile bike ride to jetty and near harbor but seals way across. Later drove over to harbor to finally see all the seals on the floating docs and out on the rocks. Could have watched them play all day. Noticed a chalk sign in front of a bar that said Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" had filmed a season here; we will have to watch for that. Strolled the crappy shops (and a rotten smell from the fish processing place that nearly floored me), then moved on to Nye Beach, which was just a quick drive-by. About all he will do. Stopped at bike shop for some dry lube, the chains getting rusty. Also the shifters are not working right getting all beat up and damp always outside. Still nice out so went to beach for some kite flying.
Thurs., Sept. 22
Nice day as it would turn out to be. Camped (one night) south of Coos Bay at Sunset Beach SP. Rode bikes UP hill a bit then turned around for truck. Saw botanical gardens for 1800s timber baron Louis Simpson?, then on down to Cape Arago tip and SAW FIRST WHALE!!. Just a little guy spouting off. Nice little campground but oh so damp.
Friday, Sept. 23
Gray and rainy drive south to ?? ended up in Brookings after seeing a few overlooks and taking gray photos of sea. Did stop at Bandon for a small farmers market and came back with big loaf of cinnamon bread. SP on ocean filled so went to a private cg called Portside RV park (one night), nice little place, cable, and etc, with a slight view of ocean. Right near the harbor. Had a icky dinner at Sebastians, somehow we can always find the worst restaurants. It's a gift. One day here, I did laundry all night, super hot in there. [Fred Myer's Tyler, "come on now; OK here we go," with very bar code scan.]
Saturday, Sept. 24
Short inland drive to Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest. Picked private RV place in Hiochi. Weird place, but not bad. Drove to Crescent City, saw way too many homeless, and the lighthouse and drove south to great overlook. Went to nice gallery. Came back through Stout Grove highway, but saved it for tomorrow.
RIP Bob Sattizahn
Sunday, Sept. 25
After walking up to the veg stand at the corner and driving through the state & national park up the road, we drove back to Stout Grove, saw the old growth huge redwoods, short hike up trail near where we parked, but got hotter as we ascended so came back down after a mile or so. Day got to be 95.9 degrees so we stayed in with the a/c and watched movies! a rare deal. Including a Star Wars film that was shot in those big trees.
Monday-Tues, Sept. 26-27
Agate Beach!! Azalea private RV north of Trinidad. Very cute little park, with flowering plants and ponds, down the road from Patrick's Point State Park. Rode bikes (I FROZE in the shade, despite 4 layers) to the park to see Agate Beach they told us about. Down a steep cliff to the beach and there were all the people scouring the low tide shore for agates. I asked people what we were looking for and they showed me, not the prettiest of stones, but a fabulous beach -- no sand mostly, but tiny smooth rocks. Had fun scouring that.
Tuesday we drove down to see Trinidad and it's harbor, drove into some very thick fog which drops the temps tremendously. Had lunch at a small place and poked around a little. Came back and rode bikes to the beach again, I really like that beach. Not windy, not salty, and lots of rocks to look at. Bill spotted a big dead shark on the shore, weird.
Wed & Thurs, Sept. 28-29
Long twisty 22-mile dive on Highway 1 to get back to the coast. Realllly tight curves but he did it. Caspar Beach, camped in private RV resort in cove. Horrible gray and cold. Walked on beach a bit, found a few pieces of beach glass and one pottery, that was exciting. Drove to Mendocino to look around but it was after 5 so nothing was open, he planned that well… Picked a cafe for dinner at random and it was very good.
Thurs, drove north to Ft. Bragg to Glass Beach, walked around town and ate at Eggheads, the Wizard of Oz themed diner. Then we went back south to Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, you walk a mile west through a preserve till you get to the shore. Back to glass beach for pics. Bill did laundry! So two days of heavy gray blanketing fog. Time to go inland again. So of course it was breaking a tad the day we left...
Friday & Saturday, Sept. 30 - Oct 1
Boonville. Inland again. Picked this at random. No room at the Hendry Woods state park so we were directed to the Fairgrounds. It was great! Just a few trailers there and full hookups. Our spot faced the Pennyroyal Farms with the goats! We walked around town, talked to a jeweler who gave us some info, did a tasting at a gallery. Came back and got the truck and visited Pennyroyal for a tasting, then the small grocery with the shop cat, Raider.
Saturday was farmers market day. Not much there but did get a T-shirt for Dad's bday. Drove north up the valley for the wine tasting tour - the first place with the chatty fat girl, Lazy Creek (good) Ferrari-Cabrillo, walked out of Roederer due to slow service, we were invisible again; Toulouse (not so good pinots), then finally a sparkly place which also wasn't so good. Whoah, too much. Heard tell from Vicky at Lazy Creek that Manson family members had been here in Philo so spent the rest of the night researching those bizarre stories! Plus the strange tale that is Boonville.
Sunday & Monday, Oct. 2 & 3 - Bodega Bay
We have decided to try the coast one more time. Another curvy drive so Bill can have his daily workout. We reached Cloverdale and went to McDonald's first thing hoping for those Gilroy Garlic fries, and when we got it back to the truck they were normal, thanks dumb guy!!! Next time. Followed the Russian River west to the coast, the first cg we came to was small and full, so moving down the road we found a better place with plenty of space. Bodega Bay Dunes State Park. The day was clear so we drove over to the beach as soon as we could for pics! There is a local fishing boat washed up on shore that I read has been there since Sept. 11 or so. So far it's still there, a 55-footer. Nice night, glad we did that cuz…
Monday morning, the rain started. It was gray and stayed that way till dark. We took a long drive today in the light rain to Bodega Bay and then beyond to Reyes Point. Stopped to see Hitchcock's The Birds schoolhouse and even picked up some Polwarth fiber at a local artist coop. The drive to Reyes was all curves and hilly so I got a bit of the nausea. Before that drive we had lunch at Lucas Wharf, very good, with a little harbor seal poking it's head up every so often to look around. cute. Got back around 4:30 and cranked up the generator. This camp has no power or anything. But it does get a signal, that is nice for once. Verizon has been horrible along the northern coast. Tomorrow it's Napa country INLAND!! The weather says it's going to be sunny soon. Let's hope. Meanwhile the east coast has a big hurricane coming their way, Matthew.
Tuesday, Oct. 4, 5 & 6
Our last stop before the San Francisco rondayvoo. Napa. Three nights here at where we stayed last time, Skyline Park, right by the state hospital. Got out on the bikes to the Oxbow Market, kinda warm on the trail, caught up on laundry, dinner in town one night at Carpe Diem, and one late afternoon drive up into wine country to the V. Sattui winery, with its fabulous shop and market.
Friday, Oct. 7 - 14 - San Francisco
Dropped off the trailer in Fairfield for the week, and on our way to San Francisco. Took the Bay Bridge into a very busy city of San Francisco, the GPS taking us along the Embarcadero which made it even slower. The Air Show practice day was this day so suddenly the F-22 Raptor was zooming over the city! Spent the afternoon watching the rest of the show from the second floor balcony because the room wasn't ready until about 4. Great time the rest of the week: Sat air show from the balcony for great photos, walks along the wharf to the Ferry Building and the farmers market, dinners out, dinners in, Ghirardelli sundaes (mine sans ice cream), Moraga mosaic steps, North Point Fort, Coit Tower, Fine Arts Building, lots of walking, presidential debate #2, shopping, cable car ride to Union Square, and an official siting of Steve Wozniak and his wife and two dogs walking thru the second floor balcony as we sat by the fire.
Friday, Oct. 14
Last morning in San Francisco the rain started, the first of two storms coming into the coast. Turned out to be a pretty good rain with plenty of wind -- and we had to leave in the middle of it. Took a new route to Fairfield, in the rain, to pick up the trailer. Turned out we would be wet all day, just rained and rained. Next stop for two nights (of 3 before Yosemite) was Lathrop, out in farming country. Still raining and miserable so parked and stayed in, while a big tree above us dumped all kinds of crap on us. Hindsight telling me it's old bird crap! Trees were full of little birds the next day and they probably haven't had rain in a while so it is now all on the trailer.
Saturday, Oct. 15
Moved the trailer to another spot because supposed to get windy later today. Sun came out so we could dry out things as much as possible. Drove around to Manteka (sp?) for In n' Out lunch, then over to Tracy looking for a Bust Buy. And what do you know -- across the interstate is the Ghirardelli Outlet Store!! I finally got my own properly made sundae. And it was excellent. Hit a few farm stands and a grocery and done for the day. Farm stand guy handed us a persimmon to try when I said I never had one before, then went on and on about everything, including that busloads of middle east persons are moving into the area. You heard it here first.
Sunday, Oct. 16
Today we are moving closer to the park for one last night. A big rain and miserable drive had us stop at Buck Meadows for an RV resort in the pouring rain and wind. Absolutely miserable, but I made porcini mushroom pasta from the San Fran shopping so that was good. And the drive to this place was… well, about as tight curvey as 550 before Ouray, even tighter, but had a little more space to maneuver. Definitely the Lucy & Nicky trailer road from the long long trailer. Straight up on the edge, in the rain and wind. It was fine, but we could see another road coming down across the valley and we thought it might be our road which was a colon-activator. Fortunately it was not, whew. We drove up, and got to stay up. RV had cable TV but reception bad due to storm, and then the power went out, but we couldn't tell in the trailer cuz we were just sitting around listening to a book my iPod speakers. Came back on in about an hour. Knitting socks for all burger fans.
Monday, Oct. 17
The sun is out like it never even rained! Short drive into Yosemite. More narrow winding roads, especially in the busy park valley. Temps in the 50s, but sunny! The waterfalls are running because there was so much rain -- even snow on the far mountaintops. Park seems very busy today. Good for pics. Rode bikes over to the Awanee Hotel, now the Majestic Yosemite Inn, for lobby tour and wifi, and hung around for the official hotel tour which lasted until 5. Cold ride back on the bikes for dinner and generator hours of just 5 - 7 in our DARK CANYON HOLE. I can see the sun up there but we are deep behind the granite walls along the Merced River under thick trees.
Tuesday, Oct. 18
36 degrees this am. I am having a hard time getting moving in this DARK HOLE. Yes there is sun, way up there in the cliffs, but not down in here. Really need that sun to get my batteries going, I am finding that I must be cold-blooded reptilian. Walked a mile from the campground to the Vernal Falls hike, then UP on the trail to the very nice falls. Steep, wet rocky steps so very glad we remembered our hiking sticks. Busy paved trail too, didn't expect that. All in all a 5.125 mile hike. After that got on the bikes for a 5.75 mile ride around the park to the visitor center and the upper and lower Yosemite Falls which were also running more than they were last time we were here two years ago in July. I note our hiking and biking mileage, shows how much we are slowing down in our old age!! a 5 mile hike is plenty for now. Damn I can remember Vic and I putting on 12 or 14 miles a day just running around Disney with a park hopper pass before driving home the same day!
Wednesday, Oct. 19
32 degrees this am.
Saw a Whale
