Good Times on the Oregon Coast

    We're tucked away in Annie's driveway in Petaluma CA now. I wanted to give a nod though to the Oregon Coast State Parks that sheltered us for 10 nights before we ventured into California. There are 16 state parks along the coast, or close to that number. This time of the year, each one is $20 or $22 per night. The campgrounds offer hot showers and flush toilets that are cleaned daily by park hosts.  Oregon has bragging rights to its Park Host program. Each park where we camped had a minimum of two hosts up to six or seven, depending on the size of the park.  Also, yurts are a really big deal in Oregon State Parks. These smallish circular tent buildings rent for 30 - 40 dollars a night, and are popular with travelers. Each park had a cluster of yurts, a yurt town of sorts. Maybe you can tell, we were just plain impressed with Oregon state parks. The pictures I'm sharing don't show the parks, but they do show some of the scenery we enjoyed while staying at the parks.

Astoria, OR. Columbia River meets the Pacific

Fort Stevens State Park beach, Astoria

Sunset, Nehalem Bay



Moonrise, Nehalem Bay



Yaquina lighthouse

Harbor seals, Yaquina National Natural Area
Newport, OR



Anemone, Yaquina tide pools

Peppi at Simpson Reef, near Sunset Bay
State Park, Coos Bay, OR

 

Stellar and California sea lions at Simpson Reef 



Sea lions "hauled out

                                                                 Bullard's Beach Campground, Bandon OR

                                                           





Elk Meadows

    Stellar jays and robins dart about at the edge of Elk Meadows campground, near the gloriously  sunny site we choose at Prairie Creek State Park in the Redwoods National Forest, northern California. Signs out by the road read, "Elk Viewing." A large meadow of ferns in their November brown garb fronts our small open campground loop.  There are benches placed along the meadow's edge and more signs that read, "Danger: Do not approach wildlife." "Must be some elk that walk through this area," we think. Not until we have set up camp a few yards from the ferns do we notice antler-sized 'sticks' moving in the ferns, and we realize that there are three elk snoozing right there, a short distance from the Pickle.


"Sticks" in the ferns

We wait. We eat our lunch, and then I take my place in a lawn chair at the front of the motor home - ahhh! A chance to read in the sun! As the sun moves slightly down in the sky, I feel a "change": "Dusk comes early to the redwoods," I think.  I glance to my left and then see it in all of its largeness - a bull elk walking toward me.
 I decide to slip into the GMC. That wakes Michael and I tell him he may want to see this. "And get your camera!!"


                                                                                             The "sticks" come to life

                                                   

The elk comes toward us but only to graze on the grass near the GMC.  Two other elk follow, and there they stay for an hour or more, nibbling, chewing, completely indifferent to us, or cars that stop to take photos, or other campers that drive in to set up camp.  Later the elk move to the campground's grassy central area, oblivious even to Nina's barking.

Outside the Pickle

The following morning, the three elk were joined by a fourth, grazing again just a short distance from our window. Perhaps they brought the frost that covered the campground, including the cyclist's tents nearby.

 

                                                       

                                                             

                                                              Frosty morning - 28 degrees!

                               

                                         

World travelers

Hello, I am Michael, chief window washer, sanitation engineer, mechanic, inventor, pump jockey (except in Oregon, where you are not allowed to pump your own gas) and main pilot. Here we are along the coast of the Pacific. Having gotten our fill of trees after about 4,569,384,235,146 it seemed to be a reasonable change of scenery. Also avoidance of snow and cold and ice seemed to be a noble cause. There was also the mountain passes that the Pickle could do with less of. We love the beach and as Nina has pointed out it is her favorite as long as she does not consume too much sand. Of course we are seeing many things along the way, both people of interest and new sights, sounds, smells birds and mammals and an assortment of fish and crustaceans for our dinning pleasures. I of course am looking out for the unusual and different traveler and means of transportation and type of journey. I doubt that I will be able to find anyone more interesting in all three categories than the people we met the other day at Nehalem Bay near Manzanita, OR. Kevin and Karen are from the UK. Their adventure started in 2010 and they have been working there way around and up and down the planet ever since. I certainly did not have a chance to talk with them long, but at the end of this edition, I will share their blog with you as well as a few pictures. It was obvious from the start that they were some very serious travelers as their motorcycle has developed into a literal cosmic traveling machine along the way. I doubt that you will be able to even guess what some of the attachments and devices that they have added over the miles. I know they crossed from Australia to Vancouver, BC on a cargo ship and spent this past summer doing a large part of Alaska then down through Canada to Yellowstone and Glacier. We caught up to them here on the Oregon cast and would certainly hope our paths cross again. If you are looking for a winter of reading, I am sure their blog will offer up some amazing stories. They have been at it for over 3 and one half years and figure they maybe have 6 months of funding left to continue on around the western US and head down into central and South America.

The 79 Moto Guzzi as I said is beefed up and a strong runner with Kevin being the chief mechanic as well as main pilot. Karen has a lot of riding experience as well owning a Guzzi V50 (500) at home. Between their modern teepee tent with central heater, chains for the slick going, training wheels to keep the whole assembly from tipping over inadvertently, roof, full body wind guard and an assortment of storage containers and attachments, it is far more than a motorcycle. I certainly look forward to catching up to them via the blog, whenever I have an abundance of WIFI.

Hello, I am Michael, chief window washer, sanitation engineer, mechanic, inventor, pump jockey (except in Oregon, where you are not allowed to pump your own gas) and main pilot. Here we are along the coast of the Pacific. Having gotten our fill of trees after about 4,569,384,235,146 it seemed to be a reasonable change of scenery. Also avoidance of snow and cold and ice seemed to be a noble cause. There was also the mountain passes that the Pickle could do with less of. We love the beach and as Nina has pointed out it is her favorite as long as she does not consume too much sand. Of course we are seeing many things along the way, both people of interest and new sights, sounds, smells birds and mammals and an assortment of fish and crustaceans for our dinning pleasures. I of course am looking out for the unusual and different traveler and means of transportation and type of journey. I doubt that I will be able to find anyone more interesting in all three categories than the people we met the other day at Nehalem Bay near Manzanita, OR. Kevin and Karen are from the UK. Their adventure started in 2010 and they have been working there way around and up and down the planet ever since. I certainly did not have a chance to talk with them long, but at the end of this edition, I will share their blog with you as well as a few pictures. It was obvious from the start that they were some very serious travelers as their motorcycle has developed into a literal cosmic traveling machine along the way. I doubt that you will be able to even guess what some of the attachments and devices that they have added over the miles. I know they crossed from Australia to Vancouver, BC on a cargo ship and spent this past summer doing a large part of Alaska then down through Canada to Yellowstone and Glacier. We caught up to them here on the Oregon cast and would certainly hope our paths cross again. If you are looking for a winter of reading, I am sure their blog will offer up some amazing stories. They have been at it for over 3 and one half years and figure they maybe have 6 months of funding left to continue on around the western US and head down into central and South America.

The 79 Moto Guzzi as I said is beefed up and a strong runner with Kevin being the chief mechanic as well as main pilot. Karen has a lot of riding experience as well owning a Guzzi V50 (500) at home. Between their modern teepee tent with central heater, chains for the slick going, training wheels to keep the whole assembly from tipping over inadvertently, roof, full body wind guard and an assortment of storage containers and attachments, it is far more than a motorcycle. I certainly look forward to catching up to them via the blog, whenever I have an abundance of WIFI.

www.guzzioverland.co.uk  Check it out!

 

Nina Speaks

Nina here ....
    I'll tell you what I like about this trip.
    But first, let me tell you what I don't like about it ---
   I don't like the ridiculous amount of time I've spent curled up in the front of the Pickle while we crossed state after state, mile after mile in this rocking (up- and- over mountain passes, down- and - around coves, inlets and capes,)  swaying hulk of a boat on wheels.

This is what I do like:
    Running leashless for miles on the ocean beach. I can find a stick in one minute or less and if Martha or Michael will throw it for me, and I can race at top speed to fetch it, I've just climbed another rung on the stairway to heaven.

Now that we're on the west coast, I've had some great runs! Suddenly the whole nature of this trip has changed! Instead of driving, driving, driving across the plains and mountains all day long trying to stay ahead of the looming winter weather, we drive maybe 35 or 40 miles to the next state park that's located on the beach and STAY there for 2 or 3 nights! That means a beach walk every single day! Temperatures have been in the 50s, with highs close to 60, with at least partial sun every day. I'm loving it! It's the cat's meow!

"Stacks" near Seaside, Oregon

Fort Stevens State Park, near Astoria, Oregon
 

Washington Roundup

( Speaking of Roundup, back in Montana, we camped in a town called Roundup at its fairgrounds, open to free camping, no amenities. The next morning we ate breakfast at the BusyBee restaurant.)




Fantastic sunset at Kalaloch

Kalaloch Campground, Pacific Ocean



Nina had miles to run at low tide

I thought since all I posted yesterday were tree pictures (yes, we have seen enough trees in the Olympic Peninsula to last us a lifetime) and since we're leaving our Port Townsend friends' lovely accommodations (with wifi) tomorrow, I'd post another page of OTHER places we've seen along the way through the tree-covered state of Washington. There ARE Pacific beaches with miles of sand here, too.

Among all of those trillions of trees, you're going to run across a few really old big ones.







World's Largest Spruce tree -
Lake Quinault

AND mountains...........

Somewhere under the clouds we MAY have seen Mt. Olympus.

 

And look at what we found driving on Highway 2 west of Leavenworth - a fellow GMC stopped at the local knife store. He lived a few miles down the road in Sultan and was out for a test drive.

 

 

And this is what happens when you invite US to your house. You may find a rather large yard ornament in front of your home. Thanks to Brookes and Judy for a welcome weekend respite from our house on wheels. On to Oregon!

 

 

In a Pickle

The story begins like this ------

   It was a dark and stormy night. Make that rainy, not stormy. Well, it was dark, very dark and misty - damp, misty, moist and mossy. We had finally arrived at Heart of the Hills Campground in the heart of the Olympic National Park.  It's the campground closest to Hurricane Ridge, the road that winds its way up to a mountain view of Mt Olympus. The campground was a welcome sight after a long day of dead-ends, turn-arounds, ups and downs (literally,) including a 5-mile first - gear upward crawl. So it was much later than our usual roosting time when we arrived at the campground. Did I mention it was dark? No one was around. 
    Michael got out and, with flashlight leading the way, located a level pull-thru campsite nearby on the other side of the loop, perfect for the Pickle and the Gherkin. We drove around the end of the loop to site #17, up, up the incline to reach the level part of the pull-through. Almost there, when the front tire of the Pickle, too close to the edge of the pavement, slipped off and into a patch of muddy, mossy grass, spinning uselessly. We went nowhere. There was no chance of backing down, 2300 pounds behind 13,000 pounds, in the dark, on a narrow strip of pavement lined with trees, in the forest.
     What to do? "We have to unhook or we'll never get up the incline," Michael surmised. With the emergency brake secured on the Volvo, he tried to detach the tow bar from the GMC, but the pressure on it was too much for anyone to move. Next option -- back the GMC up just enough to loosen its weight on the tow bar, which would allow us to lift the tow bar off the hitch. That's where I came in. I sat in the Volvo, in gear, emergency brake on, braking with the foot brake, while Michael ever so slowly crept backwards in the Pickle. "Just trust me," I think I heard him say as I gazed up at that giant backend looming over me.
    Yes! A couple of inches back was all it took.  Michael was then able to lift and detach the tow bar, and drive the GMC into its resting place.  The Volvo found a spot for the night in a flat turn-out next door. Okay, enough excitement for one day.