June 30, 2010

We awoke to the pitter patter of little feet on our roof.   We are parked in a beautifully shaded RV park.  We have a very large tree right over top of us.  Our little friend must be a squirrel whose space we have invaded.  So far he has not shown any signs of hostility.  Darlie did catch him peeking in the roof vent in the bathroom though.  It must be a male squirrel.

We are off to Idaho today.  Hopefully we will find a place to spend the holiday weekend.  If not a wide spot on the side of the road will have to do.  As long as it has a nice view, we don't really care.  We have all we need in the old bread wagon.   I call it a wagon now because we are in Oregon Trail territory and that seems more fitting.

We might be out of range of phones and internet for a few days.  Check in on us from time to time.  I will catch up when I have a connection.  God Bless and Happy Independence Day.

We made our way over to the Sunrise Inn where we were to meet Tina and her family for breakfast.  I haven’t seen her in several years and I have never met her husband and children.  Soon they arrived bearing gifts.  

Tina brought us some frozen  huckleberries, homemade blackberry jam and some huckleberry jam.  We have never had a huckleberry and look forward to trying some.

When Tina told us some years ago she was going to move to Oregon and marry Jim I had my doubts how a Florida girl would take to the northwest.  She has taken to it like a tick to a deer.  She loves it out here.  She has a very nice man for a husband who is clearly a good father and family man.  The children are good looking kids as you can see in the photo below.  They are very polite and friendly.  Tina has a beautiful family.  We are so happy for her.

They are avid hunters.  They have bagged elk, bear, deer and mountain lions.   They shared some of their hunting stories with us.  The kids said they can't wait to join them in the woods.  They will be old enough this year.

Tina is a gal of many talents.  One of her most impressive talents is making life like newborn baby dolls.  They look alive they are so well done.  http://www.freewebs.com/heavensgardenofangels/aboutme.htm

Our time with them went by very fast but it was a time I will remember the rest of my days. 

We set out from Baker City leaving its beautiful green hills and snow capped mountains behind.  We were on our way to Idaho.  As we traveled our route plans changed.  I love it when we make plans and then they get changed.  We decided to turn up Rt 55 off from I 84 and work our way over to Rt 21 which is supposed to be a scenic highway.  

As we left the valley and entered the mountains I felt the excitement build being back on the crooked mountain roads.  The interstate is so boring.  We avoid as many as possible.  

In the canyon beside us rafters were careening down the rapids of the Payette River.  Darlie was in the back window snapping pictures of rafters and rapids.  The water was racing and leaping over huge boulders midstream, the blue green water bursting into mountains of white froth.

From Rt 55 we were to turn onto a secondary road that would take us over too Rt. 21.  

The Payette River made the turn with us.   We passed dozens more rafters dropping their brightly color rafts into the swirling water.

After traveling several miles, we rounded a bend and there was Hot Spring Campground on our right.  It was a small Department of Agriculture  campground having only 8 sites.  It looked like our kind of place.  It was heavily wooded with a steep evergreen covered mountain rising up behind it.  Across the road the Payette raced along its course.  We could hear the rushing of the water from the campsite.  

While down at the registration booth paying for our site, I noticed a sign posted that said, “No Hot Springs Here.  Go Across The Road.”  A poster next to the sign told of the volcanic history of this area.   Bubbling hot springs rise up all around the area some with temperatures as hot as 180 degrees.  

While walking back up to the MH, I noticed a car pull off the road across from the campground.  The occupants got out in swimsuits and headed down the steep bank to the river.  I know this river is fed by snowmelt and must be too cold for swimming, at least for Floridians.  I wondered if there might be a hot spring down there.

I told Darlie about my discovery.  We set out for the riverbank to see what was down there.  Looking down over the bank we could see the river rushing by.  Right at the edge of the shore was a crystal clear pool of water.  We walked down the path to the pool.  Water was running out of the bank into the pool.  The excess spilled over the rocks into the river.  I dipped my hand in the water and found it to be about 120 degrees or so.  Darlie promptly took off her socks and soaked her feet while I explored along the shoreline of the stream.  Later I joined her for a foot soak.  It did feel real nice.

Complete Guide to Idaho Hot Springs

So here we are again in a place we didn’t know existed with a natural attraction adjacent to the location.  The Lord has not failed us one time.  He always has a special place for us each day.  This has been a very special day indeed.

June 29, 2010

We were on the road by 9:00 AM.  The countryside in this part of the country is pretty uninteresting.  As we traveled south, however, rolling green hills with green meadows began to fill the big window on the front of our RV.

The farther south we traveled the more beautiful it was.  We took the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway.  When I first turned on it I thought it must be the wrong road as grass was growing up through the pavement.   I turned around to go back and inquire at the ranger station we had passed.  They said it is a beautiful drive and the road is good.   Off we went.

Out west you have to always be aware of free range areas.  Cows are roaming loose and tend to run in front of vehicles.  On the scenic drive we had to stop for several cows and calves.  We also saw one dead along the road.  It must have messed up someone's car to hit that.

We were the only car we saw the entire fifty mile drive.  We stopped in a pullout next to a large green meadow to eat lunch.  We sat there for over an hour.  We saw a deer run across the hillside.  Not one car passed by.  I think you could take a nap in the middle of the road quite safely.

Was we came into Granite - Sumpter area you could see evidence of the gold mining days.  The dredges had dug up the entire valley leaving great piles of cobble stones.  Some people still work claims along the river.  With the price of gold at $1250.00 per ounce, I suppose a few flakes a day would add up.

This is the mess a dredge makes.  It is not nearly as bad as what we saw in Dawson City in the Yukon.

This is the dredge.  They were outlawed years ago.  Good thing.

We arrived in Baker City mid-afternoon.  It is a neat clean little city with an attractive downtown area.  We stopped at the Oregon Trail West RV park in Baker City.   They are booked up for the weekend but they did have room for tonight.  We will meet Tina for breakfast in the morning.

We are having our first rain shower since Louisiana nearly two months ago.  It is incredible that we have not has any rain in all this time.  The old bread truck needed a wash anyhow.

June 28, 2010

I called my daughter, Tina, who lives in Baker City, OR.  Baker City is in eastern Oregon.   I thought that being so close I would see if they would be home so we could stop by and say hello.  We may never get out this way again.  It would be nice to see where she lives and hunts.  (she shoots big elk and bears etc)

With the holiday weekend coming up I wasn’t sure they would be home as many people in these parts seem to head for the hills every weekend.  She said they didn’t have any plans.  There are a couple of campgrounds near her town.  

The drive down there took us through open farmland.  We recognized potatoes, corn and wheat growing in fields along the way.  Dozens of dust devils rose over the plowed fields.  They shot up like geysers carrying dust hundreds of feet into the air.  It was a very strange sight.

The further south we went the more bleak the landscape became.  It started to remind me of New Mexico.  The land was stark in appearance.  Colors were bland.  Even the rock formations were uninteresting.  I thought it was a great place to be from.  It is the only part of Washington that is not a beautiful gem.

Darlie spotted a Pizza Hut in Hermiston, OR.  She was hungry for pizza all of a sudden.  We stopped.  While she was in ordering a Supreme, I was out in the MH searching for a wireless connection.

I was able to connect to the Oxford Inn wireless.  I posted a couple of blogs I had written a few days ago along with a few photos my photographer took.  

Darlie soon popped in with the pizza.  I wasn’t hungry when she left but I couldn’t resist the alluring smell rising from the box.  I devoured three pieces.  Shamefully.

We found an RV park a short distance down the road.  It is a very well kept place and very reasonable.  Most of the sites are filled with permanent residents.  We are the only transients in the park.  It is a bit noisy here with trucks passing by and a train blowing its horn every so often.  Maybe that is why travelers avoid it.   

It was warm outside so Darlie fired up the air conditioner.  We will sit inside and relax for the evening.  It was a long day on the road.

June 27, 2010

Our camp hosts came by to check our registration ticket.  When she spoke to Darlie, Darlie recognized her Georgia accent.  They struck up a conversation.  Lita and Gary Bird are camp hosting for the first time this year.  For those who don’t know, a camp host stays in the campgrounds for a period of time, usually a month or more.  They oversee the activities of the campers to make sure rules are compiled with.  For their service they are given a camp site with full hookups.  Some campgrounds provide more or less depending on the location and responsibilities.

They plan to be hosting in Florida this coming winter.  We exchanged information so we can get together when they come down.  They hope to be hosting in Everglades NP.

We are sitting on the lakeshore once again.  Many of the weekend people are gone.  It is much quieter now.  The lake is calm.  The grill is going.  The sun will soon set on another beautiful day.  We will start a campfire and wait for the Indians to salute the moonrise once again.

Starting a fire the way the cowboys did, with lots of cardboard.

Darlie showing me how to roast the perfect marshmallow.

June 26, 2010

Darlie’s relatives kept me awake for awhile last night.  I woke to what I thought was someone’s child hollering and screaming.  I got up and went out to the front of the MH.  All the windows were open as it was quite warm when we went to bed.  I sat on the sofa and listened to an Indian across the lake singing his chats, hoots and screams.  This went on for a few minutes around midnight.  Anyone who has spent time around a lake knows how sound carries over the water.  It was like they were out in my front yard.  Then again it might have been some of the drunks at the other end of the campground who were making all the noise.  I heard there was some people down there who needed to be quieted down.  

I discovered the Indians call the June full moon the strawberry moon.  That is because when the full moon appears in June the strawberries are ripe, plump and ready for picking.   Traditionally the picking is done by the moon light to honor the strawberry and assure a good crop for the next year.

There is an area across the lake that looks like a big campground.  I asked one of our neighbors if that is what it was.  He said it is the Indian Pow Wow grounds.  Seems my neighbor likes to tell big whoppers because my map says it is an AA campsite on the Indian reservation.  The Confederated Tribe and the Spokane tribe reservations are both dry.  

I will go down and reserve this site for a couple more nights.  This is so nice.  I could spend a couple of weeks here.  We have nice neighbors around us too.  Everyone is very friendly.  We rarely stay anywhere more than one night.  We like to be on the move all the time.  We would be unhappy staying in one place for more than a few days.

If I come back here I will bring a boat.  The walleye fishing is very good.  Everyone was up early and out on the lake.  It will be interesting to see how they do when they return.   Our neighbor, Bob, was out for awhile but he came back saying it was too windy for his inflatable dingy.  He has a small foldable outboard motor on it.  He can stow the boat and motor in one of the compartments under his MH.

It is another beautiful sunny day.  We will sit outside and read and take a walk later.  

I know everyone likes Darlie's photos so I put a bunch up for you without much commentary.  This sure is pretty country.

June 25, 2010

Daylight comes early here, 4:30 AM.  Darlie had covered all the bedroom windows with thick blankets to keep out the light so we could sleep in to a reasonable hour.  She couldn’t do anything about the crows, however.  They started their squawking at first light.  

Below my window were four or five crows.  One was following the larger one around making an awful racket.  All of them seemed to follow the larger crow as they pecked and scratched around.  The smaller crows obviously were in school.  Mama was teaching them to find their breakfast.  The one doing all the squawking wanted to be fed.  I noticed Mama taking a big bug or something else she caught and giving it to the noisy one.  All the others seemed to be getting the hang of it themselves.   Bird kids seem to progress about the same way human kids do.  Some get it right away and others take a bit longer.   They all find their way in time though.

We thought about staying another night in this beautiful park.  We both felt the urge to move on, though reluctantly.  The Lord directs our paths so we go with the leading we both feel.  Each day the Lord has led us to unique places.   Today was to be another of those days.

I haven’t mentioned it before but we have had an irritating squeaking sound in the right rear wheels since we bought this MH.  We had it in the shop to have everything checked out, brakes, bearings, shocks, suspension, everything.  We were told it was in excellent condition but we still had the little squeak.

I told you a couple of weeks ago we donated a hubcap to the rough California interstate.  I was disappointed at the time.  We cracked our windshield on a big hole in CA Rt. 99 too.  I felt like sending “Arnold” a bill for my damages.

The Bible says all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.  Losing the hubcap proved to be one of those things that worked out for good in the end.  

The hubcaps on our MH never seemed to fit the way they should.  They wobbled making it look like you were losing a wheel causing some motorists to become alarmed.

I decided to take all of the hubcaps off last night and see what I could do to make them fit tighter.  I took the cap from the squeaky rear wheel and put it up front were we lost one.  It was attached to the wheels with a big jointed bracket.  

When we hit the road this morning, we heard a loud noise like something dragging.  I knew we disconnected everything before we left.  I pulled to the side of the road and put on the four ways.  Darlie jumped out and found that bracket had come loose and was flopping around on the wheel.  I told her to just break it off as we were sitting on the road in a hazardous position.  She twisted it back and forth a couple of times and it came off.  

She hopped back in and we were off again.  Darlie said with amazement, “It’s gone.”  I said, “What’s gone?”   “The squeak”, she said happily.  She could hear it on her side all the time with her window open.  She had listened to it for the last 6,000 miles.  Always in the back of her mind she thought the wheels would suddenly fly off or something.  Turns out it was that bracket jiggling around that made the squeak we couldn’t find.  Had I not lost a hubcap, we would never have figured it out.  Now I am waiting to see what good comes out of that cracked windshield.

We climbed another mountain pass.  I love those climbs.  We don’t see many class A motor homes where we go.  Darlie says that is because the roads I pick are more suited for a motorcycle rather than a motor home.  “Yeah, but the scenery is better”, is my reply.

We dropped down into a village called Kettle Falls, WA.  The Columbia River has been damed up south of here creating FDR Lake.  It is a long narrow lake about 157 miles long.   We noticed a route that followed along the lakeshore the entire length.  We decided to take it.  There are many overlooks so Darlie to take pictures of the sparkling blue water.  We made many stops along the road for that purpose.

We happened on to a National Park campground near Gifford.  It appeared from the highway to be right on the lake.  It was early but it looked inviting so we stopped to check it out.  Once again the Lord chose our campsite for the next day or two or three.

We found a site right on the water.  People pay big bucks for a lakefront lot like this.  Our site is about 100 feet deep and 75 feet wide and goes right to the shoreline.  All this only cost me $5.00 per day with my senior pass.

The water is crystal clear and very cold.   There is a long pier with boat slips and a swimming beach.  People on the lots next to us have pulled their boats right up on the beach.  I am told walleye fishing is excellent here.   The catching must be good too as there is always a couple of fisherman at the fish cleaning table.  

We were entertained for hours watching the ferry cross back and forth across the lake.  It makes a crossing every few minutes.  The campground host stopped by for a visit.  They are from Georgia.  This is their first experience at being hosts.  So far they are enjoying the experience.  It also offsets some of the expense of living in the RV as they are given a site with full hookups for the summer.   We visited for quite some time before her duties called her away.

We grilled some ribs and sat outside until long after dark.  Shortly after sunset a full moon rose in the eastern sky.   You won’t believe this but I will tell you anyhow.  There is a very large Indian Reservation on the other side of the lake.  When the full moon first began to rise over the crest of the mountain howling and barking started on the other side of the lake.  It was LOUD.  At first we thought it was coyotes but it got louder with the sound of dogs, wolves, coyotes and any other canine you want to throw in.  This continued until the moon had completely cleared the mountaintop.  It must be some Indian ritual to howl at the full moon each month.  

The day has been warm.  The evening is refreshingly cool.  We will sleep well tonight.  We both agree another day here is in order.  I could go buy a Washington fishing license and stay a couple of weeks.  It is the kind of place you would want to spend your vacation.  The Lord might have to tug real hard to get us to leave here.

June 24, 2010

The Cascade Range is a range of volcanic mountains that extend from western Canada down to northern California.  Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the range.  The Cascades are aptly named.  Thousands of waterfalls cascade down the steep slopes of the mountains.

The Northern Cascade NP has thousands of unnamed waterfalls.  This time of year they are very spectacular, some falling hundreds if not thousands of feet.  Being they are not named, I chose one to name Darlie Falls.  

The NP we stayed in last night had beautifully paved roads and campsites.  They were repaving them.  Why??

Bryce Canyon, located in Utah, could really use the pavement.  All the campgrounds are dirt roads or old pavement and very dusty.  Many more people visit there than Cascades NP.  There were only four of us camped in that park last night.  Bryce is filled every night.   Go figure. 

It is amazing how diverse the western states are.  You would think mountains are mountains but each range has its own character.  The Cascades are very steep, snow covered, forested mountains.  There is plenty of exposed rock but douglas firs thickly populate the steep slopes.  The peaks are so high they scratch the sky above, clouds curling around their jagged tops.  

Rt 20 follows a river rushing with snowmelt.  There are several dams along it’s course that are used to produce hydroelectric power.  Each dam creates a long emerald green lake.  There are many overlooks along the way to stop and take in the view.  Darlie must have snapped 300 photos. 

As we crossed over the pass and began to descend the mountains. The scene changed rapidly.  Fewer trees and more rock was visible.  The farther east we traveled the more arid it became.  I wouldn’t call it desert because it was green.   Sagebrush was thick upon grassy fields.   Its pungent odor filled the MH as we traveled along enjoying the mild weather.

Acres of neat rows of apple trees covered the valley floor and up the hillsides.  Groves of black cherry trees glisten with bright red berries nearly ready for picking.  We have been following the black cherry harvest all over the west.  We have eaten several pounds. 

We passed through small towns that had a western feel.  Storefronts reflected their wild west heritage.   There were dance halls, saloons, mercantile stores and hotels with balconies.  The streets were filled with people browsing the various shops.

Once across the valley, we began our ascent once again.  We are entering the Kettle River Range.  We found a lovely state park campground on a lake.   We are tired and ready to relax outside in the soft green grass overlooking the lake.

Curlew Lake State Park is one of the neatest, well kept parks we have been in.  Acres of thick, green, soft grass roll out like a carpet over knolls and slopes to the water’s edge.  It is kept mowed like a golf course.   Shade trees are plentiful and nicely spaced.   A fishing pier and boat launch are centrally located, easily reached by all park users.  Locals were at the pier cleaning their catches of rainbow trout.  Lake views from grassy hilltops invite you to stop and sit awhile.   This is a beautiful place.

June 23, 2010

This morning the fact sunk in that we have rounded the horn and are headed east again.  The gorgeous blue Pacific is behind us.  I wonder if I will ever see it again and hear its surf pounding on the beach.   We have gone as far west as we can go without leaving the country.  Turning east carries the thought that our adventure, that once seemed endless, does in fact have an end.  

This has been a special time for me and Darlie.  There is no one and nothing that takes our time from one another.  We have enjoyed every minute doing whatever we have been doing.  I know when we get back east, our focus will change to visiting with family and friends.  We do look forward to that but with it this special time will come to an end.  

Even though we are doing different things, we are only about an arms length away from each other all day.  I am writing my blog while Darlie sits on the other side of the booth searching her bird book for the birds she spotted today.  At home we are usually in separate rooms doing whatever.  Living in such a small space makes you more aware of each other.  It also teaches you to be more considerate of each other.  One thing for sure.  If we ever start to feel disconnected, we will jump in the old bread truck and go somewhere.

As I was walking around the old bread truck this morning I noticed he had a smile on his face.  I asked why he was all aglow.  He said he is happy we bought him.  He spent most of his life going nowhere.  He just sat around and didn’t get to do what he was born to do...... travel.   He said we have driven him places he always dreamed he would take his owners someday.  Every morning he is ready for the new adventure set before us.  He really cheered me up.  

Our plan was to drive up to Port Townsend and take the ferry across to Whidbey Island.  It would be a pleasant drive up Rt 101, avoiding the traffic of the greater Seattle area.  The Lord had other plans.  He knows my yesterdays, my todays and my tomorrows.  He already knows what the day holds for us.  There is comfort in knowing He directs our paths.

I tried to call the ferry company to make a reservation.  RVs have to make reservations at least a day in advance.  They can only put so many large vehicles on at a time.  The recording said all slots for today were filled.  Some of the slots for tomorrow were also filled.  I waited patiently on hold for fifteen minutes.  No one picked up.  I wasn’t going to drive up there without a confirmed reservation and not be able to get on.  So plans were changed.  I will drive through Seattle though I loath cities.

The Seattle metro area is made up of several large cities in a row.  Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle along with a dozen smaller cities make an eighty mile long traffic snarl.  We flew along pretty good at first.  Then the dreaded start and stop driving began.  We inched along for a long way until we came to the reason for the backup.   Some poor soul in a delivery truck was broken down right in the middle of the freeway.  He wasn’t having a good day.

I have two GPS units.  One is a Garmin 255.  The other is a Tom Tom XL with lane guidance.  I will take the Tom Tom over the Garmin.  It tells me what lane to be in two miles in advance before any turns or splits in the traffic pattern.   With a large vehicle I have time to move over if I have too.  It sounds a trumpet call if I get over the speed limit.  It also warns me of those traffic cameras at intersections.  It recalculates a new route fast if you make a wrong turn.  

We could see Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker from the interstate.  It was a clear day so their tops were not in the clouds as they usually are.  We had talked about driving over to Rainier but figured we wouldn’t be able to see it if we did.  I guess we were wrong.  

Look real closely.  See the mountain?

Someone told us to drive Rt 20 through North Cascade NP.  That is where we are now.      

We camped in a very dense forest on the banks of a rushing stream.  There is still lots of snow on the mountains up here that is keeping it well fed.  The water is turquoise blue and so cold it numbs your hand in a minute. 

The forest is some of the thickest I have seen out west.  The tall stately Douglas Fir predominates.  Red cedars also streak skyward as if trying to complete in a race for the heavens.  Their relatively smooth bark was pounded into fabric by the Indians to make clothing.  The closet in the Tee Pee probably smelled wonderful but I would think a set of bark underwear would leave a rash. 

The forest floor is covered with green plants of every description.  The only ones I recognize are very large ferns standing more than three feet tall.  Large logs of long ago fallen trees lie rotting amidst the vegetation.  In God’s creation nothing is wasted.   The old rotting log feeds the new generation that sprung from its own seed years ago.

Crows, steller’s jays, a humming bird, robins and a squirrel visit our campsite.  As compared with other places, wildlife seems sparse.  I think they are well hidden in the thick forest.  Occasionally you catch movement out of the corner of your eye.  Whatever it was is gone.  Hidden in the dense foliage. 

I think robins should have been named the national bird.  We have seen robins in every state we have visited.  They seem to be in abundance everywhere.  Hearing one chirping happily away is like hearing the voice of a familiar friend everywhere you go.

There is a dogwood tree right next to the MH.  They don’t have as many flowers on them as the ones back east.  But they are very large flowers.  Darlie had to take a picture, of course.

There are no services in this park so we are dry camped.  The price is right though.  It is just $6.00 with my Senior pass.  There are other campers out here with us but you wouldn’t know it because we are spaced out so well.

We built a fire and cooked some steaks.  We spotted some bear sign around our camp.  Darlie kept an eye out for an evening visitor.  So far the bear hasn’t appeared.  

Laundry Day June 22, 2010

Last night we were camped right on the beach in Cape Disappointment State Park.   We could hear the waves crashing on shore very clearly.  There was a high tide last night at about 10:PM.  The crashing was very loud as the shoreline has moved much closer to us.

In Florida we have hurricane evacuation route signs everywhere.  Here they have tsunami evacuation route signs everywhere.   As I lie in bed listening to the waves crashing so close by I couldn't help think about a tsunami rolling in while we slept.  There is no high ground to evacuate too.  Would they sound an alarm?  I figured I had better just get to sleep.   At least if I am sleeping and the tsunami comes, I won't be aware of it.
The morning was bright and sunny.  This is an unusual day for these parts.  It is the warmest day we have had since leaving central California.   We both put on shorts for the first time in a long time.

We studied the map over breakfast.  We had been told that the drive across Rt 20 in northern Washington was beautiful.  Rt. 20 cuts through the North Cascade National Park.  It is a very remote area.

We decided to head for there.  First, however,  we had to catch up on our laundry and connect to the internet to let everyone know we are ok.  We will be out of contact for a few days when we get up in that area.  We don't want anyone to be worrying about us.   Besides, I carry a large can of hornet spray to ward off bears, crazed elk and would be assassins.

We chose a route that would take us to a full service commercial RV park.  They are a necessary evil on occassion.  We found the Elma RV Park in Elma, Washington along Rt. 12.  They have a laundry and wifi internet.

The park is packed with a group traveling together as a tour.  We have come across a couple of groups like this.  It is a nice way to travel around while getting to know the people you are with.  It looks like a better deal than sitting on your butt some place out of the snow for three months.   If I was to do this again, I might consider something like that.

On the way up here, Darlie finally got to see some elk in a place where she could get a picture of them.

These are a little grainy cause she had to zoom in quite a bit.

Our route today took us up along the tidal plains of western Washington.  Oyster harvesting is a large industry in this area.  We passed several very large oyster packing houses.   We have bought oysters at home that were shipped from South Bend, Washington.   We had to stop and buy some fresh oysters for dinner.  Darlie will deep fry them tonight.

We also passed through spotted owl country.  This is the area where logging companies practice clear cutting.  I must admit, it does destroy the natural beauty of the area.  Many mountains are completely void of trees.  Stacks of rotting stumps, brush and logs litter the ground.   The good news is, however, they replant the barren areas.  Little seedlings could be seen sprouting in rows through the desolation.
There was timber in various stages of growth.  Some areas have been planted and harvested three times or more.  We didn't see any spotted owls.

June 21, 2010 Fort Clatsop

Days are starting to run together for us.  I have to write each day or I wouldn’t be able to sort out events.    I have enjoyed traveling across the country and seeing new things.  After a time, it all starts to look alike.  Once you have seen a rock, you have seen a rock.  I wouldn’t be one who would be happy sitting in a campground somewhere for months at a time like the snowbirds do down home.  I have to be on the move every few days.   Darlie and I both seem to know when it is time to move on.

Some of the people you meet make the trip special too.  Today we met two couples from Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.  We had all stopped at an overlook to view the “haystack”.   One of the ladies offered to take our picture together.  Many people along the way have done the same and we have reciprocated.   

Haystack Rock

One of the couples were driving a Toyota Winnebago  class c camper.  It was in very nice condition.  We have seen many vintage RVs up in the northwest.  They all look in very good condition.

I asked them about their unit.  They bought it on ebay from a guy in Pennsylvania a year ago.  It is a 1993 with only 40,000 miles on it.  They were very proud of their purchase.  They told of flying from Vancouver to Pennsylvania to pick it up and their trip back across the country in it.  They were like parents bragging about their children.  

They said they got about 19 miles per Canadian gallon.  USA would be 80% less as the Canadian gallon is larger.  The other couple traveling with them had a diesel pickup towing a new 5th wheel.  They said they got 21 mpg Canadian.  Impressive being we get only 7.5 to 8 with our bread truck.  

This big rock had a hole through it and the waves came right through.

We visited for quite some time.  They wanted us to go up to Vancouver and tour that area.  We told them nothing was out of the program and we might just do that.  

They said if they were headed home they would invite us to stop in for a beer.   It was a nice offer of hospitality.   We all said our goodbyes and were on our separate ways.

Oregon is a beautiful green state.  Everything is so neat.  You don’t see any junk lying around.  Homes are neatly kept.  We had one final thing I have always wanted to visit.  I am an American history buff.  I have read about the Oregon Trail, the mountain men and the Lewis and Clark expedition.   Fort Clatsop is on our way.  It was the winter quarters for Lewis and Clark over the winter of 1805 - 06.

The fort itself is a reconstruction as the old one has long rotted away.  It has been constructed from the drawing the expedition made.  Its location is very near where the original fort stood.

The visitor’s center had movies running every hour that depicted the trip across country as well as life at the fort.  The woodlands surrounding the fort look much they did when Lewis and Clark visited here.  I stood by a very large douglas fir tree that would have been alive when the men were cutting logs for the fort.  It was probably spared because it would have been too small 205 years ago to be used.  It was there though.  Watching over all the activities as fort life that winter took place beneath its limbs.  I wish it could tell me the story of what it witnessed.  

The museum had displays of tools, clothing, weapons, dugout canoes, and other things that related to life at that time.  When these men set out on this adventure, no one back home thought they would ever see any of them again.  It was like man going to the moon but even more unknown.

How would you like to lug this thing around?

One group of men from the expedition were assigned to the salt camp.  It was located about 15 miles away on the coast.  They used large pots, drift wood and sea water to make a supply of salt for the camp and for the return trip.   It was a very slow process but it was vital work.

After leaving the fort we drove through Astoria.  That was the location on the Columbia River where John Astor sent a group of men to establish a fur trading post.  It was one of the first settlements on the Pacific coast.  It was instrumental in the procurement of the northwest for the USA.   That is another story.

At Astoria we crossed over the Columbia River.  It is a very high bridge.  I don’t like high.  A freighter was passing beneath it as we were going over it.  My eyes were glued to the road.  Darlie was happily snapping pictures.  

We drove out to Cape Disappointment.  So named because of the difficulty in entering the mouth of the river from sea.  I guess there were some pretty disappointed sea captains over the years.  

We are camped at Cape Disappointment State Park.  It is a very large park right on the ocean.  Darlie and I took a walk out to the beach bundled up as usual.  People were swimming and doing other beach things.  The day is overcast and cool.  

There was another lighthouse out there for Darlie to take 50 photos of.   Some people were playing with their dogs in the water.  Every time I see them playing I get homesick for my Buddy.  I miss my dog.  She would have loved some aspects of this trip and hated others.  She would have loved the water.

We walked to the other end of the beach where the lighthouse was.  A mist began coming in from the sea.  It was not rain or fog.  Just a mist.  It ever so slowly soaked our clothing.  We headed back to the MH.  We had failed to take note of where we came out on to the beach.  The beach is piled high with large logs and other driftwood.  It all looks pretty much alike.   After some trail and error we finally found our way to the campground.  

We put a pot roast in the pressure cooker.  We have settled in for the night.  We don’t have a clue where we are going in the morning but the adventure goes on.