Three wet weeks in Brownsville prompted some creative internet surfing. Russell landed on a very attractive, low miles class-A which started the negotiations by email and cell phone - love technology! So the hunt began for a TOAD-rv speak for a tow vehicle - also online. The only obstacle was the 13-hour drive from Brownsville to Valley View, TX (just south of Gainsville). The rig looked as good as promised and the deal struck!
Less than two weeks later, all goals have been accomplished! We are now mostly settled in our 2004 Monaco Diplomat with a 2005 Saturn Vue tow car. We moved in from the 5th-wheel beginning 12-22 with all goods stowed in some fashion by 12-23. It was not a pretty picture, but we rolled out of the dealership and headed for a park in Denton to sort out all of the details.
We are staying in the Dallas area to continue tweeking the minor repair work and learning new systems. We anticipate travel in more comfort with easier extended travel. No more repeated attempts at hitching, and many other chores that we had come to dread. BONUS: I won't hit my head on the hitch again.
The down side of all this activity was canceling our plans to meet friends for New Year's at Ft. Davis. So these dear floks adjusted their plans and drove to Dallas to join us on Christmas Day. What an awesome gift!
Pics to follow, we haven't had time yet!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
TEXAS
November, 2009
We drove from Albuquerque to Dallas in a single day, with the obligatory stop at the Big Texan for lunch. This is not recommended. We could’a stopped, should’a stopped, but Russell was determined to arrive into the Metroplex and negotiate an unfamiliar campground in the dark, after a long day. The man loves a challenge! Fortunately The Treetops Campground had given us a long, wide pull-through and a wonderful manager to help us accomplish the goal with as much grace as possible.
It was so wonderful to have trees with leaves falling and a damp chill in the air. It felt like being home again, which, of course, it was. We had time in Dallas to enjoy friends and Kyle, take care of business and see doctors. We headed to Waco for more of the same, and then to Houston to enjoy Thanksgiving with more family and friends. Even the right football teams won! It was a wonderful few weeks. In Waco we revisited Skipper and Connie at their RV Park, the River View. We found a great location to revisit on return trips in Dickinson, The Palms RV Park.
More of Texas awaits! About 30 years ago, we planned for a vacation at South Padre Island, but a devastating hurricane in that area changed all of that. This seemed like a good time to finally get to The Valley and South Padre.
The drive south is fairly long and uneventful in terms of terrain. Russell kept looking for when The Valley started, trying to spot high points in terrain so that a “valley” could be determined. Never found it! The best definition I could come up with is that the valley includes land that drains to the Rio Grande, and it is low elevation, even if there is no high elevation to show a contrast.
We arrived in true Geezer Heaven at Winter Haven Retirement Village. This gated community in Brownsville is second home to many Canadians and other Winter Texans, even quite a lot of North Texas Texans who like to wear shorts and t-shirts all year long. There is a nice mix of RV’s, park model homes, and brick homes along the man-made canals. Golf carts are the transport of choice! Although the weather has been less than perfect, we have been able to ride bikes and walk most days. The food shopping is terrific and we have tried new recipes with the available produce.
We drove from Albuquerque to Dallas in a single day, with the obligatory stop at the Big Texan for lunch. This is not recommended. We could’a stopped, should’a stopped, but Russell was determined to arrive into the Metroplex and negotiate an unfamiliar campground in the dark, after a long day. The man loves a challenge! Fortunately The Treetops Campground had given us a long, wide pull-through and a wonderful manager to help us accomplish the goal with as much grace as possible.
It was so wonderful to have trees with leaves falling and a damp chill in the air. It felt like being home again, which, of course, it was. We had time in Dallas to enjoy friends and Kyle, take care of business and see doctors. We headed to Waco for more of the same, and then to Houston to enjoy Thanksgiving with more family and friends. Even the right football teams won! It was a wonderful few weeks. In Waco we revisited Skipper and Connie at their RV Park, the River View. We found a great location to revisit on return trips in Dickinson, The Palms RV Park.
More of Texas awaits! About 30 years ago, we planned for a vacation at South Padre Island, but a devastating hurricane in that area changed all of that. This seemed like a good time to finally get to The Valley and South Padre.
The drive south is fairly long and uneventful in terms of terrain. Russell kept looking for when The Valley started, trying to spot high points in terrain so that a “valley” could be determined. Never found it! The best definition I could come up with is that the valley includes land that drains to the Rio Grande, and it is low elevation, even if there is no high elevation to show a contrast.
We arrived in true Geezer Heaven at Winter Haven Retirement Village. This gated community in Brownsville is second home to many Canadians and other Winter Texans, even quite a lot of North Texas Texans who like to wear shorts and t-shirts all year long. There is a nice mix of RV’s, park model homes, and brick homes along the man-made canals. Golf carts are the transport of choice! Although the weather has been less than perfect, we have been able to ride bikes and walk most days. The food shopping is terrific and we have tried new recipes with the available produce.
New Mexico
November 3, 2009
We headed northeast out of Phoenix toward I-40 and northern New Mexico, the thermometer dropping the entire way. Except for a short stretch of alpine in
Arizona, it was desert the whole way. The varying hues of red, orange, yellow changed with time of day and elevation, each vista beautiful and far reaching. We have driven this part of I-40 before, but I didn’t remember the large lava fields. El Malpais is the Spanish term for these badlands of roughed terrain. But our destination of Albuquerque lay further east.
We had allowed one day to Albuquerque, surely not enough. We elected to visit Old Town first to soak up culture, history and Mexican food. The bonus was the wonderful day of shopping. We had a beautiful sunny day to get our Christmas shopping complete with no hassles of the mall. We both enjoyed the hunt in this laid back adobe setting.
NEXT TIME: the lava fields, Albuquerque museums
We headed northeast out of Phoenix toward I-40 and northern New Mexico, the thermometer dropping the entire way. Except for a short stretch of alpine in
Arizona, it was desert the whole way. The varying hues of red, orange, yellow changed with time of day and elevation, each vista beautiful and far reaching. We have driven this part of I-40 before, but I didn’t remember the large lava fields. El Malpais is the Spanish term for these badlands of roughed terrain. But our destination of Albuquerque lay further east.
We had allowed one day to Albuquerque, surely not enough. We elected to visit Old Town first to soak up culture, history and Mexican food. The bonus was the wonderful day of shopping. We had a beautiful sunny day to get our Christmas shopping complete with no hassles of the mall. We both enjoyed the hunt in this laid back adobe setting.
NEXT TIME: the lava fields, Albuquerque museums
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; a NON-RV Trip!
October 10-20, 2009
We were very excited about our long awaited first trip to the interior of Mexico. The RV waited for us back in Phoenix while we flew south. Russell’s unexpected cold threw a damper on things, but he usually gets over these things quickly and it was way too late to change plans. We were staying with the Rutherford’s in their hillside condo and had many plans. We took it easy the first day to allow time for rest from travel and to let Russell get well. But dinner on the beach, a walk through town and the main drag were great fun. Pat, a fabulous cook, served dinner on the terrace to watch the sunset on Sunday.
By Monday, Russell was much better and I was sick. We went to town that morning, where we bought medicine and each had a massage. That was the end of my week. Russell, Rick and Pat went ahead with a modified version of “Our Plans” hoping I would be up and ready the next day. That never really happened. I had 3 wonderful nurses who were very patient with the wrench I had thrown.
We did walk on the beach and wade in the water. Russell and Rick took parachute flights over the bay and loved it. Venders walk the beach with their wares ready to bargain with tourists. “You want to broke my family?” from one such vender become the catch-phrase of the trip. We drove north of town to see the filming location for Predator. Unbelievably, the movie was on TV the night before we drove out there! The drive to and through the jungle was so different from the Pacific forests of western United States. We walked through the sand-floored huts and along the river that was in the movie – very cool! The locale is now a restaurant. Each couple got the fish and ribs for 2. They bring out a cookie sheet platter loaded with double portions of red snapper, lobster, shish-kabob, ribs, chicken and trimmings. Two of these sat on the table before 4 wide-eyed, but very hungry, people. It was a feast! We sat drinking margaritas while the waiters not only cleared all the tables; they stacked them and the chairs. We left to continue south to another famous restaurant, The Cliffs. This one sits right on the shore, each deck a little closer to the water. We enjoyed dessert and coffee with a view of the crescent shoreline of Puerto Vallarta. Oh My!
We really enjoyed PV. It caters to tourists with a beautiful bay, fun shopping, beautiful sites and great food. The Rutherford’s condo is very comfortable, offering an eye-popping view of the city and bay. We spent many hours on the terrace, especially in the evening, to enjoy the lights and the nightly fireworks show.
We were very excited about our long awaited first trip to the interior of Mexico. The RV waited for us back in Phoenix while we flew south. Russell’s unexpected cold threw a damper on things, but he usually gets over these things quickly and it was way too late to change plans. We were staying with the Rutherford’s in their hillside condo and had many plans. We took it easy the first day to allow time for rest from travel and to let Russell get well. But dinner on the beach, a walk through town and the main drag were great fun. Pat, a fabulous cook, served dinner on the terrace to watch the sunset on Sunday.
By Monday, Russell was much better and I was sick. We went to town that morning, where we bought medicine and each had a massage. That was the end of my week. Russell, Rick and Pat went ahead with a modified version of “Our Plans” hoping I would be up and ready the next day. That never really happened. I had 3 wonderful nurses who were very patient with the wrench I had thrown.
We did walk on the beach and wade in the water. Russell and Rick took parachute flights over the bay and loved it. Venders walk the beach with their wares ready to bargain with tourists. “You want to broke my family?” from one such vender become the catch-phrase of the trip. We drove north of town to see the filming location for Predator. Unbelievably, the movie was on TV the night before we drove out there! The drive to and through the jungle was so different from the Pacific forests of western United States. We walked through the sand-floored huts and along the river that was in the movie – very cool! The locale is now a restaurant. Each couple got the fish and ribs for 2. They bring out a cookie sheet platter loaded with double portions of red snapper, lobster, shish-kabob, ribs, chicken and trimmings. Two of these sat on the table before 4 wide-eyed, but very hungry, people. It was a feast! We sat drinking margaritas while the waiters not only cleared all the tables; they stacked them and the chairs. We left to continue south to another famous restaurant, The Cliffs. This one sits right on the shore, each deck a little closer to the water. We enjoyed dessert and coffee with a view of the crescent shoreline of Puerto Vallarta. Oh My!
We really enjoyed PV. It caters to tourists with a beautiful bay, fun shopping, beautiful sites and great food. The Rutherford’s condo is very comfortable, offering an eye-popping view of the city and bay. We spent many hours on the terrace, especially in the evening, to enjoy the lights and the nightly fireworks show.
Phoenix, Arizona
October 4, 2009
We left San Diego hugging the Mexican border along I-8 the drive was as interesting and unique as all the others have been. Signs of the border and border agents were everywhere in this sparse landscape. We drove through the Cleveland National Forest (no trees here), the Imperial Valley, and Imperial Valley Sand Dunes on our way to Yuma, Arizona. Great amounts of the sand dunes were blowing across the freeway to Mexico making visibility difficult. The winds and sands stopped at the border, though, for a scenic drive through southwestern Arizona to Phoenix. It was nice to be coming back to some place and have a sense of the familiar.
We spent a week enjoying Rick and Pat and getting ready for our trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It is nice to just be here and have no pressure to sightsee. We’ve spent the near-month resting, recuperating, and catching up on business with beautiful weather and gorgeous mountains in the background. It has been time to work, bike, walk, watch football and sit in the hot tub. It is especially nice to have all of this and friends close by to enjoy it with.
We left San Diego hugging the Mexican border along I-8 the drive was as interesting and unique as all the others have been. Signs of the border and border agents were everywhere in this sparse landscape. We drove through the Cleveland National Forest (no trees here), the Imperial Valley, and Imperial Valley Sand Dunes on our way to Yuma, Arizona. Great amounts of the sand dunes were blowing across the freeway to Mexico making visibility difficult. The winds and sands stopped at the border, though, for a scenic drive through southwestern Arizona to Phoenix. It was nice to be coming back to some place and have a sense of the familiar.
We spent a week enjoying Rick and Pat and getting ready for our trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It is nice to just be here and have no pressure to sightsee. We’ve spent the near-month resting, recuperating, and catching up on business with beautiful weather and gorgeous mountains in the background. It has been time to work, bike, walk, watch football and sit in the hot tub. It is especially nice to have all of this and friends close by to enjoy it with.
San Diego, CA
September 9, 2009
Arriving in San Diego on I-15 begins north of Escondido, about 50 miles away from the southern extreme of San Diego at Tijuana, Mexico. Our RV address took us to within a few miles of that border. Our site at La Pacifica was pool side, a fact we both took advantage of.
We had all the expected tourist destinations planned, but first flew to Dallas for a quick weekend with our son. Other non-tourist activities included visits to an eye doctor, ordering new glasses, installing our new satellite, and watching the stock market. All so exciting! We are enjoying the reliability of the satellite service.
Our first excursion was the Maritime Museum at the harbor. We got to board the oldest merchant sailboat that still can be sailed in its original method, no engines have been added. We learned that volunteers at the museum earn the right to crew the Star of India by passing certifications and serving volunteer hours. It is quite an honor to be among the 60 hands needed to fully man the steel hulled beauty. A USSR Foxtrot submarine is on the tour as well as a USA experimental sub, the Dolphin. A historic luxury steam yacht that also served in both World Wars is a study in teak and fine living. The HMS Surprise is a replica of the original frigate that was used to film Master and Commander. It displays original cannons and photos of the movie. The Victorian era Berkeley would be a wonderful way to ferry between Berkeley and San Francisco. The modern Stars and Stripes is docked along side these antique versions of sail power providing lovely contrast. We walked along the dock to the Navy World War II monuments near the USS Midway carrier. A different day we walked downtown enjoying lunch in the Gaslamp Quarter and a stroll through Little Italy at opposite ends of downtown. Returning to the car felt a little like a forced march, but it was a beautiful day.
A happy coincident: Any time we are in Dallas, we have to visit Half Priced Books at Northwest Hwy. They always have something surprising. This time I picked up a copy of Two Years Before the Mast, a first person account of merchant ships in the mid 19th century. The author, Richard Henry Dana, saw southern California when it was a part of Mexico as a sailor on ships that transported hides east. Reading his diary account of ports from San Francisco to San Diego gives a glimpse of the land and culture of 1835. It was especially interesting to have walked on a bark like Star of India, much like the author’s ship, the Alert. There could be no better time to read this American classic.
We drove around Balboa Park and spent a great afternoon at the famed zoo. We rode the sky lift tram, the tour bus and moving sidewalk in addition to a lot of walking to see all the exotic animals and plants. Gorillas and polar bears really put on a show, while pandas and koalas sort of allowed us to gaze upon them. We were fortunate to visit the gorillas at the same time as one of their greatest fans. This frequent zoo visitor told us names, how to identify each gorilla of the family and shared many of their antics. San Diego actually has 2 families and rotates them into view. According to our new friend, we got to see the more interesting group of a male, 3 females and a baby, Adam.
We spent an afternoon at La Jolla, walking at the cove, park and beach. Russell wants the concession that allows other reluctant tourists the option of not watching the “smelly blobs,” aka, seals. I thought they were cute! No smelly blobs at the Hotel Del Coronado! All is pristine and upper crust! Our location south of Chula Vista allowed us to follow CA 75 up the beach to “Coronado Island.” The area actually became a peninsula when it was connected to the mainland at Imperial Beach and the highway was built. Another highway connects the city to downtown via a dramatic bridge. You can still ferry across from the downtown harbor and walk the quaint streets to arrive at the hotel. Staying at this historic Victorian beauty would be a real treat and step back in time.
October 1 came and it was time to leave San Diego and California. 2.5 months is not enough time to see everything we had wanted, but it was certainly a great start.
NEXT TIME: Stay north of the city. Visit San Juan Capistrano. Balboa Park museums!
Arriving in San Diego on I-15 begins north of Escondido, about 50 miles away from the southern extreme of San Diego at Tijuana, Mexico. Our RV address took us to within a few miles of that border. Our site at La Pacifica was pool side, a fact we both took advantage of.
We had all the expected tourist destinations planned, but first flew to Dallas for a quick weekend with our son. Other non-tourist activities included visits to an eye doctor, ordering new glasses, installing our new satellite, and watching the stock market. All so exciting! We are enjoying the reliability of the satellite service.
Our first excursion was the Maritime Museum at the harbor. We got to board the oldest merchant sailboat that still can be sailed in its original method, no engines have been added. We learned that volunteers at the museum earn the right to crew the Star of India by passing certifications and serving volunteer hours. It is quite an honor to be among the 60 hands needed to fully man the steel hulled beauty. A USSR Foxtrot submarine is on the tour as well as a USA experimental sub, the Dolphin. A historic luxury steam yacht that also served in both World Wars is a study in teak and fine living. The HMS Surprise is a replica of the original frigate that was used to film Master and Commander. It displays original cannons and photos of the movie. The Victorian era Berkeley would be a wonderful way to ferry between Berkeley and San Francisco. The modern Stars and Stripes is docked along side these antique versions of sail power providing lovely contrast. We walked along the dock to the Navy World War II monuments near the USS Midway carrier. A different day we walked downtown enjoying lunch in the Gaslamp Quarter and a stroll through Little Italy at opposite ends of downtown. Returning to the car felt a little like a forced march, but it was a beautiful day.
A happy coincident: Any time we are in Dallas, we have to visit Half Priced Books at Northwest Hwy. They always have something surprising. This time I picked up a copy of Two Years Before the Mast, a first person account of merchant ships in the mid 19th century. The author, Richard Henry Dana, saw southern California when it was a part of Mexico as a sailor on ships that transported hides east. Reading his diary account of ports from San Francisco to San Diego gives a glimpse of the land and culture of 1835. It was especially interesting to have walked on a bark like Star of India, much like the author’s ship, the Alert. There could be no better time to read this American classic.
We drove around Balboa Park and spent a great afternoon at the famed zoo. We rode the sky lift tram, the tour bus and moving sidewalk in addition to a lot of walking to see all the exotic animals and plants. Gorillas and polar bears really put on a show, while pandas and koalas sort of allowed us to gaze upon them. We were fortunate to visit the gorillas at the same time as one of their greatest fans. This frequent zoo visitor told us names, how to identify each gorilla of the family and shared many of their antics. San Diego actually has 2 families and rotates them into view. According to our new friend, we got to see the more interesting group of a male, 3 females and a baby, Adam.
We spent an afternoon at La Jolla, walking at the cove, park and beach. Russell wants the concession that allows other reluctant tourists the option of not watching the “smelly blobs,” aka, seals. I thought they were cute! No smelly blobs at the Hotel Del Coronado! All is pristine and upper crust! Our location south of Chula Vista allowed us to follow CA 75 up the beach to “Coronado Island.” The area actually became a peninsula when it was connected to the mainland at Imperial Beach and the highway was built. Another highway connects the city to downtown via a dramatic bridge. You can still ferry across from the downtown harbor and walk the quaint streets to arrive at the hotel. Staying at this historic Victorian beauty would be a real treat and step back in time.
October 1 came and it was time to leave San Diego and California. 2.5 months is not enough time to see everything we had wanted, but it was certainly a great start.
NEXT TIME: Stay north of the city. Visit San Juan Capistrano. Balboa Park museums!
Driving LA: Ash. Smog. Traffic.
September 9, 2009
This was not a fun trip! We camped in Acton with a plan to cut through mountains to I-15 and skirt Las Angeles. More research was needed. The camp cashier said, “I think there’s still a fire over there.”
So I put in a call to CHP –the Erik Estrada CHiPs of younger years. The gentleman there, not Erik, said, “There are so many reasons not to take a 40ft. trailer on that road, fire is only 1!” His recommendation: CA-14 to I-5 to I-210 to I-15. The CHP advice really was good. We saw smoke billowing from the north and east for the entirety of I-210. We had to wonder how people continue to live in area prone to fire on such a regular basis.
LA is the only place we’ve experienced drivers who would not yield to a 65’ vehicle in a bind. We tried to stay in the right lane, but they kept playing out into “EXIT ONLY” lanes. Russell made 1 quick lane change with, “They’ll just have to move!” and they did. Only 1 guy flipped us off, and a couple of ladies were mouthing at us. Not too bad.
However, it turned out that “I-210 to I-15” was a little vague. The 2 roads do not intersect. Garmin and a good map got us through. We arrived in San Diego after only 5 hours, a long, but largely uneventful trip.
NEXT TIME: Just don’t go there.
This was not a fun trip! We camped in Acton with a plan to cut through mountains to I-15 and skirt Las Angeles. More research was needed. The camp cashier said, “I think there’s still a fire over there.”
So I put in a call to CHP –the Erik Estrada CHiPs of younger years. The gentleman there, not Erik, said, “There are so many reasons not to take a 40ft. trailer on that road, fire is only 1!” His recommendation: CA-14 to I-5 to I-210 to I-15. The CHP advice really was good. We saw smoke billowing from the north and east for the entirety of I-210. We had to wonder how people continue to live in area prone to fire on such a regular basis.
LA is the only place we’ve experienced drivers who would not yield to a 65’ vehicle in a bind. We tried to stay in the right lane, but they kept playing out into “EXIT ONLY” lanes. Russell made 1 quick lane change with, “They’ll just have to move!” and they did. Only 1 guy flipped us off, and a couple of ladies were mouthing at us. Not too bad.
However, it turned out that “I-210 to I-15” was a little vague. The 2 roads do not intersect. Garmin and a good map got us through. We arrived in San Diego after only 5 hours, a long, but largely uneventful trip.
NEXT TIME: Just don’t go there.
Morro Bay, California
August 31, 2009
This is a wonderful town! The Embarcadero is harbor-side and touristy. Main St. is up the bluff and more hometown in feeling. Just offshore, the Morro Rock is an amazing hunk of granite. We see it our or the window at our Morro Strand RV site. The dome is a cap that formed inside a volcano and eventually sealed it shut. Actually, Morro, Spanish for dome, used to be much larger prior to being quarried for many years. Millions of tons of granite were hauled away, providing the rock for many buildings in the state and for the jetty that helps form the harbor at Morro Bay. Many such rocks sit just off the Pacific coastline. Morro Rock is larger than any of the others we saw and you can drive or walk to it. People can go about half-way around the perimeter, but climbing is not allowed.
Morro Bay is also different from most California coastal towns in that it still has a fleet of fishing boats. Morro Bay is very accessible by bike and foot. There are nearby parks that offer hike and bike paths and a golf course. The estuary is protected marsh land that shelters over 250 migratory bird species.
There are two farmer’s markets each week of the summer. Thursday’s is just north of town and is primarily produce. We found the usual offerings plus lemon cucumbers, Chinese eggplant, Chinese green beans, and French cantaloupe. We did the full stroll sampling along the way prior to spending money. The Saturday farmer’s market downtown has produce but features more artisans wares along with local fish and meat.
Scenery, weather, and location make this California town one of the best we have visited. Unfortunately I have been nursing an eye infection the whole week that made me feel like it was a case of the flu. Russell had allergy trouble with his eyes watering, so maybe we are allergic to the air here, or the juniper outside the window. The down time has given Russell the opportunity to do hitch maintenance and worry over the stock market. It also gave us time to head back to the Hearst Castle!
The previous week we had taken tour 1, The Experience, and seen the movie, Building the Dream. We decided to take tour 2 which included the kitchen and upstairs rooms of the main house. As good as our first guide was Bill was even better on tour 2. This castle is 1 of 7 Hearst estates and we learned that each has a different motif. The San Simeon castle is a display of Mediterranean architecture, gardens and art. There are 3 guest houses, the smallest of which is about 2800 sq. ft. On the last trip we went through one of them. It has a living room and 4 bedrooms and baths. On tour 2 we saw at least a dozen guest rooms in the main house. Each Hearst guest was assigned a bed and bathroom. So if there are 2 beds in a room, there will be 2 bathrooms. Closets were shared and usually not tin the room, but in the hall. Each set of guest rooms has a sitting area. The most elaborate sitting room is the library – 3 rooms, a large center room and 2 symmetrically smaller rooms on each end. This room not only houses rare books but pottery and urns from ancient cultures, Etruscan, Greek, and Egyptian. The 3 upper floors were multiple levels; one jewel of a bedroom was in the bell tower. There is an original 1928 elevator still in working order that was used when the house was a private residence, but the tour has visitors tramping up and down spiral staircases in turrets. Stairwells reveal the massive amounts of concrete used in the structure. The elaborate antique ceilings are suspended from rebar reinforced ceiling between each floor. Despite major earthquake damage in nearby towns and structures, the castle has never felt any effects.
The house and grounds require $9.5 million in maintenance and staff annually. The total amount comes from tour proceeds. The castle is uninsurable since the architectural and furnishings art is irreplaceable. The ceiling in Hearst’s bedroom is painted panels of 6th century Spanish religious figures. One small Madonna and Child by Duccio di Buoninsegna was valued at $10 million many years ago. Hearst’s office is a large Moorish affair with multiple desks, tables and sitting areas.
All bedrooms, including the master suite, are rather small – ornate, elaborate, beautiful, and comfortable – but fairly simple in meeting ones’ needs. The public rooms are large, offering several small private areas. Mix and mingle was the requirement of all guests. The single large living room, single dining room with a single table and a single enormous kitchen reinforce the community feel. No room service of food or drink was provided or allowed.
Given another trip through the area, we will probably take one of the other tours at The Enchanted Hill.
This is a wonderful town! The Embarcadero is harbor-side and touristy. Main St. is up the bluff and more hometown in feeling. Just offshore, the Morro Rock is an amazing hunk of granite. We see it our or the window at our Morro Strand RV site. The dome is a cap that formed inside a volcano and eventually sealed it shut. Actually, Morro, Spanish for dome, used to be much larger prior to being quarried for many years. Millions of tons of granite were hauled away, providing the rock for many buildings in the state and for the jetty that helps form the harbor at Morro Bay. Many such rocks sit just off the Pacific coastline. Morro Rock is larger than any of the others we saw and you can drive or walk to it. People can go about half-way around the perimeter, but climbing is not allowed.
Morro Bay is also different from most California coastal towns in that it still has a fleet of fishing boats. Morro Bay is very accessible by bike and foot. There are nearby parks that offer hike and bike paths and a golf course. The estuary is protected marsh land that shelters over 250 migratory bird species.
There are two farmer’s markets each week of the summer. Thursday’s is just north of town and is primarily produce. We found the usual offerings plus lemon cucumbers, Chinese eggplant, Chinese green beans, and French cantaloupe. We did the full stroll sampling along the way prior to spending money. The Saturday farmer’s market downtown has produce but features more artisans wares along with local fish and meat.
Scenery, weather, and location make this California town one of the best we have visited. Unfortunately I have been nursing an eye infection the whole week that made me feel like it was a case of the flu. Russell had allergy trouble with his eyes watering, so maybe we are allergic to the air here, or the juniper outside the window. The down time has given Russell the opportunity to do hitch maintenance and worry over the stock market. It also gave us time to head back to the Hearst Castle!
The previous week we had taken tour 1, The Experience, and seen the movie, Building the Dream. We decided to take tour 2 which included the kitchen and upstairs rooms of the main house. As good as our first guide was Bill was even better on tour 2. This castle is 1 of 7 Hearst estates and we learned that each has a different motif. The San Simeon castle is a display of Mediterranean architecture, gardens and art. There are 3 guest houses, the smallest of which is about 2800 sq. ft. On the last trip we went through one of them. It has a living room and 4 bedrooms and baths. On tour 2 we saw at least a dozen guest rooms in the main house. Each Hearst guest was assigned a bed and bathroom. So if there are 2 beds in a room, there will be 2 bathrooms. Closets were shared and usually not tin the room, but in the hall. Each set of guest rooms has a sitting area. The most elaborate sitting room is the library – 3 rooms, a large center room and 2 symmetrically smaller rooms on each end. This room not only houses rare books but pottery and urns from ancient cultures, Etruscan, Greek, and Egyptian. The 3 upper floors were multiple levels; one jewel of a bedroom was in the bell tower. There is an original 1928 elevator still in working order that was used when the house was a private residence, but the tour has visitors tramping up and down spiral staircases in turrets. Stairwells reveal the massive amounts of concrete used in the structure. The elaborate antique ceilings are suspended from rebar reinforced ceiling between each floor. Despite major earthquake damage in nearby towns and structures, the castle has never felt any effects.
The house and grounds require $9.5 million in maintenance and staff annually. The total amount comes from tour proceeds. The castle is uninsurable since the architectural and furnishings art is irreplaceable. The ceiling in Hearst’s bedroom is painted panels of 6th century Spanish religious figures. One small Madonna and Child by Duccio di Buoninsegna was valued at $10 million many years ago. Hearst’s office is a large Moorish affair with multiple desks, tables and sitting areas.
All bedrooms, including the master suite, are rather small – ornate, elaborate, beautiful, and comfortable – but fairly simple in meeting ones’ needs. The public rooms are large, offering several small private areas. Mix and mingle was the requirement of all guests. The single large living room, single dining room with a single table and a single enormous kitchen reinforce the community feel. No room service of food or drink was provided or allowed.
Given another trip through the area, we will probably take one of the other tours at The Enchanted Hill.
Paso Robles, California
August 24, 2009
“Napa is for car parts, Paso is for wine!” so goes the saying in this central coast town. We read several figures from 180 to over 300 vineyards in the area, each with a tasting room. Where to begin?
Hwy 46 is the primary artery for vineyards. Go east or west from town and you will see at least 3 establishments at every turn. We chose to travel west on 46 because it is the most scenic and there is no road construction. Some wine tasting rooms require a fee of anywhere from $3 to $10 and/or a purchase of wine, many bottles have a starting price around $30. This is a little pricey for confirmed “box drinkers” like us. We headed to the Rotta Vineyard because their prices are more reasonable and they are the oldest family owned vineyard in the area, founded in 1908. A wonderful lady was serving up wine and fun. Gail is a self-defined “storm of a bartender.” We worked our way through 11 “pours” tasting white, reds and desserts while visiting with other folks at the bar. We met the owner, Mike Guibbini, grandson of the original owner. Mike helped with the larger than expected Thursday afternoon crowd. We had no trouble selecting the cabernet for purchase.
While in Paso, we took a day-trip to Hearst Castle. Although Russell is not big into house tours, Hearst has enough features to impress even the most reluctant husband. Built when WRH was approaching 60, The Enchanted Hill is the culmination of a lifetime of travel and collecting. He and architect Julia Morgan spared no expense to get it right. The setting, multiple buildings and furnishings are all designed to enhance one another and create the desired atmosphere, party. I had read Marion Davies autobiography and knew of the glittering array of personalities to attend events during the 1920’s through 1940’s. Davies, an actress, was Hearst’s mistress and lady of the house. Mrs. Hearst was rarely at the castle, preferring her New York home. You have to wonder how this arrangement impacted Hearst’s relationship with his 5 sons.
One evening we enjoyed a concert at the Paso Robles city park. A large group gathered to picnic and listen to swing, complete with a Zoot-Suited singer. Many danced but most just enjoyed the wonderful music and whatever was in the cooler. It was a relaxing, if very warm evening.
Daytime temperatures are over 100 degrees in Paso in August, great reason to move on to the next town.
“Napa is for car parts, Paso is for wine!” so goes the saying in this central coast town. We read several figures from 180 to over 300 vineyards in the area, each with a tasting room. Where to begin?
Hwy 46 is the primary artery for vineyards. Go east or west from town and you will see at least 3 establishments at every turn. We chose to travel west on 46 because it is the most scenic and there is no road construction. Some wine tasting rooms require a fee of anywhere from $3 to $10 and/or a purchase of wine, many bottles have a starting price around $30. This is a little pricey for confirmed “box drinkers” like us. We headed to the Rotta Vineyard because their prices are more reasonable and they are the oldest family owned vineyard in the area, founded in 1908. A wonderful lady was serving up wine and fun. Gail is a self-defined “storm of a bartender.” We worked our way through 11 “pours” tasting white, reds and desserts while visiting with other folks at the bar. We met the owner, Mike Guibbini, grandson of the original owner. Mike helped with the larger than expected Thursday afternoon crowd. We had no trouble selecting the cabernet for purchase.
While in Paso, we took a day-trip to Hearst Castle. Although Russell is not big into house tours, Hearst has enough features to impress even the most reluctant husband. Built when WRH was approaching 60, The Enchanted Hill is the culmination of a lifetime of travel and collecting. He and architect Julia Morgan spared no expense to get it right. The setting, multiple buildings and furnishings are all designed to enhance one another and create the desired atmosphere, party. I had read Marion Davies autobiography and knew of the glittering array of personalities to attend events during the 1920’s through 1940’s. Davies, an actress, was Hearst’s mistress and lady of the house. Mrs. Hearst was rarely at the castle, preferring her New York home. You have to wonder how this arrangement impacted Hearst’s relationship with his 5 sons.
One evening we enjoyed a concert at the Paso Robles city park. A large group gathered to picnic and listen to swing, complete with a Zoot-Suited singer. Many danced but most just enjoyed the wonderful music and whatever was in the cooler. It was a relaxing, if very warm evening.
Daytime temperatures are over 100 degrees in Paso in August, great reason to move on to the next town.
Crossing California
August 24, 2009
We are currently driving from Oakhurst to Paso Robles the width of California at the heart of the state. We left the Sierra Nevada and will arrive near the Pacific in the coastal Range. The terrain changes are drastic – mountains and forests to rocky slopes, through a major agricultural area east of I-5 on CA-41. Irrigation is the magic ingredient to turn desert into food. Where irrigation stops, the land is pretty bleak. West of I-5 begins the foothills of the Coastal Range, no agriculture or forests here, just scrub, short grasses and dirt. Water is a much politicized issue here. The folks in this central area want/need more water channeled from rivers of the north, primarily the Sacramento. The folks up north don’t like the consequences of depleting their water supply. One sign proclaims, “Congressionally Imposed Dust Bowl,” another, “No Water = No Jobs =Higher Food Costs for All.” The contrast between the “dust bowl” and the land west of it is stark. The irrigated land has people throughout green fields and trucks hauling full loads of vegetables. Industry is obvious. The previously irrigated property has no growth, movement, or evidence of people.
Moving west, small groups of trees are scattered across the rolling hillsides. Russell calls the color of these hills buckskin, accurate and creative. Ravines and rock outcroppings and dry creek beds begin with houses scattered along the road. At the end of all this bleak is a huge vineyard near the town of Shandon. There would be one vineyard after another all the way to the coast; we just didn’t know it yet. The power of water! In the county of San Luis Obispo, grape is King!
We are currently driving from Oakhurst to Paso Robles the width of California at the heart of the state. We left the Sierra Nevada and will arrive near the Pacific in the coastal Range. The terrain changes are drastic – mountains and forests to rocky slopes, through a major agricultural area east of I-5 on CA-41. Irrigation is the magic ingredient to turn desert into food. Where irrigation stops, the land is pretty bleak. West of I-5 begins the foothills of the Coastal Range, no agriculture or forests here, just scrub, short grasses and dirt. Water is a much politicized issue here. The folks in this central area want/need more water channeled from rivers of the north, primarily the Sacramento. The folks up north don’t like the consequences of depleting their water supply. One sign proclaims, “Congressionally Imposed Dust Bowl,” another, “No Water = No Jobs =Higher Food Costs for All.” The contrast between the “dust bowl” and the land west of it is stark. The irrigated land has people throughout green fields and trucks hauling full loads of vegetables. Industry is obvious. The previously irrigated property has no growth, movement, or evidence of people.
Moving west, small groups of trees are scattered across the rolling hillsides. Russell calls the color of these hills buckskin, accurate and creative. Ravines and rock outcroppings and dry creek beds begin with houses scattered along the road. At the end of all this bleak is a huge vineyard near the town of Shandon. There would be one vineyard after another all the way to the coast; we just didn’t know it yet. The power of water! In the county of San Luis Obispo, grape is King!
Yosemite, Mariposa County
August 20, 2009
Some of few remaining groves of Giant Sequoias are found in the Mariposa Gove at Yosemite’s south entrance. Where the Yosemite Valley is very user-friendly - big parking lots, direct roads, lots of lodging - the south is a more back-to-nature experience – find parking as best you can, catch the shuttle then start walking. There is a tour tram for bucks, but that is not for us.
We did get captured by Ranger John Jackson, former 7th grade science teacher, for the 2:00 “Ranger Stroll and Talk.” What a blessing! He provided the hands-on-experiences of every good teacher to create a lasting impression. Sequoia bark is weightless. A core wood shingle is equally so. The seeds and cones are very small. Yet these unsubstantial, unimpressive parts unite to create the oldest, most massive living being on earth. It’s a staggering contrast.
We were able to witness the benefits of fire, sequoias at 10 years of growth and The Grizzly Giant, at roughly 1800 years of age. The Grizzly is distinctive because a lightning strike killed the tree top, thereby stunting growth. But this same event forced growth outwards to create spectacular branches with diameters of 6 feet.
Ranger John’s tour taught us many life lessons and granted us 3 wishes. We should live long, grow younger, and return often. We need to resist change and destructive forces, but grow stronger if and when adversity does strike. Live long like the sequoia. Grow younger, as scientist have changed their method of aging the sequoia and made them younger than once thought. Resist destruction. The sequoia is fire and insect resistant, but must have fire for new trees to sprout. The sequoia is also resistant to man’s forces by having no real commercial use. When they fall, the giant breaks into many small sections, thus being unusable for lumber.
We returned to the Mariposa Grove with a greater understanding and sense of awe than we had before our first trip. Thanks go out to Ranger John Jackson.
We completely enjoyed our hike of the outer loop then the inner loop of the Mariposa. First, we arrived early enough to park in the grove! Second, we were able to talk about the types of trees and use the knowledge gained in our previous trip. Third – NO CROWD! We hardly saw a soul. What a nice day, and it wasn’t noon yet!
Fred, the Oakhurst information gentleman flatly stated, “If you don’t go to Glacier Point, you haven’t been to Yosemite.” I completely agree.
The views of Half Dome are breathtakingly in your face. With Russell’s binoculars, he found climbers on top! We could see waterfalls, both the Vernal and Nevada, peaks and valleys that were not at all visible from any point below. The two stops we made were well worth the extra miles to get there. Another bonus – no construction crews on the road on this particular Saturday!
Some of few remaining groves of Giant Sequoias are found in the Mariposa Gove at Yosemite’s south entrance. Where the Yosemite Valley is very user-friendly - big parking lots, direct roads, lots of lodging - the south is a more back-to-nature experience – find parking as best you can, catch the shuttle then start walking. There is a tour tram for bucks, but that is not for us.
We did get captured by Ranger John Jackson, former 7th grade science teacher, for the 2:00 “Ranger Stroll and Talk.” What a blessing! He provided the hands-on-experiences of every good teacher to create a lasting impression. Sequoia bark is weightless. A core wood shingle is equally so. The seeds and cones are very small. Yet these unsubstantial, unimpressive parts unite to create the oldest, most massive living being on earth. It’s a staggering contrast.
We were able to witness the benefits of fire, sequoias at 10 years of growth and The Grizzly Giant, at roughly 1800 years of age. The Grizzly is distinctive because a lightning strike killed the tree top, thereby stunting growth. But this same event forced growth outwards to create spectacular branches with diameters of 6 feet.
Ranger John’s tour taught us many life lessons and granted us 3 wishes. We should live long, grow younger, and return often. We need to resist change and destructive forces, but grow stronger if and when adversity does strike. Live long like the sequoia. Grow younger, as scientist have changed their method of aging the sequoia and made them younger than once thought. Resist destruction. The sequoia is fire and insect resistant, but must have fire for new trees to sprout. The sequoia is also resistant to man’s forces by having no real commercial use. When they fall, the giant breaks into many small sections, thus being unusable for lumber.
We returned to the Mariposa Grove with a greater understanding and sense of awe than we had before our first trip. Thanks go out to Ranger John Jackson.
We completely enjoyed our hike of the outer loop then the inner loop of the Mariposa. First, we arrived early enough to park in the grove! Second, we were able to talk about the types of trees and use the knowledge gained in our previous trip. Third – NO CROWD! We hardly saw a soul. What a nice day, and it wasn’t noon yet!
Fred, the Oakhurst information gentleman flatly stated, “If you don’t go to Glacier Point, you haven’t been to Yosemite.” I completely agree.
The views of Half Dome are breathtakingly in your face. With Russell’s binoculars, he found climbers on top! We could see waterfalls, both the Vernal and Nevada, peaks and valleys that were not at all visible from any point below. The two stops we made were well worth the extra miles to get there. Another bonus – no construction crews on the road on this particular Saturday!
Yosemite, Midpines, California
August 13, 2009
Our eventful drive from west to east took us to Mariposa Co. and the town of Midpines. We stayed at an up-hill KOA that was very pretty, but no AT&T was an issue for the whole week. The coolest thing about the park was our neighbor, the Taylor’s. License plates established the common ground of Texas, but a glass of wine led to the discovery that all 3 of the 4 of us were at UT, Russell and Mike even lived in the same apt. complex at the same time! Many commonalities were uncovered, and we hope to stay in touch.
But the trip was about Yosemite. We drove into the Valley, our bikes hitched. The drive itself is a 25 mile adventure, meandering next to the Merced River complete with single lane bridge to avoid the rock slide that wiped out the old road. The hike/bike path encompasses El Capitan, rivers, meadows, Yosemite Falls, and John Muir’s favorite place, Enchanted Isles. We also rode by some of the wonderful cottages built for workers. How do you get these digs? It was difficult to look up and ahead at the path simultaneously, but we managed. We stopped at one point to consult the map and got aid, along with an invitation to come visit, from a wonderful couple from the Czech Republic. Late summer is not the best time to visit Yosemite, dry rivers mean no waterfalls, but you can clearly see where they have been. We visited with a long-time visitor who thinks that late summer is perfect because you can river-float and enjoy the tranquility. There were many bikini-clad tourists who totally agree with this assessment.
Biking gave us the perfect overview of the park. The next day was all about the details. We took in the movie, museum, lodge, hikes off the beaten path and Bridal Falls. We even found the spot we’d read about where Teddy Roosevelt camped and was photographed with John Muir in a presidential trip through the west. One very cool bonus was an opportunity to view El Capitan climbers. A fellow climber was stationed on the road with a high-powered telescope zoomed in on 2 different sets. We found out that it typically takes 2-3 days to make the assent. I tried to imagine scaling 90 degrees while carrying enough food and drink for that period of time in addition to a bed roll and potty. NO WAY! You must have a permit to climb, but no requirements are needed for that permit, meaning that anyone may attempt the climb and run the risk of requiring a rescue. I don’t get it. Both days we enjoyed a picnic and the free shuttle bus.
Midpines is in the middle of the gold mining rush of history. There is a wonderful state museum that we passed by at least twice, and I’d be willing to bet that it is terrific. We drove to Oakhurst to check out the RV parks and take care of a few errands. Our trip back included one of those unexpected turns that Garmin sometimes provides. Triangle Road cuts cross country winding through farm and cattle country, and a hidden winery. Butterfly Winery is in the valley; Russell spotted it long before we saw the sign on the mountain road. The tasting room greeters are several friendly cats and dogs and hosted by a charming lady who is informative and gives a great pour. We spent a long time visiting with her and some other customers who happened in after we did.
We headed out for Oakhurst; confident that we knew the road since we had we had traveled the previous week. It was different when towing. The downhill grade was more white-knuckle than anticipated, but otherwise uneventful.
Our eventful drive from west to east took us to Mariposa Co. and the town of Midpines. We stayed at an up-hill KOA that was very pretty, but no AT&T was an issue for the whole week. The coolest thing about the park was our neighbor, the Taylor’s. License plates established the common ground of Texas, but a glass of wine led to the discovery that all 3 of the 4 of us were at UT, Russell and Mike even lived in the same apt. complex at the same time! Many commonalities were uncovered, and we hope to stay in touch.
But the trip was about Yosemite. We drove into the Valley, our bikes hitched. The drive itself is a 25 mile adventure, meandering next to the Merced River complete with single lane bridge to avoid the rock slide that wiped out the old road. The hike/bike path encompasses El Capitan, rivers, meadows, Yosemite Falls, and John Muir’s favorite place, Enchanted Isles. We also rode by some of the wonderful cottages built for workers. How do you get these digs? It was difficult to look up and ahead at the path simultaneously, but we managed. We stopped at one point to consult the map and got aid, along with an invitation to come visit, from a wonderful couple from the Czech Republic. Late summer is not the best time to visit Yosemite, dry rivers mean no waterfalls, but you can clearly see where they have been. We visited with a long-time visitor who thinks that late summer is perfect because you can river-float and enjoy the tranquility. There were many bikini-clad tourists who totally agree with this assessment.
Biking gave us the perfect overview of the park. The next day was all about the details. We took in the movie, museum, lodge, hikes off the beaten path and Bridal Falls. We even found the spot we’d read about where Teddy Roosevelt camped and was photographed with John Muir in a presidential trip through the west. One very cool bonus was an opportunity to view El Capitan climbers. A fellow climber was stationed on the road with a high-powered telescope zoomed in on 2 different sets. We found out that it typically takes 2-3 days to make the assent. I tried to imagine scaling 90 degrees while carrying enough food and drink for that period of time in addition to a bed roll and potty. NO WAY! You must have a permit to climb, but no requirements are needed for that permit, meaning that anyone may attempt the climb and run the risk of requiring a rescue. I don’t get it. Both days we enjoyed a picnic and the free shuttle bus.
Midpines is in the middle of the gold mining rush of history. There is a wonderful state museum that we passed by at least twice, and I’d be willing to bet that it is terrific. We drove to Oakhurst to check out the RV parks and take care of a few errands. Our trip back included one of those unexpected turns that Garmin sometimes provides. Triangle Road cuts cross country winding through farm and cattle country, and a hidden winery. Butterfly Winery is in the valley; Russell spotted it long before we saw the sign on the mountain road. The tasting room greeters are several friendly cats and dogs and hosted by a charming lady who is informative and gives a great pour. We spent a long time visiting with her and some other customers who happened in after we did.
We headed out for Oakhurst; confident that we knew the road since we had we had traveled the previous week. It was different when towing. The downhill grade was more white-knuckle than anticipated, but otherwise uneventful.
Lake Tahoe
August 8, 2009
Several events make the South Lake Tahoe experience memorable, beginning with our campsite. The Tahoe Valley Campgrounds are spectacular with pines crowding one another, and campers. The beautiful site we were given was nestled between several pines at the mouth, but wide, sandy openness behind. It took much help and encouragement to achieve just the right angle to back into the narrow opening without damage to trailer, trees or other campers. Once in, we were secluded and happy, with only the drive out to dread. The next memory was fast on heels of arrival when I hit my head on the kingpin. I’ve done this before, but never with the resulting blood. A few stitches at a local urgent care took care of the problem, but our bike riding days were postponed a bit. However, we hiked every evening in the cool pine scented mountains.
The campground is on the local trolley route. We hopped on to take the ride up the west side of the lake. We rode along the lake through villages and tourist parks past Emerald Bay. The drive was spectacular and winding enough to make the trolley a great idea. We rode it later in the week to hike down to the shore at Emerald Bay where I toured the Nordic summer home built in the 1920’s. We took the north path again when we rode bikes through forest and along shore line.
Driving east from the campground heads to Lake Tahoe, Nevada and casinos. I struck it rich with a payout of 10X winnings, too bad I had only bet a dollar! But I know a good take when I see one and quit. There is also a very good NPS exhibit for Lake Tahoe near the casinos. The exhibit helps you appreciate the many forces that formed the oldest lake in the USA, second only to Crater Lake in depth. We learned that Tahoe is so deep; it’s below Carson City at the base of the mountains. We had taken the drive straight down to Carson City and could appreciate the distance. The Comstock Silver miners were responsible for the loss of trees on the Nevada side of the lake. Driving from the lush mountainous greens and blues of Tahoe to the flat tans of Carson City is a stark contrast that takes just half an hour. You know you are in the desert. We talked about visiting the Ponderosa and Virginia City northeast of Carson City, but decided to wait for another time.
We consulted the internet, the California map and camp office personnel to determine the widest, straightest route possible from SLT to Midpines on the east side of Yosemite. There just was no good route for a rig our size, but we did determine the best of the bunch. We set out southwest and downhill. We wound through the high country of the Sierra Nevada Range where tall mountains and deep ravines are covered in massive evergreens.
Mountains eventually soften to more rolling hillsides with brown grasses of late summer. Towns are more frequent and more populated. But the road heads up once again and the vegetation and terrain progression is reversed. Colors from the 108-count box of Crayola come at you at every turn. Colors with names like sienna, galena, sage, slate, umber are scattered across the mountains.
Two amazing events occurred on CA 49, both caused by Russell’s attention to detail. At the turn off to Miraposa, the highway patrol was set up for radar. We stopped to ask the best way to go. He said CA49 was definitely the most direct and except for 1 cliff-hugging, blind hairpin turn, no worse or better than the other options. He gave us a few tips and off we went.
After several “I wonder if that was it?” queries, we knew for a fact when we were looking at the spot-dead ahead. There was a wide shoulder just before the boulder/turn, so Russell pulled over enough to allow 2 motorcycles to go first. They entered the curve just as a 1-ton truck came around towing a boat. The cyclists had to swerve to give him room, a maneuver we could not have managed! Those bikers were clinging to the edge of the road and cliff as that trucker did all he could to hug the monolith on the inside curve. We would have been toast! With breath held, Russell edged back on the road and slowly, uneventfully made the blind turn, taking pretty much the entire 2 lanes. Breathing once again on the other side, Russell glanced in the side-rear mirror to see how much traffic we had backed up. And there was our radar cop! He followed us for a way, then turned back at the next opportunity.
He was either very nice, or getting a jump on the carnage!
NEXT TIME: See north Lake Tahoe; go from Tahoe to Yosemite through Nevada.
Several events make the South Lake Tahoe experience memorable, beginning with our campsite. The Tahoe Valley Campgrounds are spectacular with pines crowding one another, and campers. The beautiful site we were given was nestled between several pines at the mouth, but wide, sandy openness behind. It took much help and encouragement to achieve just the right angle to back into the narrow opening without damage to trailer, trees or other campers. Once in, we were secluded and happy, with only the drive out to dread. The next memory was fast on heels of arrival when I hit my head on the kingpin. I’ve done this before, but never with the resulting blood. A few stitches at a local urgent care took care of the problem, but our bike riding days were postponed a bit. However, we hiked every evening in the cool pine scented mountains.
The campground is on the local trolley route. We hopped on to take the ride up the west side of the lake. We rode along the lake through villages and tourist parks past Emerald Bay. The drive was spectacular and winding enough to make the trolley a great idea. We rode it later in the week to hike down to the shore at Emerald Bay where I toured the Nordic summer home built in the 1920’s. We took the north path again when we rode bikes through forest and along shore line.
Driving east from the campground heads to Lake Tahoe, Nevada and casinos. I struck it rich with a payout of 10X winnings, too bad I had only bet a dollar! But I know a good take when I see one and quit. There is also a very good NPS exhibit for Lake Tahoe near the casinos. The exhibit helps you appreciate the many forces that formed the oldest lake in the USA, second only to Crater Lake in depth. We learned that Tahoe is so deep; it’s below Carson City at the base of the mountains. We had taken the drive straight down to Carson City and could appreciate the distance. The Comstock Silver miners were responsible for the loss of trees on the Nevada side of the lake. Driving from the lush mountainous greens and blues of Tahoe to the flat tans of Carson City is a stark contrast that takes just half an hour. You know you are in the desert. We talked about visiting the Ponderosa and Virginia City northeast of Carson City, but decided to wait for another time.
We consulted the internet, the California map and camp office personnel to determine the widest, straightest route possible from SLT to Midpines on the east side of Yosemite. There just was no good route for a rig our size, but we did determine the best of the bunch. We set out southwest and downhill. We wound through the high country of the Sierra Nevada Range where tall mountains and deep ravines are covered in massive evergreens.
Mountains eventually soften to more rolling hillsides with brown grasses of late summer. Towns are more frequent and more populated. But the road heads up once again and the vegetation and terrain progression is reversed. Colors from the 108-count box of Crayola come at you at every turn. Colors with names like sienna, galena, sage, slate, umber are scattered across the mountains.
Two amazing events occurred on CA 49, both caused by Russell’s attention to detail. At the turn off to Miraposa, the highway patrol was set up for radar. We stopped to ask the best way to go. He said CA49 was definitely the most direct and except for 1 cliff-hugging, blind hairpin turn, no worse or better than the other options. He gave us a few tips and off we went.
After several “I wonder if that was it?” queries, we knew for a fact when we were looking at the spot-dead ahead. There was a wide shoulder just before the boulder/turn, so Russell pulled over enough to allow 2 motorcycles to go first. They entered the curve just as a 1-ton truck came around towing a boat. The cyclists had to swerve to give him room, a maneuver we could not have managed! Those bikers were clinging to the edge of the road and cliff as that trucker did all he could to hug the monolith on the inside curve. We would have been toast! With breath held, Russell edged back on the road and slowly, uneventfully made the blind turn, taking pretty much the entire 2 lanes. Breathing once again on the other side, Russell glanced in the side-rear mirror to see how much traffic we had backed up. And there was our radar cop! He followed us for a way, then turned back at the next opportunity.
He was either very nice, or getting a jump on the carnage!
NEXT TIME: See north Lake Tahoe; go from Tahoe to Yosemite through Nevada.
Monday, November 9, 2009
San Francisco, California
July, 2009
Finally! This is the city in America I have most wanted to visit, and now I have. Amazing!
We got settled in Marin County at the Marin RV Park, chosen for its location. There is a pedestrian bridge along side the 101 for a 10 minute walk to the Larkspur Ferry. Another pedestrian bridge crossed the 101 to get to a bus stop for a drive across Golden Gate Bridge. Take a path under 101 to bike/walk to Larkspur and Corte Madera. I loved being able to walk to Trader Joe’s for groceries and step out the back of the park to be looking at a marsh and bay. We could even walk to an up-scale shopping center. We could not have had a sweeter location!
We spent a month. We traveled to S.F. at least once each week, never taking the dually. We enjoyed several walks along the Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf, through Chinatown, Russian Hill, up to Coit Tower and even a trek to the groovy corner of Haight-Ashbury (not as much love as there must have been in the ‘60’s). A tour bus ride took us through the highlights of the city including Alamo Park and the Presidio. One day we bought a bus pass and hopped on and off at will, covering a lot of the city that way. Another mode of transport, we rode the historic Cable Car. We walked Lombardi St., both up and down the curviest street in the world. We took in the sights, sounds and smells of the city, walking for miles.
Several people recommended that we book the Alcatraz tour in advance, thank you all so much. We went on a Friday morning, important because this is one of only two garden tours offered all week. What a treat. It seems that the gardens were an important part of life for the island inhabitants. We also got to walk through the military officer quarters ruins and several other “off limits” areas. Dedicated volunteers are restoring the flower gardens to their original beauty using old photos for accuracy. The island has a rich history that extends far beyond its 29 years as a prison. Then we took the best audio tour I’ve ever experienced through the prison. Former guards and prisoners talk to you as you are directed through the rooms, halls and cells. Sound effects enhance the visual experience to help a visitor feel the despair of entering this prison.
One place I had to see in Marin Co. is Muir Wood. We were incredibly close, but it was still quite a long trip on a narrow, winding road. The trees defy description. How do you define Tall? Majestic? This is an island of trees in this otherwise densely populated county. These trees were big when Columbus landed. We had never before seen anything like these trees, and we were properly awed.
We spent an entire day on the USS Hornet, our first experience of an air craft carrier. In addition to the self-guided trip, we took a docent-led tour to the engine room and other below-decks areas unavailable otherwise. Another docent tour takes you up to the island; the tower of rooms for piloting the ship and its aircraft. Russell expected to be amazed, I had not.
We took a very cool trip to Berkeley to research an old address. Russell’s mom had lived here when his dad was serving in the Navy during World War II. We headed to the public library and surprisingly found phone books from 1943 and 1946. She was listed in both. There was enough information given to help us feel confident that we had found 2 different locations. We got a map and drove to each. This was so cool! We took pictures of beautiful homes that easily fit the bill in hopes that she could remember, but that didn’t happen. I know that she appreciated us doing it and we enjoyed the personalized experience. While in Berkeley, we went to the University of California. Russell wore his University of Texas shirt and hat for the walk on campus. Except for all those towering eucalyptus trees, we could have been at the UT campus. The similarity of architecture is amazing, and I think other similarities exist that we didn’t take time to learn.
One day we rode in together, parting at Golden Gate. Russell enjoyed the Maritime Ship pier while I took in art. I loved the deYoung Art Museum. An amazing Aztec tunic of bird feathers took my breath. I thought they would have decayed ages ago. The glass exhibits also caught my eye because I had never seen such exquisite glass castings. After a trip up to the observation tower at de Young, I also enjoyed a trek through some of the gardens of Golden Gate Park. I rode home wishing there was more time for more art museums. I arrived home to find that Russell had been to the grocery store and was cooking steaks. What a great day!
As usual, we had our usual work days and often didn’t leave the park except for a nearby walk. I made great strides in the quilt I was making for Kyle’s birthday, which was coming fast. Russell always works on the stock market and has other business to take care of. We drove to several nearby cities and towns, walked, shopped and ate. Our trip to San Francisco was a rousing success.
NEXT TIME: California Palace of Legion of Honor, the Olympic Club area, the Winchester House in San Jose and other points south of town
Finally! This is the city in America I have most wanted to visit, and now I have. Amazing!
We got settled in Marin County at the Marin RV Park, chosen for its location. There is a pedestrian bridge along side the 101 for a 10 minute walk to the Larkspur Ferry. Another pedestrian bridge crossed the 101 to get to a bus stop for a drive across Golden Gate Bridge. Take a path under 101 to bike/walk to Larkspur and Corte Madera. I loved being able to walk to Trader Joe’s for groceries and step out the back of the park to be looking at a marsh and bay. We could even walk to an up-scale shopping center. We could not have had a sweeter location!
We spent a month. We traveled to S.F. at least once each week, never taking the dually. We enjoyed several walks along the Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf, through Chinatown, Russian Hill, up to Coit Tower and even a trek to the groovy corner of Haight-Ashbury (not as much love as there must have been in the ‘60’s). A tour bus ride took us through the highlights of the city including Alamo Park and the Presidio. One day we bought a bus pass and hopped on and off at will, covering a lot of the city that way. Another mode of transport, we rode the historic Cable Car. We walked Lombardi St., both up and down the curviest street in the world. We took in the sights, sounds and smells of the city, walking for miles.
Several people recommended that we book the Alcatraz tour in advance, thank you all so much. We went on a Friday morning, important because this is one of only two garden tours offered all week. What a treat. It seems that the gardens were an important part of life for the island inhabitants. We also got to walk through the military officer quarters ruins and several other “off limits” areas. Dedicated volunteers are restoring the flower gardens to their original beauty using old photos for accuracy. The island has a rich history that extends far beyond its 29 years as a prison. Then we took the best audio tour I’ve ever experienced through the prison. Former guards and prisoners talk to you as you are directed through the rooms, halls and cells. Sound effects enhance the visual experience to help a visitor feel the despair of entering this prison.
One place I had to see in Marin Co. is Muir Wood. We were incredibly close, but it was still quite a long trip on a narrow, winding road. The trees defy description. How do you define Tall? Majestic? This is an island of trees in this otherwise densely populated county. These trees were big when Columbus landed. We had never before seen anything like these trees, and we were properly awed.
We spent an entire day on the USS Hornet, our first experience of an air craft carrier. In addition to the self-guided trip, we took a docent-led tour to the engine room and other below-decks areas unavailable otherwise. Another docent tour takes you up to the island; the tower of rooms for piloting the ship and its aircraft. Russell expected to be amazed, I had not.
We took a very cool trip to Berkeley to research an old address. Russell’s mom had lived here when his dad was serving in the Navy during World War II. We headed to the public library and surprisingly found phone books from 1943 and 1946. She was listed in both. There was enough information given to help us feel confident that we had found 2 different locations. We got a map and drove to each. This was so cool! We took pictures of beautiful homes that easily fit the bill in hopes that she could remember, but that didn’t happen. I know that she appreciated us doing it and we enjoyed the personalized experience. While in Berkeley, we went to the University of California. Russell wore his University of Texas shirt and hat for the walk on campus. Except for all those towering eucalyptus trees, we could have been at the UT campus. The similarity of architecture is amazing, and I think other similarities exist that we didn’t take time to learn.
One day we rode in together, parting at Golden Gate. Russell enjoyed the Maritime Ship pier while I took in art. I loved the deYoung Art Museum. An amazing Aztec tunic of bird feathers took my breath. I thought they would have decayed ages ago. The glass exhibits also caught my eye because I had never seen such exquisite glass castings. After a trip up to the observation tower at de Young, I also enjoyed a trek through some of the gardens of Golden Gate Park. I rode home wishing there was more time for more art museums. I arrived home to find that Russell had been to the grocery store and was cooking steaks. What a great day!
As usual, we had our usual work days and often didn’t leave the park except for a nearby walk. I made great strides in the quilt I was making for Kyle’s birthday, which was coming fast. Russell always works on the stock market and has other business to take care of. We drove to several nearby cities and towns, walked, shopped and ate. Our trip to San Francisco was a rousing success.
NEXT TIME: California Palace of Legion of Honor, the Olympic Club area, the Winchester House in San Jose and other points south of town
Redding, CA
July 14, 2009
Moving on toward San Francisco, again faced with the dilemma of which road to take. We had continued reservations about the scenic coastal route and opted for I-5 through the center of the state. The terrain changed from rolling to plains and high desert until Mt. Shasta. This snow laden volcano dominates an otherwise bland landscape. It appears to be lost, an outcast o f the Pacific-Rim Volcano family. But she stands quite confident in her isolation. Shasta Lake is the next landmark on the way to Redding. The blueness of the quiet lake stands out against orange shores. The high tree line shows water levels to be quite low.
Redding is a nice surprise after all the people who asked, “Redding? Why?” It is the largest city of northern California and sits on the Sacramento River. Our campground, Mountain Gate RV, is nicely situated between the lake and town. The grounds are spacious and nicely landscaped. We did experience our first hot weather of the summer. Cool mornings give way to temps of 100°+. The temperature variance within the day is about 40° - so not Dallas where August temps very from 85-105°. This provides no relief, but it does get swimming pools warm. I just can’t bring myself to stay in these cold pools.
The Chamber of Commerce star is the architecturally unique pedestrian Sun Bridge that spans the Sacramento River and connects the science museum to a bike/hike path and numerous city parks. The well-traveled paths run along both side of the river. Ultimately the true adventurer will be able to pedal from town to the dam, about 20 miles. We took 2 trips, the first, a short run from Caldwell Park east to the Sun Bridge and marshes. The longer loop we began at the park, through neighborhoods, and west of town to the Ribbon Bridge, also for pedestrians. This system is by far the longest most user-friendly we have encountered. We could have had a different bike ride every morning of our stay. There is very little interaction with car traffic and the path is well maintained paving. One really cool pedestrian bridge is an old one that stands proudly next to its larger replacement road for cars. How wonderful that this small graceful path is as useful and traveled at the end of its life as in the beginning.
Two below ground trips to Lake Shasta seemed perfect for hot afternoons. The dam tour displays a marvel of civil engineering and the tallest in the USA. We traveled by elevator to an observation level, deep inside near-solid concrete. The tour hallway leads to a room on river level where the info continues with a video showing construction and a tribute to its builders. The primary function of the dam is water control and supply, it is a secondary source on California’s electric grid. As low as the water level was, locals were excited at the amount it had raised over the previous year. Conservation is their primary focus and they were not worried about the ability to provide the amount of water needed for summer. We learned that is 25% of California receives 75% of the state’s precipitation.
Our second Shasta Lake adventure took us on a very curvy descent to the shores north of the dam. The Shasta Caverns offers a package tour. The first part is the roller coaster trip to the visitor center-the curvy road trip. Second is a nice warm hike to the pontoon boat for the third segment, crossing the lake. Fourth is a bus trip back up a different mountain to the cavern rooms with chambers stacked atop each other which are quite nice, but not so different from others we’ve seen. Coming into the light we saw how much climbing we did inside. We descended stair steps back to the bus. This was a cordial group of folks - with celebrities! The young twins from “Cheaper by the Dozen” are now about 12 and created quite a stir. I was more fascinated by our tour guide. She was a ringer for a girl I grew up with who currently has many kids and grands in Idaho. I hinted at a relationship, but she didn’t bite. Oh Well.
NEXT TIME: a cooler time of year to take advantage of the bike rides
Moving on toward San Francisco, again faced with the dilemma of which road to take. We had continued reservations about the scenic coastal route and opted for I-5 through the center of the state. The terrain changed from rolling to plains and high desert until Mt. Shasta. This snow laden volcano dominates an otherwise bland landscape. It appears to be lost, an outcast o f the Pacific-Rim Volcano family. But she stands quite confident in her isolation. Shasta Lake is the next landmark on the way to Redding. The blueness of the quiet lake stands out against orange shores. The high tree line shows water levels to be quite low.
Redding is a nice surprise after all the people who asked, “Redding? Why?” It is the largest city of northern California and sits on the Sacramento River. Our campground, Mountain Gate RV, is nicely situated between the lake and town. The grounds are spacious and nicely landscaped. We did experience our first hot weather of the summer. Cool mornings give way to temps of 100°+. The temperature variance within the day is about 40° - so not Dallas where August temps very from 85-105°. This provides no relief, but it does get swimming pools warm. I just can’t bring myself to stay in these cold pools.
The Chamber of Commerce star is the architecturally unique pedestrian Sun Bridge that spans the Sacramento River and connects the science museum to a bike/hike path and numerous city parks. The well-traveled paths run along both side of the river. Ultimately the true adventurer will be able to pedal from town to the dam, about 20 miles. We took 2 trips, the first, a short run from Caldwell Park east to the Sun Bridge and marshes. The longer loop we began at the park, through neighborhoods, and west of town to the Ribbon Bridge, also for pedestrians. This system is by far the longest most user-friendly we have encountered. We could have had a different bike ride every morning of our stay. There is very little interaction with car traffic and the path is well maintained paving. One really cool pedestrian bridge is an old one that stands proudly next to its larger replacement road for cars. How wonderful that this small graceful path is as useful and traveled at the end of its life as in the beginning.
Two below ground trips to Lake Shasta seemed perfect for hot afternoons. The dam tour displays a marvel of civil engineering and the tallest in the USA. We traveled by elevator to an observation level, deep inside near-solid concrete. The tour hallway leads to a room on river level where the info continues with a video showing construction and a tribute to its builders. The primary function of the dam is water control and supply, it is a secondary source on California’s electric grid. As low as the water level was, locals were excited at the amount it had raised over the previous year. Conservation is their primary focus and they were not worried about the ability to provide the amount of water needed for summer. We learned that is 25% of California receives 75% of the state’s precipitation.
Our second Shasta Lake adventure took us on a very curvy descent to the shores north of the dam. The Shasta Caverns offers a package tour. The first part is the roller coaster trip to the visitor center-the curvy road trip. Second is a nice warm hike to the pontoon boat for the third segment, crossing the lake. Fourth is a bus trip back up a different mountain to the cavern rooms with chambers stacked atop each other which are quite nice, but not so different from others we’ve seen. Coming into the light we saw how much climbing we did inside. We descended stair steps back to the bus. This was a cordial group of folks - with celebrities! The young twins from “Cheaper by the Dozen” are now about 12 and created quite a stir. I was more fascinated by our tour guide. She was a ringer for a girl I grew up with who currently has many kids and grands in Idaho. I hinted at a relationship, but she didn’t bite. Oh Well.
NEXT TIME: a cooler time of year to take advantage of the bike rides
Crater Lake and Prospect, Oregon
July 8, 2009
The Prospect RV Park is 25 miles southwest of Crater Lake and right next to the Rogue River. We set out for some major geezer-type hiking. These forests are mixed pine and deciduous trees. We kept spotting a tree that in Texas I would call Manzanita, only huge. It has the distinctive pink/red trunk with papery peeling bark. To the internet. It’s a relative, the Pacific Coast Madrone.
We spent a lot of time along the Rogue River and finally got to go fishing. It took a bit, but Russell caught 5 very nice rainbow trout for the grill. YUM! Jean, one of our neighbors, came over for inspection, “You guys are NOT camping!” This may have been a complement. We did have a nice spread of fish, Caesar salad, table cloth, but no china on the park table.
We met several very nice neighbors. There was Jerry and Jeri, a nearly retired couple who are approaching full time RVing. What fun to feel like experts! Jean and Dave spend every summer at this park and provided a wealth of information about the area. We also enjoyed the managers, full timers who had even spent time at Buckhorn in Kerrville.
I have to say more about the Rogue. We hiked along the shore from both east and west on different days. We were driving on the main highway when we happened on the Rogue Gorge, a lovely cascade of white water that drops several layers over, around and through lave, and more lava tubes. Further down river is a lava tube in the river path that forms a natural bridge. We approached it expecting some arching structure over head. What we found was more lava beds with water rushing through the middle forming an underground river for that stretch of about 10 yards. The tame water entering the passage explodes into a grotto on the opposite side. It’s an amazing blend and crash of forces. At the Gorge, we met the living tree stump. This 2-3 foot remains of logging has been supported through the root system of this tree family. It has no leaves or branches, but it has grown bark over the ax scar, forming a living skin. With its intersecting root system, these trees are fed by the same roots that fed other trees long gone. Would this make them even older that the Sequoias?
Crater Lake, oh my! The drive in is long and largely uneventful unless you think about the fact that the road is climbing a volcano. This baby was huge! Its destructive eruptions impacted the entire continent for years, fortunately before people were here to observe the event. Multiple vents opened around the crown perimeter, stealing her steam. The resulting eruptions caused an implosion with the top of a massive crater falling inward, thereby creating a cap and sealing the vents. The unlikely series of events formed one of the few truly closed ecosystems on earth. Crater is the deepest lake in the United States and fed entirely by precipitation. No rivers or creeks flow in or out. Fish were introduced for tourists several decades ago, but that practice has stopped to allow the few native lake creatures to regain dominance. We didn’t allow enough time or energy for adequate exploring. There are several hiking trails radiating from the circumference. One trail descends to the shore where you can take a tour boat across the lake and even stop to explore the lake’s largest island. We missed the last boat of the afternoon and never got back to the park.
One day while Russell worked, I walked across Prospect to a state park. A trail leads behind a bluff to completely isolate you from the town and highway. The first set of waterfalls makes a mossy horseshoe retreat. An easy climb gets down to the beautiful clear water. The falls have a relatively short drop, but the width wraps the viewer into the scene as multiple creeks come together. It is lush and sparkling, an audio-visual with spray completing the experience. I moved on, curious about the creek’s path. A familiar rushing sound foretold the scene around the next corner. From the high bluff, creeks were rushing down bare rock, fighting for a place at the finish line. The first falls was all shelter, peace, verdant. This experience was bright, bold and hard edged. Different creeks on their way to join the Rogue. What a joy to share the scenes with Russell later in the day.
This stop is a story of trade-offs, I guess all trips are. We had a scant Crater Lake experience, but completely enjoyed the national forest and river. We may have shorted the larger, more lauded wonder, but the many small, less-traveled wonders were very worthy of the time.
NEXT TIME: Give Crater Lake its due. Diamond Lake.
The Prospect RV Park is 25 miles southwest of Crater Lake and right next to the Rogue River. We set out for some major geezer-type hiking. These forests are mixed pine and deciduous trees. We kept spotting a tree that in Texas I would call Manzanita, only huge. It has the distinctive pink/red trunk with papery peeling bark. To the internet. It’s a relative, the Pacific Coast Madrone.
We spent a lot of time along the Rogue River and finally got to go fishing. It took a bit, but Russell caught 5 very nice rainbow trout for the grill. YUM! Jean, one of our neighbors, came over for inspection, “You guys are NOT camping!” This may have been a complement. We did have a nice spread of fish, Caesar salad, table cloth, but no china on the park table.
We met several very nice neighbors. There was Jerry and Jeri, a nearly retired couple who are approaching full time RVing. What fun to feel like experts! Jean and Dave spend every summer at this park and provided a wealth of information about the area. We also enjoyed the managers, full timers who had even spent time at Buckhorn in Kerrville.
I have to say more about the Rogue. We hiked along the shore from both east and west on different days. We were driving on the main highway when we happened on the Rogue Gorge, a lovely cascade of white water that drops several layers over, around and through lave, and more lava tubes. Further down river is a lava tube in the river path that forms a natural bridge. We approached it expecting some arching structure over head. What we found was more lava beds with water rushing through the middle forming an underground river for that stretch of about 10 yards. The tame water entering the passage explodes into a grotto on the opposite side. It’s an amazing blend and crash of forces. At the Gorge, we met the living tree stump. This 2-3 foot remains of logging has been supported through the root system of this tree family. It has no leaves or branches, but it has grown bark over the ax scar, forming a living skin. With its intersecting root system, these trees are fed by the same roots that fed other trees long gone. Would this make them even older that the Sequoias?
Crater Lake, oh my! The drive in is long and largely uneventful unless you think about the fact that the road is climbing a volcano. This baby was huge! Its destructive eruptions impacted the entire continent for years, fortunately before people were here to observe the event. Multiple vents opened around the crown perimeter, stealing her steam. The resulting eruptions caused an implosion with the top of a massive crater falling inward, thereby creating a cap and sealing the vents. The unlikely series of events formed one of the few truly closed ecosystems on earth. Crater is the deepest lake in the United States and fed entirely by precipitation. No rivers or creeks flow in or out. Fish were introduced for tourists several decades ago, but that practice has stopped to allow the few native lake creatures to regain dominance. We didn’t allow enough time or energy for adequate exploring. There are several hiking trails radiating from the circumference. One trail descends to the shore where you can take a tour boat across the lake and even stop to explore the lake’s largest island. We missed the last boat of the afternoon and never got back to the park.
One day while Russell worked, I walked across Prospect to a state park. A trail leads behind a bluff to completely isolate you from the town and highway. The first set of waterfalls makes a mossy horseshoe retreat. An easy climb gets down to the beautiful clear water. The falls have a relatively short drop, but the width wraps the viewer into the scene as multiple creeks come together. It is lush and sparkling, an audio-visual with spray completing the experience. I moved on, curious about the creek’s path. A familiar rushing sound foretold the scene around the next corner. From the high bluff, creeks were rushing down bare rock, fighting for a place at the finish line. The first falls was all shelter, peace, verdant. This experience was bright, bold and hard edged. Different creeks on their way to join the Rogue. What a joy to share the scenes with Russell later in the day.
This stop is a story of trade-offs, I guess all trips are. We had a scant Crater Lake experience, but completely enjoyed the national forest and river. We may have shorted the larger, more lauded wonder, but the many small, less-traveled wonders were very worthy of the time.
NEXT TIME: Give Crater Lake its due. Diamond Lake.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
White Salmon, Washington
July 6, 2009
In keeping with our Lewis and Clark adventure, we left Woodland for White Salmon, east of Portland on the Columbia River. There were several route options available, the most direct being to follow the freeway to Vancouver, WA then continue on WA-14, a 2-lane with who knew how many twists and turns. This road is true to the river and meanders through numerous villages. The longer route was to stay on the freeway through Vancouver and Portland to Hood River, Oregon where a bridge connects to White Salmon. Locals recommended the freeway as timelier and more scenic looking over to the Washington side. Sounded good!
We wound through the big cities uneventfully and started lapping up the view; mountains, fruit tree groves, vineyards, waterfalls, wide rushing river, all the way to Hood River, a surprisingly large town. Then there was THE BRIDGE. It absolutely must be wider than it appeared to be beyond the tollbooth. If you had to fit through the tollbooth to board the bridge, we barely made it. A logging truck was heading straight for us: “Get the mirrors in!” Only by thinking thin and not breathing did we clear all obstacles. The White Salmon RV Park is a small, but roomy, nicely landscaped individually owned business.
The Gorge Loop is the Columbia River between City of the Dales on the east and Multnomah Falls on the west. We were in the middle-perfect! A trip east on WA-14 proved that we had made the correct choice for RV travel by freeway. Our destination, Beacon Rock, is an ancient volcano core and one of the largest monoliths in the world, straight up. From the parking lot there are 2 routes, climbers–not us–go left, hikers–us–go right. We walked to the river facing side of the rock to find stairs that wound back and forth in 47 switchbacks, clinging to the face of the rock. This state park is the site of one of Lewis and Clark’s camps and was once private property. Mr. Biddle bought it in 1915 because the Army Corps of Engineers was going to use the raw material to build a nearby dam. He hired an engineer and together the men spent the next 3 years building the stairway that still exists today. He then gave the historic site to the state with the stipulation that the public never be charged for admission. And so it is. The legacy of the man stands as tall and strong as the rock he championed. The view from the top includes marshes, mountains, farm lands, and of course, the river. It has been used as a look out by all the people who traveled this route for centuries.
We next traveled the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon complete with stonework walls to keep travelers from dropping off! This road made the bridge look roomy, but Horsetail and Multnomah Falls virtually splash on to the road, well worth the trip. A little hiking would yield several more falls, but we were short on time. The Dalles is one of the oldest cities of the area; a trading and meeting point of Indians and later, traders. The site is named for the long stretch of rapids nearby. There is also a natural rock formation that creates a type of fort. We sacrificed seeing the town for the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and a sit-down lunch. Wish we had allotted more time for the area. We bought salmon on the way home for another delicious meal. Indians are allowed unlimited fishing rights on river, whereas all other have strict limits. Therefore, the best salmon is roadside, in coolers.
Navigation on the Columbia was once an iffy thing, with spring swells and numerous rapids. Original navigation plans included locks to bypass dangerous cataracts. Now the rapids have been flooded by the creation of dams. Interestingly, dams do not cross the entire waterway to allow for boat and salmon navigation.
It is safe to say that we needed more time, but we were due in the next location. We drove the length of Oregon, right down the middle. Farm land rolled over hills, we skirted Mt. Hood, marveled at lava fields, gasped at major ravines in the desert and arrived again in wooded mountains and another volcano, Crater Lake.
NEXT TIME: Stay Longer!
In keeping with our Lewis and Clark adventure, we left Woodland for White Salmon, east of Portland on the Columbia River. There were several route options available, the most direct being to follow the freeway to Vancouver, WA then continue on WA-14, a 2-lane with who knew how many twists and turns. This road is true to the river and meanders through numerous villages. The longer route was to stay on the freeway through Vancouver and Portland to Hood River, Oregon where a bridge connects to White Salmon. Locals recommended the freeway as timelier and more scenic looking over to the Washington side. Sounded good!
We wound through the big cities uneventfully and started lapping up the view; mountains, fruit tree groves, vineyards, waterfalls, wide rushing river, all the way to Hood River, a surprisingly large town. Then there was THE BRIDGE. It absolutely must be wider than it appeared to be beyond the tollbooth. If you had to fit through the tollbooth to board the bridge, we barely made it. A logging truck was heading straight for us: “Get the mirrors in!” Only by thinking thin and not breathing did we clear all obstacles. The White Salmon RV Park is a small, but roomy, nicely landscaped individually owned business.
The Gorge Loop is the Columbia River between City of the Dales on the east and Multnomah Falls on the west. We were in the middle-perfect! A trip east on WA-14 proved that we had made the correct choice for RV travel by freeway. Our destination, Beacon Rock, is an ancient volcano core and one of the largest monoliths in the world, straight up. From the parking lot there are 2 routes, climbers–not us–go left, hikers–us–go right. We walked to the river facing side of the rock to find stairs that wound back and forth in 47 switchbacks, clinging to the face of the rock. This state park is the site of one of Lewis and Clark’s camps and was once private property. Mr. Biddle bought it in 1915 because the Army Corps of Engineers was going to use the raw material to build a nearby dam. He hired an engineer and together the men spent the next 3 years building the stairway that still exists today. He then gave the historic site to the state with the stipulation that the public never be charged for admission. And so it is. The legacy of the man stands as tall and strong as the rock he championed. The view from the top includes marshes, mountains, farm lands, and of course, the river. It has been used as a look out by all the people who traveled this route for centuries.
We next traveled the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon complete with stonework walls to keep travelers from dropping off! This road made the bridge look roomy, but Horsetail and Multnomah Falls virtually splash on to the road, well worth the trip. A little hiking would yield several more falls, but we were short on time. The Dalles is one of the oldest cities of the area; a trading and meeting point of Indians and later, traders. The site is named for the long stretch of rapids nearby. There is also a natural rock formation that creates a type of fort. We sacrificed seeing the town for the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and a sit-down lunch. Wish we had allotted more time for the area. We bought salmon on the way home for another delicious meal. Indians are allowed unlimited fishing rights on river, whereas all other have strict limits. Therefore, the best salmon is roadside, in coolers.
Navigation on the Columbia was once an iffy thing, with spring swells and numerous rapids. Original navigation plans included locks to bypass dangerous cataracts. Now the rapids have been flooded by the creation of dams. Interestingly, dams do not cross the entire waterway to allow for boat and salmon navigation.
It is safe to say that we needed more time, but we were due in the next location. We drove the length of Oregon, right down the middle. Farm land rolled over hills, we skirted Mt. Hood, marveled at lava fields, gasped at major ravines in the desert and arrived again in wooded mountains and another volcano, Crater Lake.
NEXT TIME: Stay Longer!
Woodland, Washington
June 29, 2009
We spent the week of July 4th at the beautiful Columbia Riverfront RV Park on the banks of the Columbia River, near the mouth of the Lewis River. Our back window faced the river and rolling hillside on the Oregon side. Groups gathered in the evenings for bonfires on the driftwood-strewn beach.
On the 4th, we avoided all traffic and crowds by cleaning house, cooking at home, and resting up for the evening fireworks display courtesy of the RV Park owners. Campers gathered in sweaters and blankets along the beach, the driveway and at sites for the show scheduled to begin around 10:00. Each group on the beach had their own fireworks display so we had a show that filled the sky, across the park grounds shore from various sources. Not planned or orchestrated by a single entity, but varied, colorful and great fun. The very nicest part of the night was smiling and feeling the celebration on the slow walk home, no traffic or stress.
The town of Woodland is fairly sleepy, good for bike rides on the quiet streets. We found tasty, inexpensive restaurants for our salad-based diet. The farmer’s market was small, but full of local bounty. The local Visitor’s Center host was very helpful in planning our week. It is also where a small commuter van stops each weekday to take people to Portland. We had expected to see some sign of damage from the Mt. St. Helen blast of 1980, but found that the eruption went north and west. The south and east had no effects to speak of. In terms of population centers and damage this was the best of a bad situation.
We took several side trips across southern Washington. On July 3 we took our bikes to Lake Sacajawea Park (Lewis and Clark once again) in Longview, WA. The park is a city block in width and at least 4 blocks long with a bike path along the entire loop. The path even cuts under the bridges at each intersection to avoid car traffic. We made the 3.5 mile loop, admiring lovely old homes in addition to the beautiful park grounds. The reason for not riding more was a very cool Fourth of July festival. We put the bikes away and walked through the crowds to window shop.
Another day we took a trip into Portland on the commuter van. We had no plan at all except to see the city. We began in the midst of department stores and tall buildings then hiked to the largest book store in the world. What a treat! We love used book stores and Powell’s was overwhelming! Four floors of a building that covers a city block is organized by color with maps and signs all over to keep the book traveler from getting lost. We walked through various quarters of town, which really was designed in quarters. The founding fathers laid out the town with a multi-block park symmetrically placed at each compass point. Parks are shaded by large old trees, colorful with flowering beds and punctuated with statuary. We most enjoyed the museum/university area.
One highlight of our Woodland stop was a trip to Mt. St. Helen’s and another to the Lava Tubes nearby. We drove up into the mountains through fog, winding around rocky peaks, tall pines and small villages along a river. As we broke out of the fog MSH was instantly visible! No clouds, just snow covered, jagged volcano crater. Nothing less than miraculous! We stopped for pictures at an overlook of the valley and Kalama River. The usually shrouded crater was clearly visible against a blue sky. We met 2 couples from England at this stop. They were spending 6 weeks traveling the Oregon Trail. I was amazed that this bit of Americana would attract Brits. They were winding down the trip and had loved it.
We drove on to the visitor center which sits directly opposite of the crater for an ideal view. The drive from our photo stop wound through pines with small billboard-type signs from Weyerhaeuser giving the year in which the pines had been planted. The visual effect of uniformly planted pines of a uniform type was eerie. It was like perfectly horizontal lines across the forest. The closer we got, the more obvious damage was still apparent. There was very little vegetation. Everything facing the open-sided crater was gone or, like the visitor center, less than 28 years old. We arrived at eye level and I blindly took one photo after another. We were 5.5 miles away, crater and lava dome, clearly visible. My wonderful new camera had a large LED screen, great except in sunshine, at which time it becomes mostly black. I had no idea what images were captured, clearly seen when we checked it out inside. Of course by the time we went to get more pictures, clouds. So another spectacular event is in memory only.
The Johnston Ridge Visitor Center has a wonderful movie of the volcano, interactive exhibits and stories of people from the blast. All work to create sense of awe. Several hiking paths are available, but we had a long drive back and did not go far.
We went to the Lava Tubes, two words we would never have put together prior to this trip. We learned that lave tubes are a passage of lava underground. The sides in contact with the earth cool more quickly, allowing the inner lava to continue to flow and drain. After learning of their existence, we found that they are very common in volcanic areas. We donned headlights and coats for the trip down a natural entrance about midway through the tube. It was even darker than the Taft Tunnel, but mercifully we didn’t have bikes. We had a wonderful adventure on the short trip, but decided against the longer more strenuous version which stretched out in the opposite direction.
We talked about a trip to the coast, but decided to leave it for the next time through. Our stop in Woodland had been far more fun and relaxing than we had anticipated. It also taught us to plan well ahead for holidays.
NEXT TIME: Astoria
We spent the week of July 4th at the beautiful Columbia Riverfront RV Park on the banks of the Columbia River, near the mouth of the Lewis River. Our back window faced the river and rolling hillside on the Oregon side. Groups gathered in the evenings for bonfires on the driftwood-strewn beach.
On the 4th, we avoided all traffic and crowds by cleaning house, cooking at home, and resting up for the evening fireworks display courtesy of the RV Park owners. Campers gathered in sweaters and blankets along the beach, the driveway and at sites for the show scheduled to begin around 10:00. Each group on the beach had their own fireworks display so we had a show that filled the sky, across the park grounds shore from various sources. Not planned or orchestrated by a single entity, but varied, colorful and great fun. The very nicest part of the night was smiling and feeling the celebration on the slow walk home, no traffic or stress.
The town of Woodland is fairly sleepy, good for bike rides on the quiet streets. We found tasty, inexpensive restaurants for our salad-based diet. The farmer’s market was small, but full of local bounty. The local Visitor’s Center host was very helpful in planning our week. It is also where a small commuter van stops each weekday to take people to Portland. We had expected to see some sign of damage from the Mt. St. Helen blast of 1980, but found that the eruption went north and west. The south and east had no effects to speak of. In terms of population centers and damage this was the best of a bad situation.
We took several side trips across southern Washington. On July 3 we took our bikes to Lake Sacajawea Park (Lewis and Clark once again) in Longview, WA. The park is a city block in width and at least 4 blocks long with a bike path along the entire loop. The path even cuts under the bridges at each intersection to avoid car traffic. We made the 3.5 mile loop, admiring lovely old homes in addition to the beautiful park grounds. The reason for not riding more was a very cool Fourth of July festival. We put the bikes away and walked through the crowds to window shop.
Another day we took a trip into Portland on the commuter van. We had no plan at all except to see the city. We began in the midst of department stores and tall buildings then hiked to the largest book store in the world. What a treat! We love used book stores and Powell’s was overwhelming! Four floors of a building that covers a city block is organized by color with maps and signs all over to keep the book traveler from getting lost. We walked through various quarters of town, which really was designed in quarters. The founding fathers laid out the town with a multi-block park symmetrically placed at each compass point. Parks are shaded by large old trees, colorful with flowering beds and punctuated with statuary. We most enjoyed the museum/university area.
One highlight of our Woodland stop was a trip to Mt. St. Helen’s and another to the Lava Tubes nearby. We drove up into the mountains through fog, winding around rocky peaks, tall pines and small villages along a river. As we broke out of the fog MSH was instantly visible! No clouds, just snow covered, jagged volcano crater. Nothing less than miraculous! We stopped for pictures at an overlook of the valley and Kalama River. The usually shrouded crater was clearly visible against a blue sky. We met 2 couples from England at this stop. They were spending 6 weeks traveling the Oregon Trail. I was amazed that this bit of Americana would attract Brits. They were winding down the trip and had loved it.
We drove on to the visitor center which sits directly opposite of the crater for an ideal view. The drive from our photo stop wound through pines with small billboard-type signs from Weyerhaeuser giving the year in which the pines had been planted. The visual effect of uniformly planted pines of a uniform type was eerie. It was like perfectly horizontal lines across the forest. The closer we got, the more obvious damage was still apparent. There was very little vegetation. Everything facing the open-sided crater was gone or, like the visitor center, less than 28 years old. We arrived at eye level and I blindly took one photo after another. We were 5.5 miles away, crater and lava dome, clearly visible. My wonderful new camera had a large LED screen, great except in sunshine, at which time it becomes mostly black. I had no idea what images were captured, clearly seen when we checked it out inside. Of course by the time we went to get more pictures, clouds. So another spectacular event is in memory only.
The Johnston Ridge Visitor Center has a wonderful movie of the volcano, interactive exhibits and stories of people from the blast. All work to create sense of awe. Several hiking paths are available, but we had a long drive back and did not go far.
We went to the Lava Tubes, two words we would never have put together prior to this trip. We learned that lave tubes are a passage of lava underground. The sides in contact with the earth cool more quickly, allowing the inner lava to continue to flow and drain. After learning of their existence, we found that they are very common in volcanic areas. We donned headlights and coats for the trip down a natural entrance about midway through the tube. It was even darker than the Taft Tunnel, but mercifully we didn’t have bikes. We had a wonderful adventure on the short trip, but decided against the longer more strenuous version which stretched out in the opposite direction.
We talked about a trip to the coast, but decided to leave it for the next time through. Our stop in Woodland had been far more fun and relaxing than we had anticipated. It also taught us to plan well ahead for holidays.
NEXT TIME: Astoria
Lewis and Clark
Who would think these historic figures would haunt our trip? Friend Pat had recommended Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose, a favorite of ours, so I bought it, but not soon enough.
Upon leaving West Yellowstone we saw numerous “History Here” type signs telling of Lewis and Clark’s trip through the area. If the sign titles had been in smaller print, we never would have known as we flew on by. The pair and their company made a full quarter of their stops in Montana! On a previous trip, we had seen Captain Clark’s carved signature in Pompey’s Pillar. We climbed the height with the help of a stairway unavailable to the earlier explorer. We played tag with the route all through Montana, Idaho and Washington. Astoria, OR was the site of the group’s winter home on the Pacific. I was anxious to see the Columbia River described in the book, but the river of history no longer exists. Modern dams have drastically altered the landscape to improve navigation, create electric power, and moderate seasonal highs and lows – all worthy accomplishments. Given the trouble the L&C troop had with the river, they may heartily approve. Interestingly, passageways have been left to allow for salmon to swim upstream as always.
The Columbia is still a magnificent river with many waterfalls along the way. We traveled the back roads along the Columbia on both the Oregon and Washington side for some distances, enjoying bluffs, views and waterfalls. We went to Beacon Rock and climbed, again with the help of stairs, to stand where the first explorers and pioneers had surveyed the river. We also made a stop at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in City of the Dalles to see artifacts of the trip, though few remain, it was a very nice exhibit. It helps to see depictions of the canoe the men were maneuvering through rivers and across portages and of the goods they carried. Parts of the book jumped out of the pages at this exhibit.
Unplanned and often unaware, we rolled down some of same paths that Lewis and Clark and their men struggled to cross. They created the maps and charted then unknown rivers. We hitched up the trailer and hit the road. The differences are staggering, but we were seeing these areas for the first time, taking in their beauty, and meeting the locals, just as the first expedition. So symmetry was there as well.
NEXT TIME: Plan. Stop.
Upon leaving West Yellowstone we saw numerous “History Here” type signs telling of Lewis and Clark’s trip through the area. If the sign titles had been in smaller print, we never would have known as we flew on by. The pair and their company made a full quarter of their stops in Montana! On a previous trip, we had seen Captain Clark’s carved signature in Pompey’s Pillar. We climbed the height with the help of a stairway unavailable to the earlier explorer. We played tag with the route all through Montana, Idaho and Washington. Astoria, OR was the site of the group’s winter home on the Pacific. I was anxious to see the Columbia River described in the book, but the river of history no longer exists. Modern dams have drastically altered the landscape to improve navigation, create electric power, and moderate seasonal highs and lows – all worthy accomplishments. Given the trouble the L&C troop had with the river, they may heartily approve. Interestingly, passageways have been left to allow for salmon to swim upstream as always.
The Columbia is still a magnificent river with many waterfalls along the way. We traveled the back roads along the Columbia on both the Oregon and Washington side for some distances, enjoying bluffs, views and waterfalls. We went to Beacon Rock and climbed, again with the help of stairs, to stand where the first explorers and pioneers had surveyed the river. We also made a stop at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in City of the Dalles to see artifacts of the trip, though few remain, it was a very nice exhibit. It helps to see depictions of the canoe the men were maneuvering through rivers and across portages and of the goods they carried. Parts of the book jumped out of the pages at this exhibit.
Unplanned and often unaware, we rolled down some of same paths that Lewis and Clark and their men struggled to cross. They created the maps and charted then unknown rivers. We hitched up the trailer and hit the road. The differences are staggering, but we were seeing these areas for the first time, taking in their beauty, and meeting the locals, just as the first expedition. So symmetry was there as well.
NEXT TIME: Plan. Stop.
Centralia, Washington
June 22, 2009
Up until the Rutherford’s departure, we had had an agenda of sorts. We clearly wanted to get to specific points and geography dictated the order. We had a specific date to meet Rick and Pat and then 4 of us were in the planning. Now, we had a wide open map and time frame. Too many options is confusing! I don’t know that we had ever had this particular problem before. Russell met the challenge and decided it was time to head for San Francisco – YEA! We were enjoying Washington, so there was no hurry to leave. In addition we had yet to visit the volcanic peaks that hold so much beauty, mystery and power. I selected the town of Centralia, so named for its location between Seattle and Portland. The plan was to be able to easily drive to the coast, Mt. Rainer and Mt. St. Helen’s. The reality was that we were equally far, not equally close, to all desired points.
Still, Centralia, and the neighboring town of Chehalis, was a great stop. We were out of gloomy pines and in the bright sun. We needed to repair the RV, restock provisions, and generally get reorganized. We were also forced to take stock of what traveling had done to our bodies. It was seriously time for revisiting a diet plan. This is also where we picked up our bicycling adventures. We were busy!
We found a wonderful path courtesy of the Rails to Trails program again. We rode through several miles of countryside, the farms and hay fields of central Washington. We took a day trip to the coast which whet our appetite for more coastal towns.
We set our sites on Astoria and the Columbia River. Silly me! We were coming up on the July 4th weekend, any campground within 50 miles of Astoria had been booked solid for months. And so we headed next for Woodland.
Up until the Rutherford’s departure, we had had an agenda of sorts. We clearly wanted to get to specific points and geography dictated the order. We had a specific date to meet Rick and Pat and then 4 of us were in the planning. Now, we had a wide open map and time frame. Too many options is confusing! I don’t know that we had ever had this particular problem before. Russell met the challenge and decided it was time to head for San Francisco – YEA! We were enjoying Washington, so there was no hurry to leave. In addition we had yet to visit the volcanic peaks that hold so much beauty, mystery and power. I selected the town of Centralia, so named for its location between Seattle and Portland. The plan was to be able to easily drive to the coast, Mt. Rainer and Mt. St. Helen’s. The reality was that we were equally far, not equally close, to all desired points.
Still, Centralia, and the neighboring town of Chehalis, was a great stop. We were out of gloomy pines and in the bright sun. We needed to repair the RV, restock provisions, and generally get reorganized. We were also forced to take stock of what traveling had done to our bodies. It was seriously time for revisiting a diet plan. This is also where we picked up our bicycling adventures. We were busy!
We found a wonderful path courtesy of the Rails to Trails program again. We rode through several miles of countryside, the farms and hay fields of central Washington. We took a day trip to the coast which whet our appetite for more coastal towns.
We set our sites on Astoria and the Columbia River. Silly me! We were coming up on the July 4th weekend, any campground within 50 miles of Astoria had been booked solid for months. And so we headed next for Woodland.
Anacortes, Washington
June, 2009
The town of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island north of Seattle on Puget Sound, connected to the mainland by bridge. The short trip north led through port towns, industrial areas and farm lands. Anacortes is the primary connection to the San Juan Islands, with ferries running to the largest, San Juan, Shaw, Orcas, and Lopez. We chose to go to Lopez on a day trip. It is the smallest, closest, and least commercial of the 4. We drove to the island village and enjoyed a small artisan/produce fair. All 4 of us visited with merchants and other shoppers. While driving to a lighthouse, we were followed by a bald eagle. The lighthouse trip proved to be too long to allow us to meet the returning ferry, maybe next time. The ferry ride was great fun. It takes travelers past some of the smaller isles in route to the major destinations. Many islands of the group are not much more than large rocks protruding from the Sound.
In Anacortes we stayed at Pioneer Trails RV Park set in a beautiful pine forest. We cooked out and had a fire to warm our feet in the evening. Strawberries, which can be bought on every other corner, are beyond the best – deep red color, sweet and luscious! We walked downtown of this ship building and fishing community, stopping for a sunset drink in the hotel cupola. We also enjoyed a walk on a pedestrian bridge to visit with seals in the bay.
Driving south, you come to 2 wonderful bridges over Deception Pass headed to Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. Original Spaniards thought the 2 islands were actually 1 separating The Strait of Juan de Fuca from the Saratoga Passage of Puget Sound. The pass, a deception, was found quite accidentally by Joseph Whidbey, an English sea captain. The bridges meet on a small isle conveniently left for the purpose. Turbulent waters in and around the pass are due to the extreme depth. We were able to watch eagles soar and hike beneath the bridge to the shore.
Anacortes is our last camp with the Rutherford’s. Pat had to return to work and Rick decided to turn home as well. It had been a wonderful 10 days, but all good things must end. They called us all through the trip home providing travel tips.
NEXT TIME: Walk on the ferry, or take bikes and take a longer trip through the islands.
The town of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island north of Seattle on Puget Sound, connected to the mainland by bridge. The short trip north led through port towns, industrial areas and farm lands. Anacortes is the primary connection to the San Juan Islands, with ferries running to the largest, San Juan, Shaw, Orcas, and Lopez. We chose to go to Lopez on a day trip. It is the smallest, closest, and least commercial of the 4. We drove to the island village and enjoyed a small artisan/produce fair. All 4 of us visited with merchants and other shoppers. While driving to a lighthouse, we were followed by a bald eagle. The lighthouse trip proved to be too long to allow us to meet the returning ferry, maybe next time. The ferry ride was great fun. It takes travelers past some of the smaller isles in route to the major destinations. Many islands of the group are not much more than large rocks protruding from the Sound.
In Anacortes we stayed at Pioneer Trails RV Park set in a beautiful pine forest. We cooked out and had a fire to warm our feet in the evening. Strawberries, which can be bought on every other corner, are beyond the best – deep red color, sweet and luscious! We walked downtown of this ship building and fishing community, stopping for a sunset drink in the hotel cupola. We also enjoyed a walk on a pedestrian bridge to visit with seals in the bay.
Driving south, you come to 2 wonderful bridges over Deception Pass headed to Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. Original Spaniards thought the 2 islands were actually 1 separating The Strait of Juan de Fuca from the Saratoga Passage of Puget Sound. The pass, a deception, was found quite accidentally by Joseph Whidbey, an English sea captain. The bridges meet on a small isle conveniently left for the purpose. Turbulent waters in and around the pass are due to the extreme depth. We were able to watch eagles soar and hike beneath the bridge to the shore.
Anacortes is our last camp with the Rutherford’s. Pat had to return to work and Rick decided to turn home as well. It had been a wonderful 10 days, but all good things must end. They called us all through the trip home providing travel tips.
NEXT TIME: Walk on the ferry, or take bikes and take a longer trip through the islands.
Seattle, Washington
June 15, 2009
We met up with Rick and Pat at the Lake Pleasant RV Park, a beauty with sites along the perimeter of two small lakes. Again we really enjoyed being able to share cooking responsibilities with them and collaborate on some great meals.
We did the tour of downtown; Pike’s Market, docks, shops, Nordstrom’s Flagship! I was amazed by downtown. This is a city with half the population of Dallas and twice the downtown. They have managed to keep businesses open and well in an era where many cities are in decline. One obvious thing they have done is to keep their sports teams in the downtown area. Dallas certainly missed that boat! (They have managed to keep the Mavs and Stars, but let the Rangers and Cowboys, and now Cotton Bowl get away.)
Russell and I took a tour of underground Seattle, a real treat. It is in the old downtown area of Pioneer Square. Our guide gave a very humorous view of the founding fathers and their many missteps. In this area you enter buildings on the second floor; all first floors are under street level. This was not the original design. I guess all of us know too much about how our hometowns came to be and harbor a little disdain toward the leaders we know a little too much about.
The Rutherford’s tired of gloomy Seattle and went on to the next destination. We stayed on a bit to handle some business and regroup.
NEXT TIME: stay awhile
We met up with Rick and Pat at the Lake Pleasant RV Park, a beauty with sites along the perimeter of two small lakes. Again we really enjoyed being able to share cooking responsibilities with them and collaborate on some great meals.
We did the tour of downtown; Pike’s Market, docks, shops, Nordstrom’s Flagship! I was amazed by downtown. This is a city with half the population of Dallas and twice the downtown. They have managed to keep businesses open and well in an era where many cities are in decline. One obvious thing they have done is to keep their sports teams in the downtown area. Dallas certainly missed that boat! (They have managed to keep the Mavs and Stars, but let the Rangers and Cowboys, and now Cotton Bowl get away.)
Russell and I took a tour of underground Seattle, a real treat. It is in the old downtown area of Pioneer Square. Our guide gave a very humorous view of the founding fathers and their many missteps. In this area you enter buildings on the second floor; all first floors are under street level. This was not the original design. I guess all of us know too much about how our hometowns came to be and harbor a little disdain toward the leaders we know a little too much about.
The Rutherford’s tired of gloomy Seattle and went on to the next destination. We stayed on a bit to handle some business and regroup.
NEXT TIME: stay awhile
Washington State
June 15, 2009
What a surprise! It is a short drive across the Idaho panhandle to Spokane. Once through the city you are in rural Washington, Gone are the rugged peaks of Montana and Idaho. The land opens up to rolling hillsides covered with agriculture. The growing season was in full swing with mile after mile of farm land. You could smell the alfalfa being mowed and bundled. We saw row after row of Quonset-type portable buildings full of hay. We loved the smell of it storing in the barn. Alfalfa is dessert for cattle, heaven help the person who gets between a longhorn bull and alfalfa! In one area the farmers even had signs on the fences to tell what was growing. We loved that. We thought Washington was just for apples-how very unenlightened of us.
About mid-state farm land plays out and hillsides become more rugged. Our next shock was a gorge that opened to reveal an amazing lake, deep blue with black cliffs dominating the sky. We crossed a beautiful, modern bridge on our way to another drastic topography change. We entered the forested tall mountains with plunging waterfalls and one lake after another. Our trip on I-90 was one jaw dropping experience after another.
NEXT TIME: STOP!
What a surprise! It is a short drive across the Idaho panhandle to Spokane. Once through the city you are in rural Washington, Gone are the rugged peaks of Montana and Idaho. The land opens up to rolling hillsides covered with agriculture. The growing season was in full swing with mile after mile of farm land. You could smell the alfalfa being mowed and bundled. We saw row after row of Quonset-type portable buildings full of hay. We loved the smell of it storing in the barn. Alfalfa is dessert for cattle, heaven help the person who gets between a longhorn bull and alfalfa! In one area the farmers even had signs on the fences to tell what was growing. We loved that. We thought Washington was just for apples-how very unenlightened of us.
About mid-state farm land plays out and hillsides become more rugged. Our next shock was a gorge that opened to reveal an amazing lake, deep blue with black cliffs dominating the sky. We crossed a beautiful, modern bridge on our way to another drastic topography change. We entered the forested tall mountains with plunging waterfalls and one lake after another. Our trip on I-90 was one jaw dropping experience after another.
NEXT TIME: STOP!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
June 9, 2009
Leaving Kalispell, we crossed the Bitterroot Mountains into Idaho and the mining town of Coeur D’Alene, CDA, to the locals. The Bitteroots have always fascinated Russell because it is a grizzly highway for bears coming and going to Canada. CDA was exciting to me because of a historical fiction I read many years ago about a mining war between owners and workers. I don’t remember details, but the setting has stuck with me all the same. Neither place disappointed. We got to the Blackwell Island RV Park to meet Rick, a long awaited event.
Our favorite part of the Bitterroot was the town of Wallace, Idaho. They had every building in town declared a National Historic Monument to fight the I-90 freeway coming through. I-90 did get built eventually, completely above the small city. The buildings here are quaint turn-of-the-century and hold many off-beat museums. The three of us toured an old mine in Wallace. The tour, led by a former miner, is in a shaft that was worked for almost 100 years before ever making a profit when it opened up to tourists. The various owners had hoped to hit gold, silver, copper, lead, anything that paid. For several years it was used as a classroom for a local college to train miners. Economic factors impacted the need to have more miners. For the price of a ticket you tour the downtown museum, ride a trolley to the mine, don a hardhat to get the total mining experience and finally tour the town of Wallace on the return trolley trip. What a deal! We also enjoyed the local color with lunch and a pawn shop trip.
Pat joined us a few days later, not the least bit unhappy about missing the mine experience. But we all four returned to Wallace for a bike ride beyond all expectations. The national Rails to Trails program has converted the defunct Hiawatha Rail Line to a bike trail. This trek takes you from a few miles east of the Idaho/Montana border to near Wallace on the west side for an up close look at the heart of the mountain range. It is 17 miles, down hill, wearing a helmet and headlight. The ride goes through ten tunnels and over seven trestles that span amazing river gorges. You are often at treetop level, looking down, or in my case, forward.
The most daunting tunnel is right off the bat, the 1.7 mile Taft Tunnel, a curving, dank, dark, cold test of endurance. I white-knuckled the experience with a determined finish-without-falling focus, while the other three thought it was fun! The views on the west side of the tunnel make it worthwhile. Next is the section of gently sloping, bright, wide trail that curves along the mountain side. But more tunnels await, shorter, easier, but tunnels all the same. After falling in the second one, the others weren’t so bad.
Unfortunately you get a long look at the first trestle way before arriving. It is long and tall; fear of heights would be a real problem here. Grim determination and the mantra “Don’t stop, don’t look down” got me across. Again I need to mention that three fourths of our party was having a wonderful time! The vistas were unlike riding by in a car, you are actually IN the setting, the cliff faces are RIGHT THERE! The rivers, however, are WAY DOWN! Despite my fears, the trip was unforgettably spectacular and the reason for us to buy bikes again later in the trip.
I did adjust. We even stopped and enjoyed looking over some trestle railings. At one stop we looked at a mist of rain in the near distance and were spellbound by the scene until Russell mentioned, “it’s coming our way!” Start peddling – fast. We made the last portion of our trip hunched over handle bars, dripping with mud kicking up on all surfaces. Fortunately, the rain was fairly light and it stopped to allow us some drying time prior to getting on the school bus shuttle for the return trip.
The bus trip is mostly in the valley you were looking into from the bike path, a great perspective. It drops all riders off at the west side of that 1.7 mile Taft Tunnel. That is definitely not the appropriate side of the gauntlet. We all headed into the final leg of the journey, pedaling as fast as possible, for awhile. I had to stop and refused to get back on that bike. I just could not, would not, do it. I walked my bike the rest of the way. I told the others to go ahead. Fortunately, Russell ignored me and followed, pedaling very slowly the whole way. It was a very good thing because prior to the exit my light burned out. We caught up with Rick and Pat taking naps in the truck.
We spent the rest of our days in CDA enjoying the city. Downtown is vibrant! Most businesses are open and busy. Huge baskets of petunias hang from every old-fashioned light pole. There is an active night life and much alfresco dining to add to the atmosphere. The city is built along Lake Coeur D’Alene which gets fed by the Spokane River. Our park was on Blackwell Island where the river meets the lake. The lake was formed by retreating glaciers and has abundant marsh lands, and therefore abundant wildlife. One day Rick spotted a baby moose prancing across a marsh. He was cartoonish, wearing a great moosey smile. I’m quite sure that all the moose in this region are smiling.
We hiked in the city park which sits by the lake around an Idaho hill, or Texas mountain. It was a rugged, but very doable, climb to the top with a view of the lake on three sides. Many folks were boating, swimming, parasailing, and skiing. Pat and I explored the city another day with a Bed and Breakfast tour that was fun, and surely would have been skipped if we had not been together. One business is in an old elementary school now owned by a former student. Cool!
One thing we enjoyed about CDA was the opportunity to be with the Rutherford’s. We shared meals, movies, bike rides and walks in addition to our more daring adventures. There was a lot of talk about where to next, a tough problem to work out when the options are so vast. We decided on a trip to Seattle, they hadn’t been in many years and it was a first for us.
NEXT TIME: try CDA in winter? More bike rides, a kayak trip!
Leaving Kalispell, we crossed the Bitterroot Mountains into Idaho and the mining town of Coeur D’Alene, CDA, to the locals. The Bitteroots have always fascinated Russell because it is a grizzly highway for bears coming and going to Canada. CDA was exciting to me because of a historical fiction I read many years ago about a mining war between owners and workers. I don’t remember details, but the setting has stuck with me all the same. Neither place disappointed. We got to the Blackwell Island RV Park to meet Rick, a long awaited event.
Our favorite part of the Bitterroot was the town of Wallace, Idaho. They had every building in town declared a National Historic Monument to fight the I-90 freeway coming through. I-90 did get built eventually, completely above the small city. The buildings here are quaint turn-of-the-century and hold many off-beat museums. The three of us toured an old mine in Wallace. The tour, led by a former miner, is in a shaft that was worked for almost 100 years before ever making a profit when it opened up to tourists. The various owners had hoped to hit gold, silver, copper, lead, anything that paid. For several years it was used as a classroom for a local college to train miners. Economic factors impacted the need to have more miners. For the price of a ticket you tour the downtown museum, ride a trolley to the mine, don a hardhat to get the total mining experience and finally tour the town of Wallace on the return trolley trip. What a deal! We also enjoyed the local color with lunch and a pawn shop trip.
Pat joined us a few days later, not the least bit unhappy about missing the mine experience. But we all four returned to Wallace for a bike ride beyond all expectations. The national Rails to Trails program has converted the defunct Hiawatha Rail Line to a bike trail. This trek takes you from a few miles east of the Idaho/Montana border to near Wallace on the west side for an up close look at the heart of the mountain range. It is 17 miles, down hill, wearing a helmet and headlight. The ride goes through ten tunnels and over seven trestles that span amazing river gorges. You are often at treetop level, looking down, or in my case, forward.
The most daunting tunnel is right off the bat, the 1.7 mile Taft Tunnel, a curving, dank, dark, cold test of endurance. I white-knuckled the experience with a determined finish-without-falling focus, while the other three thought it was fun! The views on the west side of the tunnel make it worthwhile. Next is the section of gently sloping, bright, wide trail that curves along the mountain side. But more tunnels await, shorter, easier, but tunnels all the same. After falling in the second one, the others weren’t so bad.
Unfortunately you get a long look at the first trestle way before arriving. It is long and tall; fear of heights would be a real problem here. Grim determination and the mantra “Don’t stop, don’t look down” got me across. Again I need to mention that three fourths of our party was having a wonderful time! The vistas were unlike riding by in a car, you are actually IN the setting, the cliff faces are RIGHT THERE! The rivers, however, are WAY DOWN! Despite my fears, the trip was unforgettably spectacular and the reason for us to buy bikes again later in the trip.
I did adjust. We even stopped and enjoyed looking over some trestle railings. At one stop we looked at a mist of rain in the near distance and were spellbound by the scene until Russell mentioned, “it’s coming our way!” Start peddling – fast. We made the last portion of our trip hunched over handle bars, dripping with mud kicking up on all surfaces. Fortunately, the rain was fairly light and it stopped to allow us some drying time prior to getting on the school bus shuttle for the return trip.
The bus trip is mostly in the valley you were looking into from the bike path, a great perspective. It drops all riders off at the west side of that 1.7 mile Taft Tunnel. That is definitely not the appropriate side of the gauntlet. We all headed into the final leg of the journey, pedaling as fast as possible, for awhile. I had to stop and refused to get back on that bike. I just could not, would not, do it. I walked my bike the rest of the way. I told the others to go ahead. Fortunately, Russell ignored me and followed, pedaling very slowly the whole way. It was a very good thing because prior to the exit my light burned out. We caught up with Rick and Pat taking naps in the truck.
We spent the rest of our days in CDA enjoying the city. Downtown is vibrant! Most businesses are open and busy. Huge baskets of petunias hang from every old-fashioned light pole. There is an active night life and much alfresco dining to add to the atmosphere. The city is built along Lake Coeur D’Alene which gets fed by the Spokane River. Our park was on Blackwell Island where the river meets the lake. The lake was formed by retreating glaciers and has abundant marsh lands, and therefore abundant wildlife. One day Rick spotted a baby moose prancing across a marsh. He was cartoonish, wearing a great moosey smile. I’m quite sure that all the moose in this region are smiling.
We hiked in the city park which sits by the lake around an Idaho hill, or Texas mountain. It was a rugged, but very doable, climb to the top with a view of the lake on three sides. Many folks were boating, swimming, parasailing, and skiing. Pat and I explored the city another day with a Bed and Breakfast tour that was fun, and surely would have been skipped if we had not been together. One business is in an old elementary school now owned by a former student. Cool!
One thing we enjoyed about CDA was the opportunity to be with the Rutherford’s. We shared meals, movies, bike rides and walks in addition to our more daring adventures. There was a lot of talk about where to next, a tough problem to work out when the options are so vast. We decided on a trip to Seattle, they hadn’t been in many years and it was a first for us.
NEXT TIME: try CDA in winter? More bike rides, a kayak trip!
Kalispell, Montana
June 8, 2009
What a nice town! We had heard that Kalispell is a neat place, and have not been disappointed, especially in the Spruce Park on the River RV Campground, a beautiful spot on the Flathead River. The Flathead is a wide, rushing body; at least it is in early summer, fed by snow melt. Our campground is owned by a wonderful lady who grew up on the premises when her parents were the owners. They still live on the site and take great pride in it, as evidenced by the bountiful flowers and original wood carvings. We got to visit with the couple one evening as they were driving the grounds in their Cadillac Esplanade. It is such a wonderful place; one of the employees was planning her wedding here for later in the summer, under the spruce trees beside the river. I got all the details, but no invitation.
The town is a small city – Wal-Mart, Dodge house, mall, downtown – all we needed after several National Park gigs. All of this is set against the Rockies, and protected by them. Temps here do not get as extreme as at St. Mary. We had a lot of work to catch up on since we had not been near a sizeable town since Salt Lake City.
Our highlight of the city was the Conrad Mansion. The original owner and builder was a post Civil War self-made man and city founder who put himself into every aspect of the construction but died only four years after its completion. It was home to his wife, four children, mother and mother-in-law for many years after. Interestingly, there were no grand-children and except for Alicia, the youngest, the children died young. Alicia lived in the house, saving everything until the 1960’s, when she sold the estate to the city. This lady was so exacting, she even saved receipts from the original construction in 1895, toys, clothing, and furniture are still intact. All of these artifacts are exactly what makes this such a fabulous tour and glimpse into the life of privileged at the turn of the twentieth century.
Another day-trip was to the west side of Glacier NP. Again we could take the Sun Rd. about 12 miles because of the avalanche. The west side is very different, hardly any snow remained, the mountains are less rugged and it is more forested. We headed up a trail to a small mountain lake. I am so slow on an uphill climb that it is a drag on anyone else, so I turned back and enjoyed the lodge Russell reported that the small lake was well worth the hike. So was the McDonald Lake Lodge! Original tourists arrived by boat, so the front entrance is lakeside, next to a rushing creek. We did drive in as far as possible, but failed to find any place to park. This had not been a problem at St. Mary! We did relax a bit at a cataract in the river – more breathtaking stuff!
We enjoyed the drive from Kalispell to Coeur D’Alene, especially the beautiful Flathead Lake community and moonscape terrain west of it.
NEXT TIME: Flathead Lake
What a nice town! We had heard that Kalispell is a neat place, and have not been disappointed, especially in the Spruce Park on the River RV Campground, a beautiful spot on the Flathead River. The Flathead is a wide, rushing body; at least it is in early summer, fed by snow melt. Our campground is owned by a wonderful lady who grew up on the premises when her parents were the owners. They still live on the site and take great pride in it, as evidenced by the bountiful flowers and original wood carvings. We got to visit with the couple one evening as they were driving the grounds in their Cadillac Esplanade. It is such a wonderful place; one of the employees was planning her wedding here for later in the summer, under the spruce trees beside the river. I got all the details, but no invitation.
The town is a small city – Wal-Mart, Dodge house, mall, downtown – all we needed after several National Park gigs. All of this is set against the Rockies, and protected by them. Temps here do not get as extreme as at St. Mary. We had a lot of work to catch up on since we had not been near a sizeable town since Salt Lake City.
Our highlight of the city was the Conrad Mansion. The original owner and builder was a post Civil War self-made man and city founder who put himself into every aspect of the construction but died only four years after its completion. It was home to his wife, four children, mother and mother-in-law for many years after. Interestingly, there were no grand-children and except for Alicia, the youngest, the children died young. Alicia lived in the house, saving everything until the 1960’s, when she sold the estate to the city. This lady was so exacting, she even saved receipts from the original construction in 1895, toys, clothing, and furniture are still intact. All of these artifacts are exactly what makes this such a fabulous tour and glimpse into the life of privileged at the turn of the twentieth century.
Another day-trip was to the west side of Glacier NP. Again we could take the Sun Rd. about 12 miles because of the avalanche. The west side is very different, hardly any snow remained, the mountains are less rugged and it is more forested. We headed up a trail to a small mountain lake. I am so slow on an uphill climb that it is a drag on anyone else, so I turned back and enjoyed the lodge Russell reported that the small lake was well worth the hike. So was the McDonald Lake Lodge! Original tourists arrived by boat, so the front entrance is lakeside, next to a rushing creek. We did drive in as far as possible, but failed to find any place to park. This had not been a problem at St. Mary! We did relax a bit at a cataract in the river – more breathtaking stuff!
We enjoyed the drive from Kalispell to Coeur D’Alene, especially the beautiful Flathead Lake community and moonscape terrain west of it.
NEXT TIME: Flathead Lake
Glacier National Park East at St. Mary, MT
June 1, 2009
Russell and I have both wanted to see Glacier, the most remote of national parks, for years. In each of our previous trips to Montana we did not have time to get that far. So this was a MUCH anticipated destination. We headed to the more remote, rugged east side at St. Mary partly because it is the closest to the Canadian portion of the park.
We had been beating the season in each of our stops with good results, fewer crowds, more moderate weather and a lot of luck. This native Texan did internet research in planning each destination, but weather hadn’t been a focus. We had no idea that roads would still be closed on June 1 when we arrived at the KOA. The campground did have a few visitors, even though they had only just opened that week. Fortunately, we bought groceries on our way north, sensing that shopping would be limited in St. Mary. After several days at camp, we were low on several basic foods. The only grocery store in town had not gotten stocked yet!
The highlight of any trip to Glacier is the Going-To-The-Sun Highway, climbing between rugged peaks over the continental divide. An avalanche had occurred earlier in the week, closing the central and most spectacular section of road. This was certainly bad news for us, far worse for the crews who would have to repair the damage, but we were not sympathetic at the time. Going-To-The-Sun is the only road crossing Glacier NP. As with most national parks, there are several entrances; Two Medicine in the south, Waterton in Alberta, Canada, West Glacier, near Kalispell, St. Mary and Many Glacier in the east. Going-To-The-Sun connects St. Mary to West Glacier, while each of the other entrances is isolated from the others. We got to go to all 5 major entrances!
Driving the 14 miles west from St. Mary along St. Mary Lake, you can almost see melting snow and glaciers scraping away the terrain. Extreme winters leave their mark, resulting in razor sharp summits with only bare rock to tell the story. The colors of rock are deep cranberry, turquoise, slate, olive. We hiked to St. Mary Falls and you didn’t have to go far to witness rushing creeks and the river. The sounds of cascading water were everywhere. The white waterfall and rapids filled emerald lakes. Glacier fed lakes just have a different color than other lakes, certainly very different from the sandy-bottomed man-made lakes of Texas.
We drove to Many Glacier – hunting for bear…with our camera. Lovely drive, quaint, not-yet-opened lodge, no bear. We drove to Waterton Lake in Canada past Chief Mountain. Chief is imposing for several reasons; he is sitting all alone, larger mountains are off in the distance, he is more of a butte, flat-topped, not jagged and spiked like the surrounding mountains. He dominates the landscape from the north, but is not at all visible from the south.
The village of Waterton is purely for tourists. The Prince William Lodge, not yet open, sits high on a cliff above the village, kind of like Chief Mt. in the south, now that I think about it. Waterton is a wide finger lake that straddles the border of the USA and Canada. The southern tip of the lake is a point of entry to the USA for hikers only. You must have a passport to go past the shore. Waterton is called International Peace Park, the only park that crosses an international border. On the boat ride from the village south, you cross a roughly 10 foot stretch of land, running east-west, which is free of trees and a marker on each shore of the lake denoting the border. It is the easiest border crossing in the world. The guides joked that you feel a bump in the lake as the border is crossed.
We had carefully timed our Canadian trip to allow for boat trip, sight-seeing, and a return before 6PM, when the most convenient border crossing would close. The next week, their hours extend to 10PM, but we would be gone. We arrived at the dock to find that the summer schedule had started that day and the boat we expected to find had already sailed. The next available trip put us past the 6PM deadline. So we got to see more of the area, have a nice dinner and go bear hunting again. This time we were successful! We caught glimpses of two cinnamon bears playing and eating in a marshy area, seemingly unaware of us on the road above. What fun! We also snapped several pictures of a bald eagle perched only a few feet away from us. We could not believe our luck! Unfortunately, most of the shots were with the 35mm that was not properly loaded. No photo evidence exists to show how close we actually were.
The drive through Alberta to the next border crossing was a nice bonus. The terrain is rolling grassland with cattle and ranch houses dotting the landscape. Only random glacier-droppings of boulders remind you that you are not in Texas or Oklahoma. And there in the background was Chief Mountain welcoming us back to the USA. We also enjoyed driving through the picturesque town of Cardston, Alberta on our way to the border. We crossed the border uneventfully, but it was interesting that we had far more questions coming back to our own country that entering the one we visited.
Whenever we had an opportunity to visit with the local folks we asked, “What do ya’ll do in winter?” The answer was unanimous, “LEAVE!” The eastern side of glacier can reach temperatures of 65 below. Snow covers everything. Freezing temps can occur during any month up there. There was snow just before our visit and just after. Not just snow, but storms. Angels were smiling on us yet again. Further down the road, we talked to a man who had been at St. Mary just days after we had left. He fled in a driving snow storm!
NEXT TIME: JULY!
Russell and I have both wanted to see Glacier, the most remote of national parks, for years. In each of our previous trips to Montana we did not have time to get that far. So this was a MUCH anticipated destination. We headed to the more remote, rugged east side at St. Mary partly because it is the closest to the Canadian portion of the park.
We had been beating the season in each of our stops with good results, fewer crowds, more moderate weather and a lot of luck. This native Texan did internet research in planning each destination, but weather hadn’t been a focus. We had no idea that roads would still be closed on June 1 when we arrived at the KOA. The campground did have a few visitors, even though they had only just opened that week. Fortunately, we bought groceries on our way north, sensing that shopping would be limited in St. Mary. After several days at camp, we were low on several basic foods. The only grocery store in town had not gotten stocked yet!
The highlight of any trip to Glacier is the Going-To-The-Sun Highway, climbing between rugged peaks over the continental divide. An avalanche had occurred earlier in the week, closing the central and most spectacular section of road. This was certainly bad news for us, far worse for the crews who would have to repair the damage, but we were not sympathetic at the time. Going-To-The-Sun is the only road crossing Glacier NP. As with most national parks, there are several entrances; Two Medicine in the south, Waterton in Alberta, Canada, West Glacier, near Kalispell, St. Mary and Many Glacier in the east. Going-To-The-Sun connects St. Mary to West Glacier, while each of the other entrances is isolated from the others. We got to go to all 5 major entrances!
Driving the 14 miles west from St. Mary along St. Mary Lake, you can almost see melting snow and glaciers scraping away the terrain. Extreme winters leave their mark, resulting in razor sharp summits with only bare rock to tell the story. The colors of rock are deep cranberry, turquoise, slate, olive. We hiked to St. Mary Falls and you didn’t have to go far to witness rushing creeks and the river. The sounds of cascading water were everywhere. The white waterfall and rapids filled emerald lakes. Glacier fed lakes just have a different color than other lakes, certainly very different from the sandy-bottomed man-made lakes of Texas.
We drove to Many Glacier – hunting for bear…with our camera. Lovely drive, quaint, not-yet-opened lodge, no bear. We drove to Waterton Lake in Canada past Chief Mountain. Chief is imposing for several reasons; he is sitting all alone, larger mountains are off in the distance, he is more of a butte, flat-topped, not jagged and spiked like the surrounding mountains. He dominates the landscape from the north, but is not at all visible from the south.
The village of Waterton is purely for tourists. The Prince William Lodge, not yet open, sits high on a cliff above the village, kind of like Chief Mt. in the south, now that I think about it. Waterton is a wide finger lake that straddles the border of the USA and Canada. The southern tip of the lake is a point of entry to the USA for hikers only. You must have a passport to go past the shore. Waterton is called International Peace Park, the only park that crosses an international border. On the boat ride from the village south, you cross a roughly 10 foot stretch of land, running east-west, which is free of trees and a marker on each shore of the lake denoting the border. It is the easiest border crossing in the world. The guides joked that you feel a bump in the lake as the border is crossed.
We had carefully timed our Canadian trip to allow for boat trip, sight-seeing, and a return before 6PM, when the most convenient border crossing would close. The next week, their hours extend to 10PM, but we would be gone. We arrived at the dock to find that the summer schedule had started that day and the boat we expected to find had already sailed. The next available trip put us past the 6PM deadline. So we got to see more of the area, have a nice dinner and go bear hunting again. This time we were successful! We caught glimpses of two cinnamon bears playing and eating in a marshy area, seemingly unaware of us on the road above. What fun! We also snapped several pictures of a bald eagle perched only a few feet away from us. We could not believe our luck! Unfortunately, most of the shots were with the 35mm that was not properly loaded. No photo evidence exists to show how close we actually were.
The drive through Alberta to the next border crossing was a nice bonus. The terrain is rolling grassland with cattle and ranch houses dotting the landscape. Only random glacier-droppings of boulders remind you that you are not in Texas or Oklahoma. And there in the background was Chief Mountain welcoming us back to the USA. We also enjoyed driving through the picturesque town of Cardston, Alberta on our way to the border. We crossed the border uneventfully, but it was interesting that we had far more questions coming back to our own country that entering the one we visited.
Whenever we had an opportunity to visit with the local folks we asked, “What do ya’ll do in winter?” The answer was unanimous, “LEAVE!” The eastern side of glacier can reach temperatures of 65 below. Snow covers everything. Freezing temps can occur during any month up there. There was snow just before our visit and just after. Not just snow, but storms. Angels were smiling on us yet again. Further down the road, we talked to a man who had been at St. Mary just days after we had left. He fled in a driving snow storm!
NEXT TIME: JULY!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Yellowstone National Park
May 25, 2009We traveled north from Grand Tetons to the south entrance of Yellowstone-dirt road and all. The lake region of Yellowstone was still frozen and just beautiful. We arrived at Old Faithful in time to see the geyser show off. It was grand! It starts with some belching, then short spurts, then a grand spray for several minutes ending with more sputtering.
We got settled west of the town of West Yellowstone, MT – Yea – wifi, TV and occasional phone reception. This KOA has an old-fashioned 2 person swing and plenty of space at each site – fabulous!
Yellowstone is so big that it is hard to see everything. Fortunately we arrived before school was out and avoided the massive traffic we experienced several years ago. We took several of the walking loops through the geysers seeing examples of all three types; hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots. Each geyser had something unique about it and I wanted to see them all! Many of the hot springs was actually at a boil. Each was a different shade of blue, with bacteria growth of oranges, yellows and pinks. It is amazing to stand on the boardwalk and know that you are looking down into the mouth of a volcano, magma creating the heat in evidence at the surface. Fumaroles are noisy things, spewing dry steam from rocky surfaces. Mud pots could be called nothing else. It is like watching oatmeal simmer and boil in shades of brown and red.
We got a glimpse of Old Faithful Inn on our first day and wanted to see more. We ate a lovely dinner in the old dining room and got information about the daily tours. The lady hosting our tour group literally wrote the book on the lodge. The lodge, built in 1904, was the first of the national park lodges and set the tone for the rest. The goal was to create an atmosphere of living in the woods, complete with a tree house of sorts, four floors up in the lobby. The Inn, made of local materials, blends and enhances the natural setting and is comfortable. Much of the same furniture designed and built for the lodge is still in use, and still comfortably inviting. The original rooms are simple boxes with a shelf and dowel hooks to accommodate belongings, some had a sink, but communal bathrooms were the only option. This old style is still available but suites and private baths have been added as rooms were built on. The original cedar panels of the hallways are removed and steam cleaned periodically. We visited with one of the maintenance crew who added many interesting facts during our tour. He told us that the whole place shuts down in October for crews to completely clean and winterize. All first floor windows are boarded and water is drained from all pipes, in addition to other procedures. This gentleman has been spending his summers here since retiring several years before. We met many service people who had made the same retirement choice, including a lady who annually drives from South Carolina! She makes up dinners and freezes them for her husband who doesn’t want to leave home.
During the tour, the group is taken out to the front entrance for a sense of the view that greeted early visitors. While admiring the portico, one of the more erratic geysers, the Beehive, blew. The tour stopped for us to enjoy the rare spectacle. The hotel is situated so that visitors on the veranda, a deck on the entrance roof, may be treated to both this geyser and Old Faithful while sipping drinks and lounging in comfort. This is the kind of detail the architect considered in every aspect of design.
We also enjoyed the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The Yellowstone River falls in a beautiful cascade into the gorge. The falls and canyons are on the east side of what is referred to as the Grand Loop of the park. Geysers dominate the north and west sides while the lake region dominates the south. We drove through the north and south, getting the flavor, but lacked time for exploring. The north entrance features Mammoth Hot Springs. The Lodge here is a Victorian spa set in bare rolling hills. The springs are sulfuric, white-cake-frosting type formations. They beckon you to relax and “take the waters.”
People who camped in the park were treated to a variety of wild life. We saw buffalo – lots of buffalo. There were crowds of people snapping one picture after another. They must not have been from Texas or the central plains states!
NEXT TIME: stay in the park at Mammoth Hot Springs
Jackson, Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park
May, 2009
We camped one night at the Moose-Wilson KOA near Jackson, WY. Our view from Teton Pass clearly explains why the valley is called Jackson Hole. The name comes from an old fur trapper who worked the area.
We camped one night at the Moose-Wilson KOA near Jackson, WY. Our view from Teton Pass clearly explains why the valley is called Jackson Hole. The name comes from an old fur trapper who worked the area.
Downtown's park square is complete with deer and elk antler gates at each entrance. Saloons, T-shirt shops and river guides abound. We really enjoyed the National Park Service’s visitor center and game preserve. As usual, the NPS rangers were friendly and very well informed. The well-displayed exhibits were helpful and gave us a good preview of the Grand Tetons.
We took a walk near the campgrounds and discovered a baby eagle in a nest atop a telephone pole. There are 4 by 4 foot platforms on utility poles throughout the west, many with large nests. This is the only one we got close enough to see the baby, screaming and yelling either at our presence or a lack of food.
The Grand Tetons are so majestic! The vantage point is from the east, looking at these snowy peaks from across a lake or, at times, across a meadow. The string of finger lakes at the base of the range provide perfect reflection pools. In mid May, snow covered all but the lowest elevations.
This was our first stay inside a national park, the first that could accommodate a large rig. The advantage to staying in the park boundaries is that you are there – no time is wasted getting to the entrances, although we covered a lot of distance getting to the many areas we wanted to see inside the park. The downside is there is no TV, WiFi, or phone coverage except at the lodge. So we spent a lot of time at the lodge, which was a good thing.
Wildlife is everywhere! We saw bear, elk, moose, wolf and eagle. A group of us at the lodge watched two wolves stalk the elk herd. They managed to corner a member of the herd, but she used terrain and vegetation to escape and rejoin her friends. Russell was working inside and missed the event, but later he elevated it to a life and death struggle to the end when relating it to others .
Our experiences here led to a desire to improve our equipment. We bought a new digital camera and binoculars and dusted off the old Cannon 35mm camera.
NEXT TIME: more hikes, ride the Jenny Lake boat, stay longer.
Salt Lake City, Utah
May, 2009
Our Salt Lake City stop served several purposes: we wanted to see more than just the airport, and we could fly to Texas from this air hub.
Salt Lake City is beautiful with much to see and do. We took the free shuttle from the huge west side SLC KOA campground to the LDS Headquarters in downtown. They have many buildings covering an area of at least six city blocks. Russell did way better than I did searching ancestors. Our tour of the public buildings and beautifully gardened grounds was informative. There are several restaurants within the headquarters. We went to a roof-top garden at the Joseph Smith Building, once the Utah Hotel. The food was delicious, with gracious service and the gilt building was amazing. The day was so glorious that the roof was open allowing sun and fresh air.
We took an interesting day trip to Ogden to see the old Union Depot, once the center of railroading to the west. Currently it houses a restaurant, train museum, Browning Arms exhibit and antique car museum, all for the price of $5. The genius of John Browning is no secret to true collectors, but I was surprised. This man completely revolutionized weapons of all types and sizes. His designs and inventions continue in today’s guns. He and the Browning Co. designed guns for Winchester, Colt and many other large manufacturers. Rare autos from the Browning family are in the first floor museum. There were cars here we had never even heard of before and all are in beautiful condition. Most of the cars are still drivable and participate in local parades. We always knew that east met west at Promontory Point, Utah and Ogden was the hub of activity in creating that link. We did not know that in 1904 a shorter route was built that crossed The Great Salt Lake. They had a depot in the middle of the lake on a man-made island in the form of a wooden landing that was wide enough for a row of buildings. People lived out there!
Another day trip took us to Park City, a popular ski resort town. Unfortunately, ski season had ended but summer season hadn’t begun yet. Most events and many shops and restaurants were closed for vacation. We did enjoy the walk through down and certainly got some exercise getting back uphill to our car.
Another day we drove to the Kennecott Copper Mine, now owned by Rio Tinto. This rich copper mine began as nearly 10 different mining towns with workers heading underground to capture the many ores found here. In the early 1900’s strip mining began and is projected to continue for at least another 20 years. This has become the deepest man-mad hole on earth, 1 mile deep, and has produced more copper than most other mines put together. It also produces gold, silver, and other commercially useable ores. It is so weird to drive into the area and see these “Hot-Wheel” looking toy trucks way down in the pit, only to find that they are really massive dump trucks over 23 feet tall! The museum and video were equally amazing.
NEXT TIME: The State Capital, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir practice
Our Salt Lake City stop served several purposes: we wanted to see more than just the airport, and we could fly to Texas from this air hub.
Salt Lake City is beautiful with much to see and do. We took the free shuttle from the huge west side SLC KOA campground to the LDS Headquarters in downtown. They have many buildings covering an area of at least six city blocks. Russell did way better than I did searching ancestors. Our tour of the public buildings and beautifully gardened grounds was informative. There are several restaurants within the headquarters. We went to a roof-top garden at the Joseph Smith Building, once the Utah Hotel. The food was delicious, with gracious service and the gilt building was amazing. The day was so glorious that the roof was open allowing sun and fresh air.
We took an interesting day trip to Ogden to see the old Union Depot, once the center of railroading to the west. Currently it houses a restaurant, train museum, Browning Arms exhibit and antique car museum, all for the price of $5. The genius of John Browning is no secret to true collectors, but I was surprised. This man completely revolutionized weapons of all types and sizes. His designs and inventions continue in today’s guns. He and the Browning Co. designed guns for Winchester, Colt and many other large manufacturers. Rare autos from the Browning family are in the first floor museum. There were cars here we had never even heard of before and all are in beautiful condition. Most of the cars are still drivable and participate in local parades. We always knew that east met west at Promontory Point, Utah and Ogden was the hub of activity in creating that link. We did not know that in 1904 a shorter route was built that crossed The Great Salt Lake. They had a depot in the middle of the lake on a man-made island in the form of a wooden landing that was wide enough for a row of buildings. People lived out there!
Another day trip took us to Park City, a popular ski resort town. Unfortunately, ski season had ended but summer season hadn’t begun yet. Most events and many shops and restaurants were closed for vacation. We did enjoy the walk through down and certainly got some exercise getting back uphill to our car.
Another day we drove to the Kennecott Copper Mine, now owned by Rio Tinto. This rich copper mine began as nearly 10 different mining towns with workers heading underground to capture the many ores found here. In the early 1900’s strip mining began and is projected to continue for at least another 20 years. This has become the deepest man-mad hole on earth, 1 mile deep, and has produced more copper than most other mines put together. It also produces gold, silver, and other commercially useable ores. It is so weird to drive into the area and see these “Hot-Wheel” looking toy trucks way down in the pit, only to find that they are really massive dump trucks over 23 feet tall! The museum and video were equally amazing.
NEXT TIME: The State Capital, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir practice
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Bryce Canyon, Utah
April 26, 2009
We had planned a trip to Bryce 25 years ago, but ran out of time. So this week-long stop was long overdue, and well worth the wait. Fairyland is overused in describing Bryce for a good reason. You can see that the top layer of limestone that you are standing on is exactly the same as the tops of the formations. Colors have “washed” down to the base of these hoodoos and walls from white to pink to red. Hoodoos are eerie formations of spires, fins, horseshoes and arches. The less eroded areas form mazes of walls.
We hiked the most popular loop, down Queen’s Garden and back up the Navaho Wall Trail. The Queen’s Garden trail descends through the formations that make Bryce famous. Once at the bottom you are walking in a thinly-treed forest along a creek. These pines seemed miniature from above, or were hidden altogether, shade the walkway, a beautiful reprieve which is much needed for the Navaho hike out. You walk through towering walls that but touch at the top-at tourist level-focusing what light that does filter through into a rectangular sundial for those with the ability to read it. The assent is steeply carved into a wall, switch backs twisting you up the nearly vertical wall. I had to stop at the end of every full loop. As tiring as it was, I was somewhat disappointed to come out of the time travel to arrive back in the land of tourists and cars. In the trail you can imagine the geologic and environmental forces that shaped this magic and feel the ancients who peopled these canyons.
We also enjoyed Red Rock Canyon and hiked through this smaller state park. Snow was a nice bonus.
We actually stayed near Red Rock Canyon at a very small park. Being new to travel, we were nervous about the road conditions getting deeper into Bryce. This fear turned out to be well-founded. There are two narrow, low red rock arches over the roadway – very picturesque! However at just over 13 feet tall, a trip through that passage would be a little daunting. I’m sure we would have made it, creeping and sweating the whole way. The more popular and closer RV Park is Ruby’s. This complex includes the RV park, a hotel, restaurant and store. Many services, like a free shuttle, are available later in the season. We did spend a lot of time at the hotel because of their wifi service. As I write this, we probably have the confidence to make our way into Ruby’s on another trip.
NEXT TIME: Take UT 12 east to Moab, Capital Dome, Arches and the other canyon lands. Also revisit Grand Canyon, North Rim, and Zion.
We had planned a trip to Bryce 25 years ago, but ran out of time. So this week-long stop was long overdue, and well worth the wait. Fairyland is overused in describing Bryce for a good reason. You can see that the top layer of limestone that you are standing on is exactly the same as the tops of the formations. Colors have “washed” down to the base of these hoodoos and walls from white to pink to red. Hoodoos are eerie formations of spires, fins, horseshoes and arches. The less eroded areas form mazes of walls.
We hiked the most popular loop, down Queen’s Garden and back up the Navaho Wall Trail. The Queen’s Garden trail descends through the formations that make Bryce famous. Once at the bottom you are walking in a thinly-treed forest along a creek. These pines seemed miniature from above, or were hidden altogether, shade the walkway, a beautiful reprieve which is much needed for the Navaho hike out. You walk through towering walls that but touch at the top-at tourist level-focusing what light that does filter through into a rectangular sundial for those with the ability to read it. The assent is steeply carved into a wall, switch backs twisting you up the nearly vertical wall. I had to stop at the end of every full loop. As tiring as it was, I was somewhat disappointed to come out of the time travel to arrive back in the land of tourists and cars. In the trail you can imagine the geologic and environmental forces that shaped this magic and feel the ancients who peopled these canyons.
We also enjoyed Red Rock Canyon and hiked through this smaller state park. Snow was a nice bonus.
We actually stayed near Red Rock Canyon at a very small park. Being new to travel, we were nervous about the road conditions getting deeper into Bryce. This fear turned out to be well-founded. There are two narrow, low red rock arches over the roadway – very picturesque! However at just over 13 feet tall, a trip through that passage would be a little daunting. I’m sure we would have made it, creeping and sweating the whole way. The more popular and closer RV Park is Ruby’s. This complex includes the RV park, a hotel, restaurant and store. Many services, like a free shuttle, are available later in the season. We did spend a lot of time at the hotel because of their wifi service. As I write this, we probably have the confidence to make our way into Ruby’s on another trip.
NEXT TIME: Take UT 12 east to Moab, Capital Dome, Arches and the other canyon lands. Also revisit Grand Canyon, North Rim, and Zion.
April 20, 2009The small community of Munds Park is convenient to both Flagstaff and Sedona. Here we got to the pines, mountains, and cooler weather of northern Arizona. The Munds Park RV Resort backs up to the Coconino National Forest with easy access for long walks.
We took the northern route to Sedona through Oak Creek Canyon. The road runs southwest from I-17 through the forest climbing to the mountain top where we stopped at the vista point. The view is spectacular as the pines open above Oak Creek. In the distance pines thin to reveal colors and bare rock of Sedona. The view is also a preview of the switch-back road we would descend.
In Sedona we did the usual walk, exploring small shops and snapping pictures. We also took a tour to the west side of town to see the back side of formations. The day ended with a view from above at the mountain top airport.
We also took day trips from Munds to Flagstaff and the small town of Jerome. Jerome is a former copper mining town, now considered a “ghost town” except for tourists and the folks minding the stores. Jerome is built straight up the mountainside. Steep step walkways take the visitor from one street to the one above it. Some walkways wind through floral gardens, others run parallel to creeks of snow melt. Some buildings remain in their original condition from the late 1800’s, except for the pull of gravity. The view from these lofty streets is impressive!
NEXT TIME: Verde Valley, Crater Rim east of Flagstaff
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