pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"/>Our friends Vee and Dick mentioned the towns of Ilwaco and Long Beach, WA as having some interesting features so I did a web search and found the Discovery Trail. This looks like a place we would enjoy for walking and photography.
Here's the link to lots of information about the trail and nearby options. I predict we'll have lots of photos in a week or so.
The North Coast of California is not known for warm temperatures. The average temperature is in the 50's and summer it rarely exceeds 70 F. Today it is very close to 90 degrees. It's over one hundred on the other side of the coastal mountains so we could see fog any time. We like to see normal summer weather but this high temperature is a bit much, especially if it jumps from 40's just a few days ago. Yikes, I'm really hoping it will be a bit more like 70's as we head up the coast.
Only one plus days until we hit the road. Even the pets are excited.
This snapshot is from our last short visit to Florence, OR. I love this little town and can't wait to see more like it dotting the coastal region of Oregon. I'm busy researching low cost options for our daily stop. Our plan is to head northward at a reasonably swift pace and spend several days in the Olympic National Park. We'll head back home after taking the loop with stops in Port Townsend and back to Highway 101. We'll take a more leisurely pace back down through the coastal towns. Who knows...I might just get a better photo of the gulls on the posts.
Here's an interesting chart on fuel prices in several places in the world. The short blurb story can be read here.
We leave for Washington (with stops in CA, OR) on Saturday. We're excited for this few weeks on the road. I found some interesting information I'd like to share. We probably are a bit early for the bird sighting but we'll be in the neighborhood. Check it out....
We've been to Hurricane Ridge on a very brief previous visit to the Olympic National Park but it was before we became interested in birding. The area was beautiful in the fall and we knew we would return when the opportunity arose. In my research I found a web artilcle on this bird and discovered that it may be possible to see it as it migrates through the area. If you have an interest in the National Parks here's a link to discover more.
photograph by Ashok Khosla
I'm always looking for healthy food since our lifestyle of travel (and over indulging by eating out frequently) makes it a challenge to keep the cholesterol and fat in check. Here's one I thought I would share as it really says SUMMER to me. Strawberries are on special in the grocery too. I should mention how easy this one is to prepare in an RV. Yum!
The People Have Spoken
 |
ACROSS
NORTH TEXAS (WBAP) -- The two beacons of illegal immigrant exclusion
laws won the mayor's office yesterday in their respective cities.
Farmer's Branch voters elected Tim O'Hare over Gene Bledsoe by a wide
margin, with Irving voters deciding to re-elect Herbert Gears to lead
their city with 54% of the ballots. Both
O'Hare and Gears have spearheaded the fight to exclude illegal
immigrants in their cities attracting the ire of Washington D.C.,
the focus of the national news media and the desperation of other
American mayors who want to follow in their footsteps looking for a
solution to the national issue of undocumented workers. copied from this website: WBAP
One of the things we took for granted when we were in the work-a-day world on the West Coast was the vast number of farmers' markets. Each one is unique and the variety of goodies one finds can be overwhelming. For me, the possibility of finding fresh, organic veggies is a big draw. Sometimes a regional farmer's market can be a source for local honey or beautiful local plants such as lavender or wildflowers. In Arcata, CA the local grower of top quality rhodedendrons has a stall and a local knitter sells her hats knitted with alpaca yarns.
In preparation for our trip up the coast I did a search for coastal farmers' markets and this is what I discovered. Click on this link if you are planning a trip to Oregon and think you'd like to check out one of the these markets. Phone numbers and web links are listed where available. If you like interesting places to photograph, a farmer's market is just the place. Here are a few of the photos I took at the Grants Pass Grower's Market last year.
this harley guy is a fixture at the Grower's Market every Saturday
Remember, you can click on any photo and get a larger version in a separate window.
The days are ticking off the calendar and we're getting excited to be on the road. As previously posted, we will be in Crescent City for a few days and then will drive Highway 101 to Washington State. We took this route as far as Newport, OR eleven years ago and we drove part of the Olympic National Park when we were on vacation in the early '90s. During those two quick "vacations" we realized that this area of the west requires a lot more time. We still won't be able to stay as long as we would like due to family responsibilities but nonetheless we will spend some time exploring.
For planning purposes I looked for some National Park campground information and found one photo to remind us of what Kalaloch Campground is like. Here's a photo with notes for my journal.
(photo was posted on web by un-named campers at the park)
I'll add a link to the park information here. Oh, and remember, you can click right on any photo and it will open larger for viewing.
Our tentative plan for the upcoming trip (I say trip even though we do live fulltime in our motorhome. We are currently helping family) will be Crescent City, CA; Florence, OR; Newport, OR; Astoria, OR;
and then on to Washington. We are still considering places to call home in Washington for a week or so. We do know that we will spend some time in Forks, WA and Port Townsend. Other than these stops we will play it by how we feel and what we see that interests us as we drive along. Here's a photo of our home on the road. I added the text.
I guess I have Florence, Oregon on the mind lately. Here's a photo Jack took of the bridge in this lovely coastal town. I put the frame on it with my graphics program. We'll be taking more photos when we return to this photogenic place in early June.
And this is an altered postcard from the little town where Jack will attend his class. We will start our travel north along the coast from here in the third week of May. It's a beautiful part of the coast with lots of photo ops and some great places to stop and explore.
I guess I just thought our blog readers were giving up on us since we're not able to provide the informative posts that result from living the fulltimer life while we must take care of family. What I mean is, I wasn't paying attention to the fact that Happy Trails has some regular readers and I could do a better job with my posts. Having the widget that tells me people show up from many different geographical locations has given me a nudge to work more diligently on the blog posts. Thanks so much to all of the readers out there who stop by to see what's happening here at Happy Trails.
If you've been following along recently you know that we're heading up the coast after Jack's photography class ends in Crescent City. We expect to use a combination of Elks Lodges, free overnight sites like Wal Mart and Casinos and National Parks for most of our overnights. We will return to one Coast to Coast park in Southern Oregon and probably use another near the Oregon-Washington border. We are traveling this area a little before the "prime time" and don't expect too much problem for places to stay.
Click on the photo or HERE if you are interested in history of Port Townsend, Washington.
One of the highlights of this trip will be a return to the Olympic National Park that we toured in a rush about twelve years ago. it will be overcast and possibly rainy but we're hoping to get at least some photos this time. Another key spot for me is Port Townsend. We spent a few days in the area when we
were on a vacation in our 5th wheel and I thought Port Townsend was such a charming town to poke around the shops and have a pleasant lunch. This time we'll find a RV site close in town. I love to get up very early and walk around a town taking photos before the rest of the locals get out and about.
Well, since I set some goals for getting rid of excess stuff in the motorhome I better get moving. It will take me several days to go through cabinets and closets to see what we don't need to carry around for several weeks. Until next time, I hope everyone is looking forward to some upcoming travel and feel free to post comments if you feel like it.
Happy Trails!
Here's a blog post about the incumbent Senator campaign that voters may find of interest. Click here if you are interested in some South Dakota campaign views.
I can't wait to get back on the road. Even though we're still fulltimers we just aren't moving often enough for my gypsy heart. We're headed up the coast with a plan to check out the Olympic National Park and to revisit some places we love. We'll be headed back to enjoy the fish stew at Waterfront Depot and we highly recommend you visit this litle bistro if you're in or near Florence, Oregon. You know us, we try eateries even though we know our budget is better if we eat at home...in our RV. I have a lot of great recipes for my micro/convection oven but I LOVE to check out restaurants in our travels.
I've been looking through a few photos of our last short trip and I decided to start a little "tag" album. I haven't done this album before so we'll see how it goes. Here's one of the tag pages using a photo I took as we window shopped in Florence...Oregon, that is.
(Weedsandwildflowers product used)
Happy Trails!
You may have noticed a new widget down at the bottom of the sidebar (that's technical gobbly goo for the column to the right or left, as if you didn't know...he he) Anyway. I added this widget to see if I like it and to decide if I want to use it to "show" where people are when they read the blog. The most important thing about this widget is that it DOES NOT have any information linked other than the location that you are when you go to my page. If readers don't like it they can click on the options and tell the widgets to ignore you...then nothing shows when you come on the page.
Well, not much happening right now except POLITICS. I won't go there now. I can almost hear some of you "sigh" with relief. We're slowly getting ready for our travels. Jack found a deal on some replacement loungers for us from Lafuma. One of our mistakes early on...when we didn't have many clues about what would work for our lifestyle on the road...was to buy blue and white (yikes) loungers. I don't recommend white for camping, stowing under the rig, sitting out in weather use of chairs. The new ones are ....you guessed it, black! If you are looking for some terrific lounge chairs check them out here.
It's been three years since we sold the house and gave away most of the "stuff" we had owned. One of the things I still have a small (not big enough of a problem to change our lifestyle) regret about is quilting. I loved to quilt and have only two quilts in the motorhome. The linked article about "Unclutter" -ing made me think of how many folks like us have had to give up hobbies they had previously enjoyed. You may know someone who is struggling with a decision about a hobby that just won't work with RVing. Have a look at this helpful article and pass it along to anyone you may know who is trying to downsize a hobby....or two.
I love this U.S. News and World Report article, "Economy refuses to tank. Bears Weep." It's nice to see someone revealing the flaw in the latest spoon fed doom and gloom by many of the media. Check it out here if you want a dose of reality about the U.S. economy right now. I'm planning to head off on a road trip with optimism. I wish everyone who is traveling along with us "positive" thoughts. Let's admit it, politicians don't get votes unless they convince us the economy is wrecked.
Happy Trails!
I just loved these little guys back in the day. 
Check out this article to learn what BMW
plans to do with it in the U.S.
We'll be traveling soon and have a plan for this trip so we are facing reality. I am quite unhappy that even though we have a hot political season I'm not hearing the right stuff about this fuel cost problem. I know, I know.....most people just think it's all the current president's fault. Well, let's hear it for some solutions. This isn't a burden to be carried by one politician. This is a problem that the people, the government the people elected need to address. Here is one take on things WE can do....support....to get back on track with our energy costs. Click here for a video of several minutes (high speed internet connection is recommended to view correctly).
Off I go....to rob a bank to pay for our next diesel fillup....just kidding.
Here is a photo of Joel Dykstra and his spouse, Vicki, from one of the South Dakota political blogs I follow so I'll know who I'm voting for....and learn about important issues. If you are a South Dakota voter you can click on this site and it will take you to a GOP oriented blog but you can find addresses for other sites that could be informative and learn what is HOT in South Dakota politics. Here's the hot link and the photo:
Joel Dystra and spouse, Vicki. Joel is a candidate running for the Senate Seat of Senator Johnson who has had medical issues but I believe is an incumbent for 2008. Click here to learn more.
Ahem, what is it about basic economics that Congress isn't understanding? Some voters decided that this Congress was going to correct problems perceived by them. So, why is this chart now the reality on fuel costs with no improvement in sight? It's Congress, the economy and a problem with how voters understand how supply and demand work.
When I received my degree in economics I didn't fully understand all the long lasting results of basic economics. After working for thirty plus years in business and managing my own finances it's pretty easy to understand. Our choice of vehicles has some small results but the really important result we need is a change in consumption on a much larger scale. Do Americans know that developing countries are using huge amounts of fuel? Do they understand that we are dependent upon others for fuel because our politicians cannot agree to use resources that exist within our control? It really irritates me to hear some politicians harangue Americans for situations that they themselves could have changed and some of whom were elected with the confidence that they would make those changes happen.
Two final thoughts:
There's still hope to turn around our energy problems and choose legislators who fulfill their promises. (talking doesn't do it for me)
RVers will still travel, albeit at a more leisurely pace.
What I think about PA voters:
I was born in PA and lived their until my late twenties. Pennsylvanians are NOT the small minded folks that one of our 2008 candidates implied on the stump. Nope, my family (they all still live there) is a diverse group of individuals who think quite a bit about their community, their passions and who they will vote for. Some of them will vote for one or the other candidate. They do not show any signs of being bitter. Some of them hunt with shotguns, some of them attend church...all of them are caring, giving people who would help a neighbor in need.
After the comments being aired about PA economy and attitudes, I researched and found that the economic data gathered through 2006 does NOT support the claims that PA is sinking economically. Due to a number of factors manufacturing shrinking in many of the formerly industrial states. I remember a lot of reporting about the decline of manufacturing in the U.S. and forecasted rise in service industries from the 1980's and 90's. So, now that old stuff is being used (in distorted ways) by candidates. Unfortunately, some folks don't investigate truths. They just nod in awe if their "candidate" says something...it's their reality. Well, the truth always comes out in the end. Here's a commentary on some of the economic information being "stated." It's interesting to consider the data and determine for ourselves what is true. Click here if you're interested.
Gosh, I was so excited to get my lifetime pass for the National Parks, formerly called a Golden Age or Golden Eagle pass. I'm not excited to be of that certain age where I'm eligible but I do love the idea of free access to National Parks and half priced RV parking... where there is room for a RV. For others out there who are about to get this benefit of reached a certain age, 62, I wonder if others are disappointed that the National Forest Service has renamed all the passes, removing the "Golden" designation. Now, the name on the card is "Senior Pass." On the website they call it the America the Beautiful senior pass but they didn't print that anywhere on the actual card. I guess it is a cost saving measure but I think this change is a poor one. Well, Jack reminds me that the benefits are all the same as the previous pass so I guess that's ok. Here's what it looks like now. 
We explored the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and hiked up quite a ways to view the Pacific Ocean from the top of dunes at Siltcoos (Siuslaw National Forest) which is about ten miles south of Florence. The recreation area extends southward for many miles and offers several viewing areas with hiking and camping opportunities. The snowy plover is nesting at Siltcoos but it is sometimes possible to see chicks at a distance. The park has a volunteer who provides information about the current snowy plover population.
Here's a link about the area: click here to view
We've spent several days in Oregon having our motorhome serviced....35K miles - oil change, etc. We intended to have the service done in Medford but after several conversations with the service tech who was to perform the work, we drove on to Eugene. What can I say? We had a bad experience early on that caused our motorhome to break down (the one and only time) and we are now VERY careful when choosing service locations. Pacific Truck Center/Allison/Freightliner, etal (near the TA truck stop) at the Coburg, Oregon exit of I-5. Just talk to Jeff and you'll feel as confident as we did. A bonus was that the service seemed reasonable for what was done.
We continued along to Florence, Oregon where we are enjoying the Elks RV parking area to ourselves.
This is such a terrific location. Becoming Elks members has really helped us out on the low cost parking options. Oh, by the way, the Eugene Walmart on route 126 to the coast is posted for no overnight RV parking. Too bad as it was a very convenient location for heading to the coast. We've been learning that people with bad manners have all but ruined Walmart locations for overnights. We've seen it and I am sorry to say but this is a result of the "rules don't apply to us" syndrome we see more and more as we travel. 
Another recommendation I would like to share is a little restaurant called Waterfront Depot in the Old Town section of Florence. It's a tiny place so I suggest a reservation. You can eat at the bar. This is a casual place with a varied menu. The Portugese fish stew (that has a much more complicated name) is delicious and costs $12.50 (includes a caesar salad - bread extra). They have beef, lamb, and much more. Also, one of the older buildings has been revamped and reopened as Zebra bar and a bistro style cafe. We looked at the menu and decided we'd try it next time.
I'll add a couple of photos as soon as I upload them.
It's so nice to be back on the road. I yearn for a longer trip and I think we'll be able to do it this summer. We won't go too far as we need to be within a day's travel of Jack's dad.
Happy Trails!
