Coos Bay

Here's John at Coos Bay. The city was named Marshfield until the 1940's, then changed to the name of the Indian tribe that lived here.

This is Coos Bay Oregon, the largest city on Rt 101 in Oregon. This is the boardwalk on the bay next to the boat basin. Rt 101 is shown going one way north.

Some of the boats in Coos Bay.

Across the bay to the east you can see one of the lumber mills. There are several large mills here on the water. The lumber leaves by ship.

The mountains here have been cut in patchwork fashion. You'll see a clear area, then a space

that was cut earlier and growing back, then one with trees grown tall again. Oregon is really a "green" state. Recycling dumpsters are in all the R V parks- something we saw for the first time here. Almost everyone brings their own re-usable grocery sacks to the market, and there is a movement here to ban plastic shopping bags. The organic produce section in the supermarket is really large. The wines-made-in-Oregon section isn't too shabby either.

I took Bella to the beach today for a long walk. She was a maniac! She ran in circles as big as the leash would allow, 20 feet. After 2 or 3 laps she'd reverse and go the other way. There are lots of dogs on the beach, and everywhere else too. This is a very pet friendly place.

The lighthouse in Bandon

 We are staying in Coos Bay Oregon, and day tripped down the coast today to Bandon. It's an old town known for crabbing. You can actually rent crab traps here. The lighthouse is on a jetty built in 1895-1905. It was very foggy this morning, the worst weather we've had since leaving on our trip.

                                                        The boat basin in Bandon.

                                                      Can you see the sea lions?

 More sea lions down the coast from Charleston, Oregon. We stopped to take pictures and heard the racket. It sounds like a dog pound.

 The hill in the left background is Cape Arago, claimed by the locals to be the farthest point west in the lower 48 states.

This is Sunset Bay, and it's a beautiful place even on a foggy, misty day. Notice the Spanish moss hanging from the fir tree.
There were quite a few people here digging for clams.

Today we took the car, but motorcycle riders were out there. The temperature is in the 50s and low 60s, but I am a fair weather rider (and so is John- thank God). Day before yesterday we rode and it took me 24 hours to warm back up. Standing in the sun is fine but moving 55 mph- the speed limit on 101- can get old fast.

We have been hitting antique stores throughout our trip looking for juicers/reamers. When I developed a fondness for mojitos, John bought me my first glass juicer in a Kansas City antique shop. I introduced my friend Brenda to mojitos, and she managed to get her hands on a green depression glass reamer that her brother-in-law claims as his. Well, that green glass was so cute I had to have one of those too. Little did we know it would become an obsession. Today a very friendly and helpful woman got out her reference book on juicers, and we discovered we've done very well in our collecting. Today we scored another pink glass one, and got a bargain too. After buying a jadite reamer we've bought jadite salt and pepper shakers, so it appears to be a disease that is mutating. Martha Stewart (the Anti-Christ if you ask me) collects jadite and has driven the market up by talking about it on her show!

Boiler Bay

This is Boiler Bay. It's 10 miles down 101 highway from Lincoln City where we're camped. We've been here three times trying to get sunny conditions for a good picture with no luck. Five miles away the sky is blue. There's got to be a reason why it's fogged in here so often, and those of you who grew up near the ocean should e-mail me.

Still Boiler Bay, from a different perspective in the parking lot. There is a park/scenic view pull off here, with lots of parking and picnic tables.

There's also a lot of birds here. They're almost intimidating in their numbers and fearless attitude. With the gulls are ravens, like crows on steroids.

I think the picnic tables were a mistake, don't you?

There is a large statue of Abraham Lincoln in the city here with a plaque stating that he was offered the Governorship of Oregon Territory in 1848 but turned it down. I don't know why he got the offer or why he turned it down but I can positively state that the birds respect Abe waaay more than the picnic tables.

Go fly a kite

It's a kite! They're really popular at our latest stop, Lincoln City Oregon. Dozens of people fly them on the beach and some have made it into an art form.

This picture was taken about six PM. The sun was still above the frame, and the water and wet sand looked silver.

Looking north up the coast. See the rippling water in the foreground? It's the "D" river, and the locals claim it's the shortest river in the world.

You can see the same river running down to the beach. Kids were catching little fish with their hands and putting them in plastic buckets. The water flows out of a lake across the street behind me.

The only people getting wet were very young or in wet suits. I don't have any idea what the water temperature is, but I'm betting it would take a gun to get me in it.

Lincoln City is the largest town we've seen so far on the drive down the coast, with a population over 7000.Many of the people here in town are retirees, moving here for the mild summers. It's perfect weather for John, high 60's or low 70's. We are liking the Oregon coast more every day.

We are now on the Oregon coast at Seaside. The structure you're looking at is a place for cars to turn around at the end of Broadway, a street filled with souvenir and gift shops. The beach is filled with people on a Sunday afternoon. Seaside has been a tourist town since the 1850's. A luxury hotel was built named Seaside House, and eventually the area was known as Seaside. In the background you can see Tillamook Head, aka "Terrible Tillie." Seaside is in a beautiful setting, but it's kinda like Branson-by-the-sea. This was taken at the far end of Cannon Beach. In the distance you can see Haystack Rock, a landmark for the entire area. Cannon Beach is far nicer and more up-scale than Seaside, and almost as crowded. We rode the motorcycle down and had lunch at Mo's,where they claim to have the best clam chowder in the world.

This is the Columbia River emptying into the Pacific. The bridge is realllllllllllly high. It crosses the river to Washington from a town named Astoria, after John Jacob Astor who established a fur trading post here in 1811. Astoria was the town used for the movie "Goonies". It is a very picturesque place, with steep streets and tiny little houses built side by side up the hills. It has a kind of faded Victorian look, and like Seaside and Cannon Beach the flowers are amazing! The cities hang baskets from light poles in the old down town shopping districts

Just outside of Astoria is the reproduction of Fort Clatsop. This was were Lewis and Clark spent the winter after reaching the ocean. On our way back to the highway we saw a herd of wild elk grazing in a field there. I think Astoria may have been my favorite town. It wasn't as crowded or "touristy" as the other two, the people were just as friendly, and they have a Costco! They also have a restaurant called The Silver Salmon that makes a mean clam chowder.

This photo was taken in the campground we're staying in. The clouds are manufactured just off to the right and roll up over the mountain.

This is really a beautiful place to spend the summer. We hear that Kansas City has been warmish of late, but the highs here are in the 60's and low 70's. We turned the furnace on one morning, and use the fireplace most nights.

Highway 101 is perfect for riding the motorcycle on with great views of the ocean, but the traffic can be tough. At least with the bike finding a parking place is a lot easier, and you never know when you'll find a great clam chowder place.

Pines 'n' Firs 'n' Ferns - Oh My!

We are staying in a really nice R.V. resort at the bottom of Mt Hood in Welches, Ore.

Our daughter and son-in-law were here several years ago with his family, and urged us to stay here.

They have lovely cabins to rent, and one section is privately owned park model R Vs.

The place has many amenities, a pool, spa, exercise room, weight room, classes, etc.. They have a restaurant and gift shop on site.

There's a lot of stuff to do, but my favorite thing is walking the nature trails. The trees are covered with moss, and the ferns are enormous. The sunlight filtering down through the trees is almost other-worldly. Even when it's bright outside of the woods, inside it's eerily shadowed and quiet. It feels like a fairy tale could happen here, that gnomes or elves could step out from behind a boulder. It's spooky and wonderful at the same time, and I love it!

Mt Hood part II

You'd think Mt Hood would be visible anywhere in this area- after all it's the tallest point in the state and can be seen 100 miles away - but it hides from you. You'll be driving along, come around a curve, and there it is filling your windshield. At one time I glanced in the side mirror to see Mt Adams behind me, as large and snow-covered as the mountain I was driving toward.

We drove up the mountain to Timberline Lodge, built in 1937 as a W P A project. I came here as a child and remember it well. I have a picture of me, my parents and my uncle and aunt standing in the snow here.

There are a lot of ski runs here but we only saw snow boarders. Most of the people at the lodge were sightseers like us, but there was a camp going on for the boarders and they looked like they were having a great time. (On the drive down I-84 to get here I was passed by a motorcyclist with snow skis strapped to his back)

After lunch at the lodge I decided to visit the ladies room. Exiting the stall I was surprised to find two Japanese teens washing their feet in the sink. I was both shocked and dismayed. Shocked that they had the nerve to do it, and dismayed that my legs no longer bend that way.

Mt Hood

Leaving the desert campground and heading west is an amazing change. Twenty miles west is The Dalles, where pine and fir trees begin to show up. Twenty miles further is Hood River, Oregon where we turned south toward Mt Hood. As you leave the Gorge and turn into the mountains you find youself in a rain forest. The Cascade Mountain Range is the dividing line between hot, blowing sand and lush trees.

Squirrels at John Day/Lepage

I'm sure you thought John and I would be the squirrels, but these are the daring peanut grabbers at the camp ground. Their fur was colored so differently than the red and gray squirrels we've always seen. From a distance they looked like they had feathers. These animals burrow a home in the ground and the river bank was loaded with the holes.

The John Day River

These pictures were taken at a campground my brother J.R. recommended, and I really enjoyed it. The picture on the left was taken from one side of the camper, on the John Day River. We were parked about 20 ft. from the bank parallel to the water. The bridge in the background is I-84, crossing over this river as it flows into the Columbia. The picture on the right was taken from the opposite side of the camper showing the desert terrain rising from the river level. There is a sign on the grounds stating that Lewis and Clark camped here westbound on 21 October 1805. Capt. Clark noted a "verry cold wind". They named the river Lepage after a member of the expedition according to the sign, but it's John Day now so Private Lepage lost out somewhere.

This area is only 60 miles from the last campground, but very different in appearance. The drive down is along the Columbia River close to the water level. As the river drops in altitude the wall of rock begins to rise, higher and higher, eventually reaching 3000 ft. in what is called the Columbia Gorge. I looked up as I was driving and immediately became dizzy. I'd never really had vertigo before but I felt kinda woozy for a couple of days.

We rode the bike 20 miles to The Dalles Oregon the next day. I visited my Uncle Russel here when I was 5 years old. He had a Boston Terrier named Roxie that would fetch, and it made a big impression with me. The desert landscape starts to change by The Dalles, and cooler temperatures made me glad I had John to ride behind. This reminds me to mention the wind again. It roars down the Gorge. We were warned by my daughter's in-laws, Dave and Nancy Burke, to drive the Gorge in the mornings when the winds would be lighter. When the state of Oregon puts up a sign that says "WIND GUSTS" they're not wasting paint, you better choke up on that steering wheel.

The next morning we took the truck and car to the closest town to fill up with gas and have breakfast. (In Oregon you can't pump you own gas, and they actually wash your windows for you, too.) Half way through the meal a woman came in and asked us if we had a little dog. It seemed one was running through the lot resisting rescue. Bella had managed to by-pass the security system in the truck making it possible to open the window, then jump out. She was very glad to see a familiar face and swore she'd never do it again.

Boardman, Oregon

This is the view out our window in Boardman Oregon. This is the Columbia River and you are looking at Washington on the other bank. The river is flowing right to left, but appears to be moving the other direction when you stand and watch. The wind blows the surface water east while the current goes west to the Pacific. Yes indeed it's breezy here. Good thing because the temperature was in the 90's, and we've been spoiled by milder weather. More about the wind later.

Our first day here we rode the Harley around the area to check things out, going to the next town for lunch. Looking over my shoulder I was stunned to see Mt. Hood. I knew the mountain was there, of course, but I hadn't seen it before that moment and it appeared like magic.

The next day my brother J.R. and his wife Aggie arrived with their camper and spent two days with us. They had been camping and fishing in Washington close to the Canadian border, an area my brother lived in many years ago. Together we drove to Pendleton Oregon to see what it was like. Pendleton is smaller than I expected, almost looking like it grew out of a crevasse. The older downtown is interesting looking with lots of flowers hanging from light poles. We stopped in two antique stores looking for the juicers we collect with no luck. It was a nice day to spend with J.R. and Aggie, and I'm so glad we got to see them.

The eastern half of Oregon is desert. Why didn't I know that? I had no idea Oregon was anything but pine forest, but it's dry and dusty and windy. When I told my brother I was surprised at the lack of wind farms he assured me I'd see plenty as I got closer to the coast.

Idaho Falls

These are the falls that Idaho Falls is named for. The Snake River is running toward you on the right side of the photo, and at a right smart clip too. The falls go upriver for a half-mile or so, not too tall but action-filled and loud. We are camped on the river about three miles up. In the distance you can see a building that looks like a tall wedding cake. That's the RLDS Church.

It seems we got here just in time for the Wind Festival. We're leaving tomorrow, and I hope the wind stays here. Boise Idaho is our next stop.

Yellowstone

John and I spent all day on a bus tour of the lower part of Yellowstone Park. I think you could be here for a year and not see everything. The bull buffalo in the first picture wandered into the road, stopped traffic and walked past our tour bus.

Co-author Earl

This shot was taken right before I lost the sound. Co-incidence? I think not.

Headwaters of the Missouri

Outside of Three Forks, Montana, the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin Rivers join to form the start of the Missouri River. If you got on an innertube here you'd float to the Gulf of Mexico in two and a half months.

You know who Jefferson and Madison were, but how about Gallatin?

He was the Secretary of the Treasury, the man who'd sign the check to pay Lewis and Clark.

Bozeman Montana

A home in the Ghost town of Nevada City, Montana

John and I are now camped in Bozeman, Montana. John is standing over Ennis, Montana (People were riding bicycles loaded with camping equipment over the pass) on the road to Virginia City and Nevada City, Montana. The two towns are two miles apart, part of a chain of towns that reached fourteen miles down Alder Gulch during the gold rush of 1863-64.

Nevada City is a ghost town, owned by the state, but Virginia City is still inhabited. It's a real tourist trap but interesting because the origional buildings are still there. Usually the entire town would burn down in a fire but that didn't happen here.

Bozeman is a beautiful town surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It's small but up-scale, filled with little shops, cafes and coffee bars. It also has a Harley-Davidson dealership, giving John the opportunity to get another shirt for himself and Coen.

On Watch

Our Security Team on full alert.

North Dakota leftovers

One more picture of people boating on the Missouri River. Yes---the Missouri River



From the North Dakota Highway Bulletin, September, 1925

The Ten Commandments of Motoring-------

#1 Drive to the right side of the road; it's just as good as the left.

#2 Slow down when approaching a cross road; it is nearly as dangerous as a railroad crossing.

#3 Look out for children. You can never tell what they'll do, and you are always in the wrong if you hit one.

#4Try to help instead of hinder the traffic officer; he is there for your good and he's got a tough job.

#5 Be sure your dimmers really dim; it's no joke driving into a blinding glare, as you probably know.

#6Read and obey the warning signs; they are not put up as ornaments.

#7 If you've got to speed, do it where it won't kill anyone but yourself.

#8 When making minor repairs, stop where your car can be seen from both directions; otherwise you may stop longer than you anticipated.

#9 Speeding round corners is a straight route to the hospital. Don't race past a stopped streetcar. Someday the jury will call it manslaughter.

#10 Use discretion. The fact that you had the right of way won't bring anybody back to life, least of all yourself.


I have to say that North Dakota drivers were very forgiving of tourists making radical lane changes, especially when her husband was sitting next to her gripping the dash with his eyes closed.

Welcome to Montana

This sign is at a rest stop on I-94 headed to Billings Montana.

The wind in North Dakota is notorious. When I would mention winter weather, people always said "Oh, the wind is awful." All homes, even in the city, have wind breaks. New homes have short young trees, and older homes have tall

ones. It's not just one row of trees; it's three, planted eight or ten feet apart and on at least two sides. I don't want to have any personal experience with a wind that gets that kind of respect.

We are now in Billings, Montana. The weather is beautiful, 70 and sunny. Perfect on the motorcycle.

Our campgground is next to the Yellowstone River, with low mountains behind the river. If we drive up to the rim above town and look west, we can see snow capped mountains that I think are the Tetons.

Our neighbors yesterday had a large German Shepherd. Bella, fresh from her victory over the rabbit, showed no fear. Earl the cat hid all day.

Today July 3rd, is our 33rd wedding anniversary!