Nomad Life - Day 131

After so much excitement yesterday, it seemed like nothing could make today very entertaining.  However, I decided that it would be a good idea to try to finish my drive to Salt Lake City if I could.  Waking up at (the new) 0555 without an alarm, I spent part of the morning reading, doing puzzles and completing Duolingo exercises.  I also had time for airline mile surveys and blogging.  Since the Motel 6 (Ontario) didn't have a breakfast buffet, I ate snacks in my room before departing (0900).  By that point, the temps were in the high 30s and it was overcast.  I drove east on I-84, crossing the Snake River into Idaho (I reached the towns of Fruitland by 0910, Caldwell at 0925 and Nampa at 0945).  During this time, the speed limit increased to 80 mph and the behavior of the other drivers changed tremendously for the worse.  For my part, I set my cruise control on 75 mph and hunkered down in the right lane, hoping to remain invisible.  Wanting to catch my first glimpse of the Idaho State Capitol, I got off on I-184 and headed towards Boise.  Before arriving at my planned destination, however, I got off the Interstate to visit a major shopping district.  Mostly, I hoped to use a bunch of my gift cards and made stops at Staples (ink recycling, done at 1000) at Target (shopping for groceries and household items, done at 1025) and Chick-fil-A (ordered lunch at 1040).  At the restaurant, the staff were so nice and even gave me a free appetizer ("minis") "because breakfast just ended."  I ate at the Chick-fil-A and finally departed at 1105.  Next, I got back on I-184 and drove to the end (downtown Boise) so I could get a photo of the Capitol (1120).  By then, it was over 50 degrees and the sun had also come out - more great weather!  Sadly, I had to return to I-84 and deal with the very aggressive and fast Idaho/Boise drivers (local folks later told me the crazy driving was because of all the new California residents).  Worse than that, though, I had to contend with very heavy wind as I continued east and noticed that my gas mileage was rapidly dropping.  Along the way across the wide open, high desert prairie, I passed lots more signs and landmarks for the Oregon Trail.  Like yesterday, there were plenty of glimpses of snow capped mountains in the distance (mostly to the south).  Like I had earlier, I stayed under the speed limit (80 mph) to try to make it to the town of Mountain Home, where I hoped to use my Pilot Travel Center gift card.  Happily, I was successful in this mission and was done fueling by 1210.  After that, I repositioned to a Park & Ride lot I'd noticed on the south side of I-84, hoping to take a walk on a paved walking path there.  Before departing the car, however, I talked with Kerith for 90 minutes (starting at 1215) - it was great to catch up with her after the Holidays!  Once finished with the conversation (1345), I walked five miles on the Mountain Home Walking/Bike Path.  I'd hoped it was actually following the Oregon Trail (there was a replica covered wagon memorial at the mid-point) but it was really only a local trail.  Conditions were very windy and I had to struggle to make headway at times.  I passed lots of nice homes but they seemed very close to I-84 - note sure I'd like to live there.  Through the whole walk, I remained dry and warm and met some friendly people (including one who was practicing their skate skiing on rollers).  Back in my car again after more than five miles of walking (1525), I mase a reservation for a hotel in Twin Falls after deciding I wouldn't make it to Salt Lake City.  Leaving Mountain Home behind, I drove east on I-84.  During this time, I became increasingly aware that the mileage on my car was becoming an issue in terms of decisions about stops and detours - I really need my 90K Maintenance Service and want to arrive in SLC before passing that mark.  This meant that I skipped a few stops for scenery.  However, I couldn't pass up an open winery, especially after missing so many near Walla Walla on January 1.  At 1610, I arrived in the town of Glenns Ferry, which was located at the site of a difficult crossing of the Snake River on the Oregon Trail, and stopped to sample a flight of wines (5) at the Y Knot Winery.  I really liked the establishment - it opened in 1985 and had a golf course, pub and restaurant.  In addition, the grapes for several drinks were actually grown there, while other grapes were from farms near Caldwell (the rest were from Washington).  I passed the time watching football and talking with the server ladies.  They were all very nice to me, with one giving me an extra pour of another kind of wine.  I also learned a lot about life in this part of Idaho.  After noticing a lot of advertisement for their food, I ordered a Apple Crisp ala mode ("dinner") and tried a local beer.  By the time I was finished (1730), I was surprised to find that it was still light outside.  After heading through town and returning to I-84, I continued east.  Near Twin Falls, I got off the Interstate on to US-93 and found my lodging for the night, Motel 6 (Twin Falls).  I checked into my room by 1830 and was feeling really tired.  Fortunately, I'd already met my step goal so I passed the rest of the evening watching movies.  Bed time was at 2210.  The room was very hot and I couldn't control the thermostat (is that a Motel 6 thing?) - this should be an interesting night...

Nomad Life - Day 130

It's Friday!  I'd planned to take some PTO to continue my reposition towards the Rockies so, after waking up at 0430 (alarm required), I started teleworking.  I took a short break for breakfast in the lobby of the Quality Inn in Walla Walla but, otherwise, worked continuously through to 0930.  Finished with my work day, I departed the hotel (0945) and drove across town to a nearby Circle K for a gas fillup.  I finally left Walla Walla just before 1000.  The weather was overcast but clear, with temps in the mid 30s.  Overnight, I'd thought seriously about the route I should take towards the southeast and concluded that I'd really like to visit the John Day Fossil Beds NM.  This decision would take be back towards a west a bit but I couldn't imagine having another chance to visit east-central Oregon in the future...  Once committing to the "out of the way" itinerary, I got on US-12 and backtracked (same route as yesterday) towards the Columbia River..  Upon reaching US-730, I followed that highway along the river's edge.  The Columbia passed through a very pretty canyon, with high mountains on the west side and some lower ones where I was driving.  Before long, I crossed into Oregon (near the Sand Station Rec Area at 1035).  I got off the pavement at Hat Rock State Park at 1045 and did a little exploring.  Meanwhile, the temps continued to rise (37 F).   Along the way, I listened to audiobooks.  After getting on OR-207, I passed through the town of Hermiston at 1110.  While in that busy area (lots of businesses and traffic), I tried to find air for my tires (unsuccessful) and redeem cans and bottles I had (unsuccessful).  The sun had come out by that point and it was a pleasure to leave civilization behind as I continued south.  I crossed I-84 and stayed on OR-207 as I crossed over lots of brighly colored fields (green, yellow, etc.).  In several places, I passed Oregon Trail crossing signs.  Some other things I noticed during this part of the drive: Madison Cox Onions and lots of windmills.  As the terrain began to climb,  the weather changed abruptly - suddenly, I was in the clouds!  I made my way carefully to the south until I reached the town of Lexington (1150).  The weather improved as I turned towards the southeast (still on OR-207).  During this period, I saw signs that indicated I was on the "Blue Mountain Scenic Byway".  The weather improved again (sunny and 50) as I passed Anson Wright Memorial Park and entered the Umatilla National Forest.  However, I did encountered a lot of snow on the ground as I reached a high point (4600 feet) on the route.  This, however, didn't bother me as much as the steep, cliff-side roads and the fact I had no cell service...  Eventually, I changed to OR-19 and arrived in the town of Kimberly (1315).  Throughout all the driving to this point, I hadn't seen a single car going in my direction - and I'd only seen a few passing on the other side.  This changed when, with 15 miles to go before reaching the National Monument, I saw a car in my rear view mirror for the first in hours.  It took him a while (due to the curvy roads) but he eventually motored on by me and I was all alone on the remote highway.  At around that time I looked at my Subaru's temperature gauge and was shocked to see 54 degrees!  A bit later, I encountered a Birder walking on the side of the road - he was recording birds for the Audubon Society and I talked with him briefly.  For the rest of my drive, I kept following John Day River.  I soon reached my target, the Sheep Rock Unit of the park, and made brief stops at the following sites: Foree, Cathedral Rock, Blue Basin, Goose Rock and Cant Ranch.  I walked around a bit at the latter location (lots of good views and some historical markers).  Next, I made a stop at the nearby Thomas Condon Visitor Center (1350).  Inside, there were several amazing displays of fossils - they museum also had multiple views of the way the area might have looked between 7 and 40+ million years ago.  I learned about Lake Bonneville, which once covered the entire area, and some of the extinct volcanos that had affected life in this corner of the world.  After a pleasant visit (well worth the detour), I reluctantly got on my car again and continued south on OR-19.  I was in an out of some amazing looking canyons!  This road soon ended and I took US-26 to the Mascall (Formation) Overlook (arrived at 1440).  This area was very pretty and I got a bird's eye view of huge ranch fields and heard the loudly bellowing cattle.  Just before 1500, I reluctantly resumed my drive on US-26 towards the east.  On the way, I passed through Danville - they had signs that said "Our fossils are friendly” (with pictures of old dudes waving).  I reached the halfway point between Danville and John Day by1505 and immediately noticed that I'd entered a busier zone of humanity.  As I drove through fields of cattle, beneath a sunny sky (temp was 55), I had to worry about people pulling out of side roads, slow drivers and farm equipment.  When I finally arrived in town of John Day, I stopped for food at Dairy Queen (1535).  While eating part of my dinner there, I had a fun time talking with local young people (employees and otherwise) about about the town (drama, etc.).  On the recommendation of my new "friends", I drove back to the west for a short distance so I could stop at Chester's Market, which allowed me to redeem the deposits on my can/bottles in a little machine.  After that, I bought snacks with the proceeds ($1) in the little market (1555).  Noticing a tire store nearby, I managed to get help for my tire pressure - the service technician was very nice and there was no charge for the air.  When I departed John Day (1605), I enjoyed the views as I continued east on US-26 - there were lots of snow capped mountains in the distance.  In hindsight, I probably should have done some additional research on the drive I was starting but, at that point, I was still naive and trusting of the mid-50s temps and wonderful weather... I passed through Prairie City at 1620 and then began a slow but steady climb into the Blue Mountains.  Before long, I was crossing the Dixie Pass (5277 feet) and started to get a bit nervous about the amount of snow on the ground.  The temps had also dropped into the mid 30s but I assumed I was about to descend back into a nice, warm valley.  Instead, though, I only lost a few hundred feet before beginning a second climb - when I reached Blue Mountain Pass (5109 feet), I counterdeed terrible visibility (fog and approaching darkness).  Feeling a bit nervous about traction (etc.), I slowed way down, only driving about 25 mph at times.  When the cycle repeated near Eldorado Pass (4622 feet), I began to despair of getting out of the mountains soon.  Overall, I probably spent about 90 minutes driving 40 miles - and it wasn't fun.  There was one more summit (3K+ feet, I didn't catch the name) to cross before the scary crossing was over and I entered the Mountain Time Zone (there was a sign but my phone had no signal to update).  Finally, though, I started a clearly obvious and steep descent!  By 1900, I was clear of clouds.  Throughout the drive, I followed US-26, which joined US-20 in the town of Vale.  Continuing east, I finally got off the US Highway OR-201 and drove into Ontario (used SW 4th Avenue after that).  With all the work completed, I had time to make a reservation for a hotel (at the "new"1955).  After that task was completed, I drove the rest of the way to Motel 6 (next to I-84) and checked into my room (2015).  I forgot to mention that temps had stabilized in the mid 30s...  At 2040, I went walking near hotel and finished my step goal (10K) at 2155.  Back in my room, I wrapped up some things on the computer, watched movies and finally went to bed at (the new) midnight.  Very glad that I detoured in the John Day River Watershed today!

Nomad Life - Day 113

For the first time in weeks, I was almost 100% certain that the weather conditions were not going to allow me to have an outdoor adventure.  Coupled with those thoughts, I still had to drive north from Astoria to my lodging for the evening (on the central Washington Coast).  Deciding to make the best of things, I got up for work at 0430 (alarm needed).  I then spent the early morning (except for a short break, at 0700, for breakfast) teleworking from my hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express (Astoria).  Outside, it was rainy and overcast but not too miserable. At 0900, I went to hotel gym to walk on the treadmill - I managed to get my entire four miles done before a single other person came into the room.  Back at my computer again (1020), I teleworked some more, watching the weather to see when a trip across the Astoria Megler Bridge might be possible.  At one point, the visibility allowed me to see the shoreline across the river (in Washington) but then this image started to disappear into clouds/mist.  Hoping to get started on my drive before a steady/nasty rain began, I checked out of my hotel (1050) and departed Astoria.  I used US-30 to get on US-101 and was soon crossing the Columbia River.  I'll admit that this was not an easy task...  On the Washington side, I took WA-401 (towards the east) to VA-4.  Along the way, I encountered more Lewis and Clark signs but the "angry" waves on the Columbia River, added to the wet road conditions, made me keep driving.  Before long, I merged with US-101 again.  The rain was steady but my defroster/wipers kept up with the conditions.  Outside, the temps were still in the 50s - surprising!  I passed through the town of South Bend at 1145 and arrived in Aberdeen by 1225.  In this latter town, I parked my car (in the lot of a building that seemed to have been demolished/removed) and conducted a work meeting for just over an hour.  Meanwhile, it continued raining intermittently.  Once finished with the meeting (1445), I resumed my drive to the north on US-101 again.  I stopped for lunch at McDonalds in Hoquiam (1355).  I was able to take my lunch in the car with me and, a few miles later, turned off of US-101 and followed Ocean Beach Road (through Tulips and Copalis Crossing) towards the town of Pacific Beach.  After switching to Copalis Beach Road and WA-109, I arrived at the Pacific Beach Resort & Conference Center (a Navy Getaway property) at 1435.  There was nasty weather when I checked into my room and my second floor room (the lack of an elevator) made me reluctant to unpack too much of my car.  Once dry and warm inside, though, I was able to do some more teleworking.  Since the weather never improved, I didn't leave the room again.  With work completed, I researched flights for my upcoming trip to Europe (also exchanged emails/WhatsAp with Angela and Inka) and made calls to the Bremerton Navy Inn (confirming tomorrow) and texted several friends and connections in the Seattle area (planning for the upcoming weekend).  The online news had all kinds of dire warnings (mostly for people east of Pacific Beach) about the Atmospheric River hammering the Pacific Northwest...  Still feeling secure in my own location, I cooked dinner in my room at the Resort and then spent the rest of the evening watching movies.  As I wrapped up my night with some reading and Duolingo exercises, it occurred to me that I'd not taken any pictures during the entire day - that's the first time that's happened in several months!  I drifted off to sleep at 2220 after a rather mundane day.  Hopefully, the weather will improve in the morning and I can resume my Nomad Life adventures in the great outdoors!

Nomad Life - Day 112

Back to work...  This morning, I woke up at 0400 (without an alarm) and started teleworking. Meanwhile, the Atmospheric River raged outside - there was some poor visibility early but then a nasty storm (heavy rain and high winds) began and continued through the rest of the morning.  At 0700, I took a short break for breakfast in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Astoria).  Otherwise, I kept working and watched the birds birds hunkering down under the Astoria Megler Bridge.  I skipped lunch and kept an eye on the weather outside.  At one point (1200), I could see the other side of the Columbia River (i.e., Washington) so started to hope for improvement before the sun set.  At 1420, I knocked off work for the day and spent time working on addressing some (generic) Christmas Card for the folks I couldn't send the Family Card to (we had too many interested parties).  There was also a bit of time for some financial organization and blog catch up before I was ready to depart the hotel (1500).  Tentatively, I drove across Columbia River on the Astoria Megler Bridge (i.e., US-101).  Not surprisingly, it was very windy and I noticed that several gulls were soaring - stationary - above the guardrails of the highway.  The visibility was still low and there was a steady drizzle/mist. After reaching the other side, I turned west (still following US-101) and drove through a tunnel.  Almost immediately after this, I exited the highway and turned left into Fort Columbia State Park (1530).  The park road looped back over the top of the tunnel and I soon found myself on top of a high hill above the Columbia River.  I would have liked to stop but I noticed some new serious looking Washington State Park pass requirements.  With these as a deterrent, I only took some photos from the hill and then drove back down to US-101.  Containing north and west, I saw lots of signs for the Lewis and Clark Trail (there seemed to be lots of National Park and State Park Units).  As it has been for the last few days, the temps were in the 50s.  Along the way, I stopped in Chinook to drop off my Christmas Cards at the US Post Office.  Across the street from there, I noticed that gas prices much higher than I'd seen in Oregon.  Next, I drove through the town of Ilwaco and got on WA-100 so I could drive into Cape Disappointment State Park.  My route took me in a counterclockwise direction around "Loop 100".  By this point, the rain had stopped, the wind had died down and the sun had appeared for the first time all day.  I took full advantage of this lucky break and made a stop at Beards Hollow Overlook (1550) - such beautiful views!  Next (1555), I stopped to visit the North Head Light.  There were only a few other cars in the parking lot there but I did meet one person who congratulated the two of us on choosing the perfect day for a visit.  With these pleasant thoughts in mind, I took a nice walk to the lighthouse, where I was treated to more amazing views of the Washington Coast.  There were lots of birds soaring overhead and the waves and wind made for a wonderful memory of a December day in the Pacific Northwest.  Knowing I had very limited time left to see more of the State Park, I reluctantly departed North Head by 1610.  I then drove towards Cape Disappointment Light.  Along the way, I saw signs for Waikiki Beach (that was a surprise).  When I reached the parking lot for the Lighthouse, the tall trees made it seem like early evening - undeterred, I started walking as soon as I arrived (1620).  It seemed like the nearby Coast Guard Station would have a better access to the ocean and Light and this ended up being true.  After using a walking a State Park walking trail (down and then uphill), I passed through a fence and on to Coast Guard property.  This allowed me to get some amazing views of a chasm called "Deadman's Cove" - behind the opening in the rocks, the brilliant orange ball of the setting sun blazed across the rolling seas...  I arrived at the lighthouse just after sun set - the orange remnants of Sol descending behind clouds and water were still striking.  A Coast Guard watch-stander arrived at about that time, checking on the lighthouse.  I stayed for some photos of the good views but then quickly returned to my car.  I had been afraid to be locked in the lot by the State Park personnel (or, worse, to get a ticket for blowing off their electronic pass requirements) but, when I got there (1650), the waiting person in his truck just waved.  It got darker almost immediately after I started driving out of the State Park.  Earlier, I'd thought about stopping for food but then decided to drive back to Oregon while I still had a bit of daylight and good weather.  The Columbia River crossing was a bit easier (less windy) and I was following some careful drivers - as a result, I never felt concerned about the high, narrow bridge.  Soon, I was in Astoria, got on to US-30 and arrived at my hotel (1715).  I went to my room, swapped out some items and then went walking on the streets near the hotel (to get the rest of my 10K steps).  I checked out businesses along US-30 and explored the Astoria Riverwalk.  I found a trolley line and followed the tracks between Bay Street Station to warehouses across from Hume Avenue.  Along the way, I passed Maritime Memorial Park, which was full of memorial stones for local mariners.  Eventually, I decided to have dinner at El Tapatio, a family-owned Mexican Restaurant close to my hotel (1745).  It ended up being a very good experience (both for price and food) and I felt very good after I was done eating.  At 1835, I resumed my walk in the area - I walked more of the Astoria Riverwalk (past Basin Street Station to Portway Street) and reached my step goal by 1900.  By then, the rain had started again.  Back in my hotel room, I watched movies, relaxed and read books.  Bedtime was at 2225.  Feeling very good about being able to take advantage of the break in the weather today!  

Nomad Life - Day 111

My Oregon Coast trek is nearly at an end - along with the good weather, I'll be reaching the end of the drive soon...  It was another weekend day so I didn't set an alarm.  After waking up at 0620, I spent time working on my blog and then did some packing and organizing.  I got breakfast in the lobby of the Hi-Tide Oceanfront Inn (Seaside) and then, back in the room, caught up on finances.  It was raining when I loaded up my car but the forecast said the day would be mostly clear and dry.  Hoping to attend Mass at the nearby Catholic Parish, Our Lady of Victory, I departed the hotel (1045) and successfully found a parking spot at the church.  Mass began at 1100 - the building wasn't very big and was also not too crowded.  I enjoyed the Homily a lot, though, and was pleased with yet another good choice of church.  When the service ended (I150), I started looking for a gas station that might have air for my tire (it was reporting low on my dashboard).  Fortunately, a nearby Shell had a free tube for air - I filled all four of my tires and finally got rid of pesky warning light.  After that, I drove back to Hi-Tide and parked (they said I could stay in the lot until the end of the day).  From there, I went walking on Seaside Promenade (started at 1200).  By this point, it was dry and temps were in the mid 50s.  Along the way, I saw lots of cool vacation homes and pretty yards.  At the southern end of "The Prom", I turned around and visited the Lewis & Clark Salt Works (replica built on a spot that Native Americans reported had been used by the Expedition).  As I made my way north, I passed a statue of the Explorers, which seemed to imply that they ended their journey nearby.  I continued walking, passing a busy Aquarium and finally reaching the end of the Promenade.  In the end, I completed the entire (paved) trail in both directions (end to end).  At one point, I could see Tillimook Rock Light in the distance.  Before returning to my car, I sopped for lunch at Mo's, a seafood restaurant franchise I'd been seeing all the way up the Oregon Coast.  Inside, I ate a good Grilled Cod Sandwich and enjoyed a good local beer.  Afterwards (1340), I walked back to the Hi-Tide and retrieved my car.  By 1350, I was driving north on US-101, looking for a way to reach Fort Stevens State Park.  After a few aborted attempts to drive west to the shore, I ended up on OR-104 and it took me where I wanted to go.  Along the way, I stopped and checked on several historic, engineering and other points of interest.  Highlights included: getting a glimpse of the "Peter Iredale" (abandoned shipwreck on the shore) at 1430; climbing a tower next to the Columbia River South Jetty (windy and misty) at 1440); visiting the Columbia River Beach(birding) at 1450.  Throughout my travels in the afternoon, I saw lots of raging surf and the current of the River looked dangerous at its mouth - signs confirmed the treachery of the Ocean in the area.  Eventually (1510), I located the Fort Stevens earthworks.  As I'd already been thinking throughout my drive on the Oregon Coast, State Park passes would definitely be a boon for anyone who frequently visited the area.  Meanwhile, it began to get more overcast, with temps starting to drop.  The latter could have been more my perception, since the wind definitely began to get stronger.  Fortunately, the visibility was still OK.  Soon, I was driving east again (used side streets to get back to US-101).  A bit later, I started to get glimpses of the Astoria Megler Bridge in the distance.  Upon entering Astoria, I got on US-30 and headed east down toward the Waterfront.  Almost immediately, I arrived at my hotel, the Holiday Inn Express (Astoria).  I had made a reservation using IHG Rewards points and was soon set up in my fancy King Suite (1545).  By then, a steady rain (with high winds) had started but I was warm and dry - I spent several hours relaxing, working on blog, etc. I'd thought about going out to the car again to get food (to cook in my room) but never did.  Instead, I read and watched movies until I started to get sleepy.  Somehow, I managed to stay awake until 2200.  It's been a great run of good luck on the weather but I think I'm now going to experience the "normal" PNW weather...

Nomad Life - Day 110

With a weekend day ahead of me, it was a relief not to have to get up early and/or race around the Pacific Northwest to get all of my telework days.  As a result of the lack of pressure, I woke up at 0600 (no alarm) and had time for reading, puzzles and Duolingo.  When I was finished with that and had gotten ready to depart, I went outside to pack my car.  It was a colder morning (40s) than I've been seeing recently but the forecast was good.  I was ready to check out of my room at the Travelodge by Wyndham (Newport) by 0850 and got snacks in the lobby ("breakfast") as I was departing the hotel.  Before leaving Newport, though, I drove a short distance to visit "Historic Nye Beach".  As usual, parking was a premium and I ended up stopping (0855) at Don & Ann Park to get views of the waterfront and learn more about whale sightings in the area.  At 0905, I drove back towards US-101 (passed a Chowder Bowl restaurant nearby) and got a photo of the US-20 sign that showed the mileage to Boston (~3,300) - I shared this with my dad.  Next, I drove north to visit the Yaquina Head "Outstanding Natural Area", where I'd noticed another Oregon Coast Lighthouse on the map.  I arrived at the end of the headland (and the Light) by 0920.  The weather was marvelous!  By then, the temps were back in the 50s, it was sunny and there weren't any clouds in the bluebird sky.  While doing some birding (Merlin App and Binoculars), I met a retired NOAA researcher (also birding) who asked me a lot of questions about my New Hampshire license plates and Nomad Life.  I guess there were so few cars in the parking lot that it was obvious who wasn't a local...  I learned that his wife was from Massachusetts and, together, they told me about additional places to visit north of the Light.  At around the same time, a BLM employee stopped by to chat with his friend (the retired NOAA guy) and I ended up going through my whole story again.  Perhaps I passed some kind of "sniff test", because I was then offered an opportunity to sign up as a volunteer (at the Natural Area) for three months in the Summer of 2027!  Sounds like an interesting gig - maybe it would work for me?  After letting the folks know that I had "miles to go before I sleep", I resumed my sightseeing.  There were lots of fishing boats and some huge rocks that broke the powerful Pacific ocean waves.  The latter were barely visible under the water and looked like surfacing whales when the surf exposed them.  (I learned later that this is a local point of humor for the employees at the park).  I briefly considered hiking up to the highest point of land but decided I needed to save my walks for something more substantial.  Instead, I made my way back to the BLM Visitor Center and learned why the park had signs about "Fee Free Day": they were hosting a Victorian Holiday Celebration!  I spent some time with them, enjoying hot chocolate, cookies and barbershop quartet music.  There was also time for me to walk through the museum and get information about some of the unique sea birds I'd seen (and about some who only visit during Spring).  At 1015, I departed the Natural Area and drove north (on US-101 again) to the town of town of Otter Rock.  This location, recommended by the NOAA guy, featured high cliffs with views of the coast.  There were a lot of surfers gearing up in the parking lot and many more in the water below.  I walked around nearby and found the Devil's Punchbowl, a large cave-looking hole below the westernmost cliff (1050).  It was sunny and warm (high 50s).  Again following the recommendation of the NOAA guy, I drove north along the coast (back roads) until I reached the Otter Crest Viewpoint, located on Cape Foulweather (1105).  From there, I got a better view of the large (intermittently submerged) rocks that disturb the waves on the way to shore.  The signage at the viewpoint said they were called (from south to north) Whaleback Rock, Otter Rock and Gull Rock.  When I turned around from my vista, I was surprised to find myself alone at such a beautiful place.  I headed back to US-101 and drove north again.  Along the way, I passed the 45th Parallel North, which is close to the border with NY, VT, NH and Canada.  The dichotomy of temps in the high 50s and my life-long experiences at this latitude was amazing... Before long, I reached Pacific City and got off of US-101 so I could drive the Three Capes Scenic Route (ultimately, I followed the entire route).  My first stop after this was at Cape Kiwanda - it was a busy beach and parking cost a pretty penny.  I got back on the Three Capes Scenic Route and kept going north - the roads were horrible.  During this time, I reviewed all of my experiences over the last few days on the Oregon Coast and concluded that an annual Oregon State Park pass would be VERY valuable.  With this thought in mind, I was pleasantly surprised to locate a place that didn't require a pass; starting at 1230, I went hiking and birding at Sitka Sedge State Natural Area.  Almost immediately, I met folks from Portland (who also had a vacation home in Pacific City) who helped me find the best routes to hike (Beltz Dike Trail, Kinnikinick Woods Loop) and also helped me ID the many kinds of birds we saw. With such beautiful weather, I gladly hiked nearly three miles inside the park.  Along the way, I found the beach, made my way around standing water that was blocking the trail, encountered lots of dogs and had another great Oregon experience.  When I reached my car again, I immediately noticed that the internal temperature gauge was reporting 60 degrees.  Unfortunately, it was also showing low tire pressure on one of my tires.  This has happened several times since I got the new tires in Albuquerque but I believe it's a function of the temperatures and elevations - we'll see.  Back on the road again, I continued north to Cape Lookout State Park.  There were side roads that I could have followed for some waterfront fun but I chose to continue on to the town of Oceanside.  Near that location, I passed expansive tidal flats, fishing boats that were fighting tidal currents to make big-time catches and more bad roads.  After this, I made my way to Cape Mears NWR.  When I arrived at the parking lot (1420), I made my way to the lighthouse and found some tremendous views.  After getting some good photos, I went walking nearby - I located the Octopus Tree, a Sitka Spruce that was apparently almost 300 years old.  All around, I got great views - especially of the Cape Lookout rock formations (one had a tunnel).  When I was finished exploring (1445), I made my way towards Tillamook.  This wasn't as easy or scenic as I'd hoped because some of the roads were closed to the north.  Instead, I drove on a fancy paved route ("Cape Meares LP Road") to cross the high ridge.  There were all kinds of warnings about the high (18%) grade and chains but I had no trouble.  I also didn't pass one car until I reached the old road ("Bayocean Road NW").  From there, I followed the southern end of Tillamook Bay (more birds) until I intercepted OR-131.  I arrived at US-101 (and Tillamook) by 1515.  Almost immediately after this, I stopped for gas at Fred Meyer and was surprised to find they offered self serve (did the law change since my 2018 visit?) - after my recent discovery of Fred Meyer's connection with Kroger, I was pleased to be able to use a fuel discount there.  I'd hoped to get some air for my tire when I finished fueling (1520) but I couldn't reach tire pump due to fuel truck).  Oh well- there will be time to get air later.  I continued north on US-101 until I reached the Tillamook Creamery, a place that had opened about a week before Mollie and I had passed by in June of 2018.  This time, I stopped and went inside!  There was a self-guided tour and I got to sample four kinds of cheese - I really liked the "smoked black pepper white cheddar".  It was possible to observe assembly lines in the factory and the tour offered a lot of interesting information.  At the cafeteria (1535), I ended up ordering Tillamook Mac & Cheese and a Pelican Brewing Company Beach Beer.  Everything was excellent!  When I finished with my "dinner" (1550), I departed to the north on US-101.  By this point, I was racing to try to get to Haystack Rock (Cannon Beach) by sunset.  For some reason, Google Maps took me on Miami Foley Road, a sketchy side route through a deep valley.  During this phase, I passed along the edge of an overflowing river and drove through water on the pavement.  This route was apparently trying to bypass Cape Margaret and the bay in at the mouth of the Nehelem River...  In any case, I reached OR-53 and, shortly after that, found myself back on US-101.  From there, I followed the coastline.  Along the way, I kept making up time but, in the end, couldn't beat the sun.  In the distance, I marveled at several peaks that were painted bright red by the sun.  In the end, I arrived at the parking lot above Haystack Rock at 1640.  It was already too late to see the sun go down but there was still good light and plenty of people enjoying the ambiance.  I was able to see Tillimook Rock Light in the distance as I walked down to the beach.  I chatted with some folks, took some photos and quickly climbed back to my car.  After that, I only had about eight miles to drive to the town of Seaside (after I got back on US-101).  When I arrived at the Hi-Tide Oceanfront Hotel, where Mollie and I had stayed in 2018, I checked into the hotel and was issued a room with a partial ocean view.  Almost immediately, I opened the window - weather was very nice!.  Even better: I got some good views of the deep reds on the horizon (1720).  I spent the rest of the evening watching movies in my room and did some blogging.  With all of my stops today, my eBird entries took a lot of time too!  With some reading and planning for my next day of activities, I didn't get to bed until 2240.  There is no doubt that the weather has been wonderful for three straight days (unusual for December) so you can understand why I was shocked to learn I might get more good weather again tomorrow!  

Nomad Life - Day 109

Somehow, the weather ended up being marvelous again this morning!  Despite this, I woke up normally (with alarm) at 0430 and started teleworking.  As usual, I took one break to get breakfast in the lobby of the Quality Inn (Florence) and also put some of my luggage in the car.  Other than that, though, I worked continuously until the time of my late check-out (1230) - after getting my receipt from the front desk, I worked in my car for another 20 minutes, trying to complete my work week.  Once I was satisfied, I drove across the street to the Taco Bell and ate lunch there (inside the restaurant) at 1255.  Next, I drove back to the Fred Meyer and, at Customer Service, was able to successfully figure out how to redeem the deposits on several cans/bottles.  As I departed following my third straight day of visiting Fred Meyer, I was very pleased with everything I've learned about the store.  By 1325, I was on my way north on US-101.  One of the hotel cleaning staff had told me about an interesting hike north of Florence and I decided to follow his advice - my target was Hobbit Beach!  Outside the weather was marvelous (60s, sunny and clear for a million miles).  Along the way, I passed the Sea Lion Caves - I believe this may be the first time I've ever skipped them in all my visits to the Oregon Coast.  But I had places to be!  I stopped at viewpoint for the Hecata Head Lighthouse and got some awesome photos.  "Sam the Seagull" (our family mascot) was there and let me take his picture too.  Meanwhile, there were Sea Lions playing on a sandy beach below me - they were quite loud.  Shortly after this, I stopped at the State Park that coordinated visits to the Hecata Head Light but was turned away (again) by the $10 daily use fee.  Instead, I continued north towards the trailhead for Hobbit Beach (arrived there at 1355).  Almost immediately, I realized why the hotel staff person had recommended the trail - it went through a forest full of Sitka Spruce trees, all moss-covered, and arrived (after only about half a mile) at another stunning Oregon Coast beach.  Along the way through this rain forest, I met a met older man (with dogs) and we had a great conversation about the marvelous weather.  When I reached the beach, I noticed another bright yellow sign, this one with a "93" on it (yesterday, I'd seen "98" and "100").  I learned that these signs are used to assist emergency personnel in finding people who call for assistance.  After getting my fill of the surf and sand, I changed direction and walked back to the fork in the trail that I'd noticed - it offered a 1.5 walk all the way to Hecata Head Lighthouse.  Since this didn't involve paying $10, I took advantage of the free time I had and made my way through the forest (and over some pretty steep hills) towards the landmark.  When I reached the top of the climb, I was stunned to look down and see Hobbit Beach below - it was a heck of a height!  I met a few people who were hiking from the other direction - they turned around when they figured out where I'd started...  When I arrived at the Lighthouse itself, I was going to start back to my car.  However, it was at that point that I met a naturalist, Jamie, watching a swarm of busy ants at the base of one of the trees.  He told me he was headed towards Hobbit Beach and joined me for my backtrack.  I learned he works for NOAA and also a caretaker for Heceta Light (he lives in the basement of the B&B at the Lighthouse Keeper's Home).  We had a great conversation about what a great life he was having (his girlfriend lived with him there too) but he was very intrigued by my own life journey.  The discussion made the 1.5 walk back seem to go much more quickly.  We wished each other luck when we parted (1540) and I returned to my car (on the east side of US-101.  After that, I continued driving north (still very sunny and warm) and enjoyed all the amazing beach views I got.  There was, fortunately, only a little northbound traffic but the southbound side seemed much busier (weekend visitors from Eugene?).  Meanwhile, I listened to audiobooks.  There were so many times that I thought about stopping but the number of choices was overwhelming - there are too many amazing "favorite" places to see in Oregon!  I eventually did stop in the town of Yachats to make a hotel reservation.  When I was back on the road, I must have been zoning out because I passed Cape Cod Cottages (where my parents stayed when they were first married), just south of Newport - I'd planned to stop there.  Oh well...  As I drove into Newport (my lodging destination), I noticed the US-20 sign that indicated distance to Boston (over 3300 miles).  A short time after that, I arrived at Travelodge in the middle of town (1635).  The rate for one night was amazing so I was even more surprised to get "royal treatment" from the nice desk clerk (he added my Wyndham number to the reservation and picked a great room for me).  When I reached my room, I considered whether or not to go out for the evening.  There were some interesting restaurants nearby but, in the end, I decided to cook dinner n my room.  One main reason for this was that I was able to do laundry in the hotel machines for only $2.50!  While the clothes were spinning, I finished my telework day by 1800 and then caught up on some more finances.  After the laundry was finished, I repacked my bags and the car.  Feeling tired, even though it was probably only about 2000, I spent the next 90 minutes reading.  When I realized my eyes were closing on their own, I turned out the light and fell immediately asleep (2155).  Another awesome day on the Oregon Coast!

Nomad Life - Day 108

Even though the weather was forecasted to be much improved (60 degrees and sunny), I still started my telework day at 0430 (alarm needed).  I took a break for breakfast at the Quality Inn (Florence) and then had a series of meetings.  Along the way, Erin called to tell me she'd already address 70 (!!!!) of the 100 Christmas Cards - that seemed so amazing to me!  Meanwhile, I kept working until 1330, even though I was itching to get outside.  As I was packing my car (at the time of the late checkout), I talked to the cleaning staff about their favorite hikes - they recommended several nearby.  When I checked on a few of them, however, I grew concerned that I'd get stuck in muddy holes because of the remote locations south of the Mapleton Highway.  There was also the distance to be concerned about; what if I drove all the way there and couldn't actually hike?  Instead, reluctantly, I decided to stay close to town.  After departing the hotel, I stopped for lunch at Dairy Queen at 1405 (I ate my meal inside the restaurant).  I'd noticed a strange-named park nearby, Exploding Whale Memorial, and decided to investigate.  It wasn't far out of town but it had some great views of the dunes across the Suislaw River from town.  There was some interesting signage about the King Tides (I'd heard about these at Umpqua Light but the info here was more technical).  Unfortunately, there wasn't anything to indicate why the park had such a strange name!  Starting at 1435, I walked around on the trails nearby until I encountered a local lady who explained that "about 50 years ago someone thought the only way to remove a dead whale in the river was to dynamite it."  The resulting carnage of falling whale flesh/blubber sounded like something out of an SNL sketch...  Since the weather was still so fine, I went off in search of more hiking.  It seemed like the closest and "guaranteed" spot might be in the Oregon Dunes NRA so I crossed the Suislaw River and turned off of US-101 and on to South Jetty Road (AKA Sand Dunes Road). Starting at about 1505, I drove all the way to the end of this road and was not disappointed by all the birds and wildlife (Sea Lions) that I saw in several different places.  There were also some HUGE waves at the South Jetty and I decided to walk out as far as I dared on the rocky promontory.  There was a young lady thinking the same thing - I'm not sure if I creeped her out but I kept my distance and looked through binoculars at all the interesting scenery.  There were beautiful beachfront homes, fishermen fighting the tidal current, flocks of seabirds and other folks braving the surf on the North Jetty (Florence side).  I ended up walking about half way out on the jetty but stopped as soon as I noticed waves had started to crest over the rocks on both sides of me.  After making it safely back to shore (1555), I took a side trail towards the beach and spent the next hour walking along the shoreline.  The waves were very impressive (there must have been a lot of sand bars near the shore) and I found lots of interesting flotsam/jetsam (e.g., long strands of kelp, huge Redwood trunks, stranded jellyfish, etc.).  Since I was in a good photo spot, I ended up staying until official sunset - the videos I took don't do the scene justice...  Afterwards, I walked back towards my car and detoured again to the local dock, where lots of people were fishing and crabbing.  I talked to them about their techniques (they were very open about this information) and learned that a $35 trap might be a better investment than one that cost $200.  On the other hand, the Harbor Seals and/or Sea Lions were literally lurking nearby, their heads barely visible, waiting for someone to catch a crab so they could steal a tasty meal. One of the crabbers told me he'd recently seen two Orca whales in the Suislaw River but he admitted that no one else believed him.  Still, I saw the two huge crabs he was departing with and know better than to question a fish story...  Altogether, I walked about four miles in Florence and at Oregon Dunes.  Outdoor adventure completed (1655), I headed back to US-101, crossed the river and headed north to Fred Meyer again.  This time, it wasn't about walking - I'd learned they actually had some of my elusive HP printer cartridges and happily procured one!  While there, I also bought some groceries and got a bunch of bonus points towards lowering fuel prices.  Done at 1730, I headed back to the hotel, where caught up on a LOT of printing, finances and other organization.  Along the way, I made/ate dinner in the room and was working on my computer until until almost 2100.  For the rest of the evening, I watched movies on my tablet and finally turned out the lights for bed at 2230.  Today was the epitome of a perfect day on the Oregon Coast!

Nomad Life - Day 107

As expected, my alarm woke much too early (0430) for the amount of time I'd actually been asleep.  Despite feeling exhausted, I started teleworking.  During one break (0700), I got breakfast in the lobby of the Quality Inn at Coos Bay.  There were almost no people there at all.  After that, it was meetings from 0800 to 1100.  Outside, it was misty and drizzling.  Aside: I've noticed that the Apple Weather App has not been very helpful in Oregon because it doesn't seem to account for the mist, fog, etc. I guess the people behind the results think they are correct because there isn't any official "rain"...  Trying to ignore the frustrating weather, I continued teleworking until the late check out time I'd been granted (1230).  After returning my key to the Front Desk, I ate "lunch" (snacks) and worked on my computer inside my car (in the motel parking lot) until 1300.  By then, the rain had stopped and I was able to open a window - there were LOTS of loud seabirds in the area!  The skies continued clearing and I was soon ready to go looking for an outdoor adventure.  I departed North Bend via Virginia Avenue (and other city streets) and got on US-101.  Next, I drove across Coos Bay until I could turn west on to the Trans-Pacific Parkway.  On a sandy peninsula called the "North Spit", I found an extensive area of park land (mostly part of the Oregon Dunes NRA), complete with dune buggy trails, beaches, campgrounds and other recreational sites.  There was also a huge papermill (with tons of logs coming in and pretty boards going out).  I did some birding at a BLM boat launch and then drove to the end of the road.  At that point, the sandy track was the "kingdom of the dune buggies."  Not wanting to damage Nessie's undercarriage, I turned around (1330) and drove north again.  I'd seen a turn off for another park area called Horsfall.  The roads here were in much worse condition and, in almost every parking lot where I stopped, I found evidence of OHRV staging.  Meanwhile, I ate snacks in the car ("lunch").  I'd believed that I had no cell signal for most of this drive but, suddenly, I started getting calls from "Time Share" people  who represented themselves as being associated with the Holiday Inn Club Vacations group.  After dealing with the callers briefly, it became clear that they were not who they pretended to be (scam calls).  This unsettling situation, which happens to me very rarely, required some additional effort to close the loop - in the end, I verified that my account was secure and that I'd correctly identified the scammers.  Whew!  With that issue resolved, I spent some time birding near the ocean (walking among the dunes).  By 1415, I was headed back towards US-101.  Sadly, the rain started again.  Oh well - there wasn't anything to be done but to drive north.  I did make some stops occasionally, to look at interesting "views" (not much to see with mist and fog).  For some reason, I was suddenly dealing with lots of traffic.  This motivated me to get off US-101 at 1500 - it seemed like a good time to check out the Umpqua Lighthouse (a place I visited with Mollie in 2018).  This time, I found that they had a little Lifesaving Museum and a tour of the light house tower!  The lady working at the gift shop was a Coast Guard dependent and she told me harrowing stories about the job her husband had to do when local fishermen ignored the marine warnings.  Her stories didn't need a lot of extra embellishment because the surf off the nearby shore looked nasty.  I had to wait about 20 minutes for my tour so explored nearby, where I found a whale watching platform, some Coast Guard base housing and lots of RVs parked (it is where the docents live).  There was even time to explore inside the museum.  The entire place was covered in Christmas decorations but that seemed strange with temps in the 50s... At 1530, I took a tour of Umpqua Light and got lots of good info about boating (jetties, "Triangle", "Bar", oysters, Coos Bay Fishing) from the docent.  Bonus: I got to climb most of the way into the light tower.  It had a unique red and white Fresnel pattern so sailors would know where they were on the Oregon Coast.  The lives of the lighthouse keepers sounded very demanding but now almost everything and Umpqua Light is 24/7/365 now.  Afterwards (1615), I (re)visited the museum and then tried to access Salmon Harbor by driving north.  Unfortunately, there was some road construction so I had to backtrack through Umpqua Lighthouse State Park to reach US-101.  Before long, I exited the highway again at Winchester Bay - the rain had stopped and I was able to drive around with my windows open.  I spent time exploring around the marina and boat docks and saw lots of interesting signs about seafood processing and salmon fishing restrictions (I guess they actually catch them in the area).  Following directions I'd received from the lady in the gift shop, I found the Coast Guard launches - they, apparently, are almost impossible to sink and can right themselves easily if swamped!  Overall, walked about 1.5 miles during the day time hours I'd had after knocking off work.  At 1645, I departed Salmon Harbor and drove north (back on US-101) to Florence, where I'd made a reservation for two nights at the Quality Inn.  The weather had gotten very nasty again and Google Maps didn't help by giving me crappy directions.  Eventually (1520), though, I was able to check into my room (and got a late checkout for Friday approved).  While unloading my car, I encountered lots of construction workers - their trucks filled the parking lot.  Once settled in my room, I finished the last bit of teleworking (completing my full work day), caught up on eBird entries and did some blogging.  Hoping to get the rest of my 10K steps, I departed the hotel (1805) and drove a short distance to Fred Meyer.  This business, which was recommended by the Front Desk clerk at my hotel, is apparently used by the locals as a place to walk during Oregon's "Rainy Season".  For my part, I managed to walk almost 2.5 miles (out of the rain).  Along the way, I learned that the store was Kroger affiliated (I can use my points), has a gas station and carries almost everything you could want!  It seemed nicer than any Walmart I've visited and still had the feel for a local grocery store.  Comparing prices on many items I usually buy, I (re)confirmed what I'd already seen at other stores in Oregon: prices are generally lower in Oregon than most places I've visited.  Even better, there is no sales tax.  The nice lady at the checkout counter was very helpful and informative and I bought dinner (a sandwich) and some local beer (Bad Santa Cascadian Dark Ale from Pelican Brewing, an establishment I'd noticed just north of Cape Arago the day before) at 1930.  After arriving back in my room (1945), I ate dinner, drank some of the beer and watched movies.  There was even time for more reading and Duolingo exercises.  I took a look at the weather forecast and it seemed like things were going to improve the following day.  Unfortunately, there were also several news reports of continuous Atmospheric Rivers across the Pacific Northwest during the rest of the month of December.  Also, Washington (just east of Whidbey Island) was getting hammered with big-time flooding - yikes!  Armed with this knowledge, I went to bed (2220) and tried to sleep.  Hopefully, those pesky weather guessers will be wrong again and I'll get an awesome day of weather tomorrow!

Nomad Life - Day 106

I awoke at 0430 (alarm needed) to a steady rain outside.  This turn in the weather definitely made it easier to start teleworking in my hotel room at the Blue Coast Inn in Brookings. During one short break, I made and ate breakfast in my room.  Otherwise, it was work meetings all morning until noon, when I had a 30 minute doctor appointment (virtual).  This took me to the time of the late check out the hotel had graciously granted me.  I packed up the car, made reservation for my overnight stay in Coos Bay and then worked in my car until just before 1300.  While in the parking lot, I saw a stunning example of a peregrine falcon (wow!).  Departing my motel, I drove a short distance (south) to get some lunch at a nearby Taco Bell.  As usual, their food seemed too messy to take in the car, so I ate inside.  From the window of the restaurant, I could see that this town also had lots dispensaries...  During this whole time, it continued raining but I consoled myself that there was supposed to be a cessation in the precipitation sometime later in the afternoon.  At 1330, I drove a short distance to Chetco Point and found a trail system next to Water Treatment Plant.  The mist and fog made the whole area, which was cliffs and rocks, a much more picturesque view than other places might produce.  There was plenty of green and the ocean waves were crashing dramatically on the rocks in every direction.  While I hiked in the park, I carried my umbrella, which was somehow still effective in the steady breeze.  Along the way, I saw some interesting birds, walked on a driftwood covered beach and got lots of steps.  Finished by 1350, I departed Brookings and headed north on US-101.  The forecasted improvement didn't really come - it remained rainy, misty and foggy.  Passing by Gold Beach and the Rogue River, I fondly remembered my 2018 visit with Mollie to the same town.  By this point, the number of logging trucks had increased significantly.  A bit north of this point, I stopped to visit the Geisel Monument State Heritage Site (1435), which commemorated the massacre of a father and his young children during Rogue Indian War in 1856.  They, along with their mother (who survived the attack and died many years later) were buried in a quiet little cemetery among the trees.  There was a short section of the Oregon Coast Trail - I'll have to learn more about this trek!  Between the monument and Nesica Road (to the north), I got some more hiking in, despite the wet conditions and didn't depart until 1455.  As I drove north from there, I made several other brief stops at waysides and overlooks but didn't really hike a lot.  Still, my pedometer said that I logged about 1.5 miles (outside) after leaving the hotel (but before I reached my hotel).  Most of my attention, though, was focused on the driving conditions: with rain, mist and fog, the visibility and traction weren't great.  However, there were lots of Oregon drivers passing me, going very fast - I got off on a shoulder or convenient passing lane several times.  Before long, I started passing cranberry bogs and remembered how much my dad always said he thought Oregon reminded him of Cape Cod...  As I approached Coos Bay from the south, I exited US-101 on to West Beaver Hill Road so I could make my way to the State Parks located near Cape Arago.  I arrived at the first one (Sunset Beach SP) at about 1615.  There were all kinds of signs about paying $10 to park but none that appeared to restrict driving through the area.  As a result, I didn't stop except to look through my binoculars into the fog - I had hoped to see the Cape Arago Lighthouse but never did... Next, I passed through Shore Acres SP and tried, futilely, to spot anything at all through the mist and low visibility.  Before long, I'd reached the heart of the Cape Arago SP and the end of the road (OR-540).  At that point, I felt like I'd really missed out on all the scenery and, deciding that I could risk a short parking session, I hiked a short trail near the point.  There was a sizeable population of Black Oystercatchers on the rocks below (must be their nesting grounds) but no Sea Lions, unfortunately.  Back at my car, I made my way carefully back towards the north (and civilization).  Just as it got dark (1645), I encountered a mule deer along the side of the road.  Eventually (1700), I was approaching the outskirts of the town of Charleston and then crossed a bridge into Barview.  I drove north along the coast on OR-540 until I was in the heart of Coos Bay, OR.  Knowing I'd never get a chance to walk outside again before bed (it was dark and rainy), I stopped at the Super Walmart and finished my 10K steps (2.5 miles) inside the store.  Along the way, I found out about recycling in Oregon (from the Walmart employees) and bought supplies.  When I finished walking (1800), I drove a short distance to the Quality Inn Coos Bay (actually located in North Bend).  Upon checking in, I got a Choice Rewards gift (water and snacks) and was welcomed for my Rewards Night, which was in a "King Suite" (very big and fancy).  Strangely, there were doors (and door security catches) on both ends of the suite; one had been left open when I arrived (1815) and, when the other was locked, it reduced my chances for getting back inside if the door(s) malfunction.  It might sound paranoid but I didn't use the security features after that.  Once unpacked, I finished the Christmas Card address list I'd promised Erin and sent it to her.  I then spent time on finances, which seemed like time well spent until I accidentally overwrote a file I'd just finished.  This crisis caused me to stay awake to resolve everything - I didn't go to bed until almost 2330.  It's been a long day of rain but it will be a short night...

Nomad Life - Day 105

With my catch-up with Allison and Johann completed last night, I was excited to be on the move again towards the Pacific Northwest!  Since a new work week had begin, I woke up (alarm required) at 0430 and started teleworking.  Along the way, I skipped breakfast.  Somehow, I missed a meeting (it was a last minute "pop up" and had not been sent to the calendar on my cell phone).  Fortunately, I was not the only one and the entire things was rescheduled - I was able to attend later.  I'd asked for a late checkout and the Travelodge (Eureka) was able to give me one (1200).  However, I needed more time to complete my work day.  Therefore, I worked for another 30 minutes in the parking lot (still on hotel WiFi) to wrap up my day.  With work completed, I departed (towards the south on the one-way US-101 in Eureka) and made a stop at a nearby Wendy's, where I got some lunch (1235).  I had hoped to take it with me but it seemed too messy; instead, I finished eating everything inside the restaurant.  It was a nice day (50s and sunny) and this brought out even more homeless people than I had seen last night.  Like yesterday, I was shocked at the number of dispensaries in the downtown area.  Lunch completed, I turned back to the north on US-101 and made my way, across town, until I could turn on to CA-258.  This road allowed me to drive towards the town of Samoa on the other side of the little bay north of Eureka.  I had to cross Woodley and Tuluwat Islands before I could head north towards my hiking target: northern end of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge.  I arrived at the trailhead 1305 and, after exploring the signage and admiring the good views, started walking (1315).  From a map I found, I learned that I was inside the Ma-le'l Dunes Unit-North, located on the ocean side of Arcata Bay.  The location offered excellent opportunities for birding and, by the end of the day, I'd seen 39 species!  Along the way, I encountered members of the California Conservation Corps - they were cleaning up fallen limbs and removing poison oak.  It was sunny and warm on the trails in woods - a perfect day in Northern California!  Before I was finished, I hiked on the following trails: Tsoutsgish, Dap Loop, Vighul and Hout.  The last two allowed me to spend time walking on the huge sand dunes and I eventually located a pretty beach.  Signage was not easy to follow and I probably logged an extra mile in backtracking and trying to find my way through the scrub trees along the water.  Somehow, though, I made it back to my car by 1445 and realized I'd walked about 3.5 miles total.  Once back in my car, I made my way back (via a gravel road and then pavement) to US-101 and drove north.  During the rest of the afternoon, I enjoyed driving with very little traffic and, occasionally, great views of the ocean and/or mountains nearby.  At one point, I was crossing a causeway south of the famous Redwood Parks (State and National) and encountered a large crowd of Elk - wow!  Soon after that, I detoured off the Freeway into Prairie Creek Redwoods (1545).  I have very fond memories of these groves of Redwood Trees, both from my tips to the area in the 1970s/1980s and because I spent a nice vacation with Mollie there in 2018.  I would have tarried longer but I wanted to keep moving north and get set up for my next day of work.  After exiting the Redwood forest, I stopped for gas at Klamath at the Pem-Mey Fuel Mart, located on the property of the Yurok Nation.  (I recalled that we'd stopped here in 2018).  I was able to get a gas fillup at a reasonable price (1605) and also got snacks ("dinner" and breakfast for the following morning) inside the little store (1610).  Back on US-101, I followed the winding road up and over a mountain pass until descending back into a flatter area where Crescent City was located.  After that, I passed a lot more beachfront views.  During this time, I listened to audiobooks, tried to see through the misty conditions and began to deal with much more traffic.  Before long, I passed into Oregon!  Just when I thought I had the route to my hotel (Blue Coast Inn in Brookings, OR) wired, Google Maps threw me a curveball.  This was my fault, of course, because I'd earlier tried to manually type in the location, rather than use the name of the lodging establishment.  As a result, I exited US-101 just before the Chetco River and turned on to South Bank Chatco River Road.  The key mistake I'd made was the words "South Bank"...  After driving about six miles into increasingly dark and remote woods (I was on the edge of the Rogue River - Siskayou National Forest), I came to a dead end and a "Private Property" sign,  It was at that point I realized I'd made a mistake.  It didn't take long to find the correct location (although I'm very glad I had cell service) and I was soon driving back the way I'd come.  Once on US-101 again, I found the Blue Coast Inn about two miles north of my mistaken turn (1735).  The Lobby Area had a sign about being closed due to a fire and I had to call a number for the staff.  When the Front Desk clerk answered, she told me she was out shopping - it took about 15 minutes for her to return to the hotel.  Only then was I able to check into my room and get approved for a late check out time the following day.  In my room, I was surprised to find that there was no desk.  Resourcefully, I used the ironing board - the computers fit on it just fine!  From about 1800 to 1900, I caught up on work-related tasks, resolved some finance stuff and tried to get caught up on some more blog entries (I've been falling behind since the end of November).  I watched a few movies and fun with playing with an old heater - I'll probably have to wake up during the night to reset it...  Bed time was at 2145.  So excited to be starting my week on the Oregon Coast!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 9

Olympic NP - Day 1! We were awake by 0700 and, after breakfast at the hotel, we went for a walk. It was a great morning for a walk by the seaside! Our hotel, "Hi Tide” was located right on a paved pathway called the Promenade and, as a result, we got to easily access the amazing tidal flats and weather. First, we walked back and forth on the path, looking at the many picturesque homes with an oceanfront view. We then took off our shoes and walked out into the shallow water, where we found some good sand dollars. The tide was out and we walked happily for over an hour in the bright sun. Mollie said she was sad to be leaving the Oregon Coast... We departed Seaside at around 1000 and stopped at Walmart in nearby Warrenton for supplies (1035). Back on the road again soon afterwards, heading into Astoria. While we were driving, Mollie told me she had been elected president of the Book Club. She also emailed with my Dad (to tell him about our trip in Oregon). She talked a lot about possibly attending Oregon State University in the future... After crossing the Columbia River and making a few short stops (Washington's oldest fish hatchery, chasing elusive seals that were popping their heads up and down in South Bend), we took a break in a pretty seaside town (Westport) on Grays Harbor and explored the waterfront. My friend, Eileen, had told me about this place since she had done contract work there for the Army Corps of Engineers. When we arrived, we ate lunch (snacks) in the car and then took a walk. It was a bit overcast but the pleasant temps (60s) were still awesome. Some of the highlights we enjoyed included: walking the docks to watch crabbers and fishermen, climbing the overlook to see the ocean and across the whole bay, searching for souvenirs in a huge gift shop and watching the sneaky harbor seals who were "stealing" crabs from the traps. They were very clever and we had fun watching them pop their heads out and then appear elsewhere, leaving behind nothing but frustration for the crabbers. Some of the humans got lucky with Dungeness and Rock catches but others were clearly annoyed (we silently chuckled at the whole scene). We could have stayed for hours but decided to continue north for more fun. After passing Grays Harbor, I asked Mollie about going for a horseback ride but she passed on the opportunity. We used US-101 to get to the southeastern corner of Olympic National Park. We explored the National Fish Hatchery area near the Quinault Indian Reservation (again, didn't see any fish...) and then enjoyed some time on the beach near the Pacific Coast entrance of Olympic National Park. Mollie got her Passport Stamped just as they were closing the Ranger Station there (1700). The scenery along the coast was beautiful and the extended day of driving was worth the effort because it set us up for a new base of operations. In Forks, we picked up dinner, "gas station sandwiches" from Queets Trading Post, while filling up the gas tank (1630) and ate our meal as we continued north. As a result of our morning beach walk, we were not able to visit Hoh Rain Forest (because of limited time) and weren't allowed to stop at Lake Crescent due to significant road construction. Still, we made it to Port Angeles with clear skies and lots of plans for the following day. We checked into our hotel (Super 8) and ended up watching TV until going to bed (2300).

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 8

We got up at 0545 so we could go walking on the beach. Took advantage of the low tide near sunrise and walked the flats south of Gold Beach. It was COLD but less windy than yesterday. We ate breakfast (snacks) before we checked out of the hotel (Motel 101) by 0700. We were headed north on US-101 by 0630 and were fortunate not to encounter a lot of traffic for the first few hours. Stopped to see a lighthouse at Cape Blanco, explored cranberry bogs and sheep farms surrounding the New River Area of Critical Environmental Concern (near Bandon), walked the sand in the southern end of the Oregon Dunes (just north of Coos Bay) and visited the Umpqua Light House. The day was cloudless and pleasant (60s) and there weren't many people around, allowing for peaceful reflection in this pretty area. Several times, I felt like I was home on Cape Cod - but then we'd pass a huge, rocky bluff and I'd remember how far away we really were... It was a very pleasant drive. Had some serious deja vu in several places. When my own family last journeyed north on the Pacific Coast (around 35 years ago), I was Mollie's age. It was amazing to see so many familiar things and be able to point them out to Mollie (along with the story). One thing I'd definitely planned on was a visit to the Sea Lion Caves, just past Florence (OR), and we arrived there by 1100. Mollie loves animals, especially the ones we get to see in the wild, and I knew she would like this cave better than all the previous ones - I was not wrong! I purchased tickets for us to enter the cave but we spent a lot of time on the high bluff, watching the ocean below. We saw huge numbers of sea lions basking along the shore, gray whales spouting in the waves, cormorants diving and soaring, and seagulls guarding their grey-speckled brood in the rocks of the cliffs. Of course we also explored the cave and bought lots of souvenirs... Could not ask for a better memory with Mollie! We got back in the car after about an hour at the attraction and the purchase of some great souvenirs (1220) and drove north. In Newport (1330), we ate lunch (McDonalds). Around that same time, we passed a little resort on the ocean where my parents had stayed in the 1960s (appropriately named "Cape Cod Cottages"). A bit later, we passed the beginning of US-20 and a sign that said we were only 3,360 miles from Boston - I'll bet THAT would be an interesting drive! Mollie texted a picture of the sign to my dad and they ended up communicating a lot about Oregon over the next few days. In the little town of Depoe Bay (more deja vu), we were treated with more whale sightings in the harbor (close to shore!) from a high platform the Whale Watching Center. On the other side of the street (innner harbor), we also saw harbor seals sunning on the rocks and "performing" tricks for the tourists. At 1420, we ate some ice cream (locally produced) and headed north again. By then, we were running behind our original schedule and were running low on gas so we didn’t make any major stops (except to get the needed fuel, which we purchased in the town of Tillamook at 1445) for most of the afternoon. This included passing up a visit to the Tillamook Creamery (we were sad), several good beaches and some hiking trails. When we reached the coastal area near Cannon Beach, we initially drove into town, planning to visit Haystack Rock, but it was so busy that we decided instead to look around in Ecola State Park (related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition). Mollie decided (just before we reached the entrance) that she didn’t want to miss out on another NPS Passport Stamp so I left the State Park and backtracked to US-101. We continued north and Mollie helped me a lot by making a hotel reservation (at the Hi Tide Oceanfront Inn in Seaside) herself, complete with Google search, several phone calls and use of a credit card over the phone. After that was done, we continued to Fort Clatsop (near Astoria) and toured the reconstructed fort there. We learned lots of good history and we felt (especially after seeing their signs across the Plains and Mountain states for the past 10 years) like we'd finally arrived at the end of their journey to the Pacific with them! Since the Visitors Center closed soon after we arrived (1700), we had to leave the main parking lot almost immediately. We took a nature walk in the nearby Netul Landing and then returned to beautiful Seaside and checked into our hotel. We went shopping at Safeway (1855) and picked up supplies and food. Back in our room, Mollie cooked some dinner (macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and green beans). We borrowed a movie (“School of Rock”) from the Front Desk and watched it until bed time (2230). As we have a few other times on this trip, we slept with the windows open (no AC) - nice!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 7

We were awake by 0600 and, after breakfast at the hotel (0645), we drove north to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park so Mollie could get her Junior Ranger badge. While there, we drove up the Cal-Barrel Scenic Road, hiked on the Rhododendron Trail and other interpretive trails, and saw three bull elks and four mule deer near the road. The whole park was covered with a thick layer of mist/fog and the temps were in the mid 50s. I took a short hike on the Coastal Trail but couldn't see the ocean from the high bluff. We were fortunate to see plenty of wildlife: a snail, a banana slug, Steller's Jays, pelicans and ground squirrels. After a few hours enjoying the park (Mollie didn't want to leave at all), we drove north on US-101. We enjoyed some better visibility while exploring the Klamath River area (amazing views) and stopped for a visit at the Yurok Nation complex. We got gas, postcard stamps and lunch (Chester’s Chicken) there (1150)and then continued north. Eventually, we reached Crescent City and decided to visit Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Mollie wanted to get a Redwoods jacket and we picked up other souvenirs (1230). While we were at this park, we took a nice walk on a trail along the Smith River. There were plenty of redwood trees, pretty camp sites, clear water and skipping stones. We were sad to leave the majestic trees after two amazing days - Mollie noted that she was going to "miss the awesome smell". The next phase of our Dad-Daughter Adventure began later in the afternoon as we entered Oregon again on US-101. We stopped several times as we made our way north: walking the sand at Whaleshead Beach, snapping photos from high bluffs above Arch Rock and Cape Sebastian. It was sunny and pleasant (mid 60s) but VERY windy (we got sand blasted near the rolling waves). One memorable moment was when we watched a silly seagull (our ubiquitous friend, "Sam') walking slowly and deliberately along the shore - seemingly without a care in the world - while the sea swirled violently only feet away... By the time we reached Gold Beach ("Where the Rogue River Meets the Ocean"), we decided to stop driving for the night. We explored the little town, picking up souvenirs (1745) and scouting out places to watch the sunset. In our hotel room (at the Motel 101), we ate dinner (snacks) and then went out again to watch the sunset (2055). Mollie posted on Facebook: "Dad and I got to relax and watch the sunset to end Day 7! It was a rather brisk evening, I must say, and the clouds made the sunset shorter than it could have been, but it was still really nice. The overlook was only a short distance away from our hotel, so we were able to pop in and out without much trouble. I hope we can see more sunsets, hopefully when there are fewer clouds in the sky!" Back in our room again, Mollie and I talked to Chuck on the phone about upcoming Thanksgiving plans. We watched TV and went to bed at around 2200. Life is good!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 5

We got up at 0600 and Mollie wrote post cards to Grandpa Jim, Gaga and PawPaw, Cousin Bonnie and Erin & Brenna (I showed her how to address the letters). She also caught up on her trip notes. While eating breakfast (hotel), we talked about Summer Vacation options for the coming year. After checking out of our hotel (Holiday Inn Express), we left Klamath Falls (0700). In a nearby parking lot, we saw a Google Maps car as we were leaving town. One of my genealogy friends/relatives told us she had a niece who worked at the Lava Beds National Monument and we tried to coordinate a visit with her (it didn’t work out). We enjoyed another beautiful day of clear skies! It was another beautiful day but the forecast called for temps over 100 degrees in the Valley, so we sought cooler air at higher elevations. On the way to the Lava Beds, we enjoyed our drive through the area around Tule Lake (included the National Wildlife Refuge). We arrived before the park was open and were able to take short walks among a few volcanic formations (Fleener Chimneys, the entrance to Merrill Cave) with no other visitors. A highlight for me was a climb up to the top of Schonchin Butte - from there, it was possible to see for many miles in all directions (and there were info boards for major landmarks). Once I got back to the car (where Mollie was journaling the trip), we went to the Visitors Center and got another NPS Stamp. We also "screened" for cave exploration (and had to clean our shoes because of our visit to Oregon Caves). This allowed us to go into a few caves on the loop nearby (our favorite was the Hopkins Chocolate and the nearby Garden Bridges). After seeing everything in the main area of the park, we drove over to the Petroglyph Section, where we climbed the bluff, watched swallows flying to/from their nests in the holes on the bluff face, and saw a few of the interesting images left behind by early residents of the area. We looked for a post office nearby but all of them had closed early for a Saturday. Because of the huge distances between gas stations, we filled up in Tulelake (1145) before heading south on CA-139 (Volcanic Legacy Trail). The scenery was initially very flat and arid but eventually started getting hilly. We ate lunch (snacks) in the car and took a bathroom break at Modoc National Forest site (amazing alpine smells and warm sunny spots on beds of pine needles). Mollie became inquisitive when we had to drive through an Inspection (immigration?) Station. We also had some funny farm equipment encounters on the highway. In Adin, we switched to CA-299 and, later, CA-89. To be safe, I got gas again in the town of Bieber (1330). After several hours on roads in the northeastern corner of California (treated to amazing views of Shasta), we arrived at our next destination: Lassen Volcanic National Park. We had stayed under 70 degrees all day and it got even better as we climbed over 8500 feet of elevation, until we arrived at the base of the volcano. At the Visitors Center near Manzanita Lake, Mollie had figured out that she could get a free bandana (with a map of the park) if we completed three hikes during our visit. This, of course, required a whirlwind tour of the park - north to south on the main road - but we managed to get everything (Emigrant Trail, Devastated Area Trail and Paradise Meadows Trail). We arrived at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitors Center (southern end of the park) just before they closed (1655) and Mollie got her bandanna and some souvenirs. While there, one of the rangers seemed frantically distracted and she told us “they are evacuating”. It didn’t make much sense until, while driving back to the north (stopping at Sulphur Works, Bumpass Trailhead and Manzanita Lake) we saw the thin wisps of forest fire smoke to the south. We departed to the west from the north end of the park (near Manzanita Lake on CA-89). I’d initially considered exiting to the south but had already decided against it - that turned out to be good because the forest fire cloud was huge (almost an anvil) by the time we reached Redding (via CA-44). At that point, it was also over 100 degrees in the Sacramento River Valley (less than 1000 foot elevation). Luckily, we had planned to avoid the heat again (the following day) by driving towards the Coast. We ate dinner (snacks) in the room and spent the rest of the (scorching hot) evening watching TV and reading in our hotel room (Rodeway Inn). Went to bed at 2200. Another great day!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 4

Today was really special! We'd planned to visit Crater Lake National Park when we developed our itinerary a few months ago and could not have been luckier with the weather. We were up early (0500), ate an early breakfast at our hotel (Days Inn) and left Medford at 0630, driving east on OR-62 through "canyons" of huge alpine trees. We got some good views of the Rogue River too. We reached the entrance so early there wasn't anyone at the fare gate. Of course, almost nothing else was open either, although we were lucky enough to be able to get gas at Mazama Village Campground (0745). The slow pace of things didn't stop us from enjoying the beautiful view of the deep blue lake and surrounding peaks. There was still a lot of snow and many activities had not even begun for the season. Temps started in the mid 40s and only reached 60 while we were visiting. We explored the scenery with almost no other guests - it was heaven. At first, we were going to wait for the Visitors Center on the Rim to open. But after a while (just after I sat down in a rocking chair on the back porch of the Lodge), Mollie said to me "we can't sit here - there is too much to do!" So we headed back down to the main Entrance and went to a Visitors Center that was open. There, we got souvenirs (0930) and watched a park video and got Mollie started on her Junior Ranger badge. We decided to drive the entire 33 miles of Rim Drive (starting on the east side). We took nature walks at Vidae Falls and Pinnacles Overlook (saw a marmot with a mouth full of pine needles) and enjoyed some amazing views of the Klamath Valley, Mount McLoughlan and Mount Shasta. We later detoured north of the Rim to visit the Pumice Desert. While there, we also got to hike a few more miles of PCT. From what I've seen so far, the trail is much more smooth and deliberately routed than the AT. Mollie told me she wanted me to complete the whole thing on horse back with her after I retire... After a about an hour north of the lake we returned to the Rim Drive. It had gotten so crowded by that time that traffic had started to suck - we could barely find a parking place anywhere on the west side of the crater. So, after Mollie got her NPS passport stamp and Junior Ranger pin (1400), we decided to leave. We departed to the southeast (OR-62 to US-97) and stopped a few more times to see the sites. As we made our way into the Valley, Mollie told me she was very impressed with the farm/ranch lands, along with the helpful signs that pointed out local landmarks. During most of our drive, we were "escorted" (read: passed) by many vintage Porche autos that were checking their engines on the flat open land. Our little Nissan Versa was no match, obviously... We eventually made our way past Upper Klamath Lake (pretty) and into Klamath Falls. From Mollie's Facebook: "Upon arriving in town, we checked into our hotel (Holiday Inn Express) and asked for recommendations from the concierge, who pulled out a big map for us. Dad asked about where we could see the Klamath Falls, and we were disappointed to learn that there haven't been falls since the 1920s, and that they are now rapids. Regardless, we went out to find them. However, before we did that, we picked up our dinner from a little coffee shop/deli called "A Leap of Taste" (1730). I ordered the pizza sandwich with aged provolone, pepperoni, and calamata olive tapanade on rye and Dad ordered the #1, a complex turkey and sweet coppa salami, marco polo jack cheese, organic greens, and tomato sandwich on jewish rye and two bags of kettle chips. We enjoyed them in our car in the parking lot of the Link River Nature Trail, and were delighted to find that we had been given small paper cups with orange slices and a piece of dark chocolate. We walked it off on the Link River Nature Trail, which revealed the remnants of the Klamath Falls that had been taken out by the construction of a dam. The trail was short, and we only walked to the dam before we turned around and walked back toward the car. After our walk, we made a quick stop at the Walmart to pick up some supplies for the car, and headed back to the hotel. It was a nice way to end the long day! Wildlife encounters: an egret from across the river, a red-winged black bird defending her nest (she hovered really close to us), and a cormorant flying over the water." Afterwards, we stopped at Walmart (1930) and picked up some more supplies before heading back to the room. We watched TV and read until we went to bed (2200).

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 3

We both got up at 0530 and found the weather outside was still quite pleasant. Sleeping with the windows open had worked out great - the air was chilly but you can't beat the mountain air and sounds for a restful sleep! We'd arrived at our lodging within the Oregon Caves National Monument late on the previous evening (just before sunset) and immediately were impressed! The Chateau (hotel) was a six story alpine lodge, built in the 1930s, hidden in a cell phone and internet free zone. It was located just across the parking lot from a cave I'd last visited with my family over 30 years ago. Our room was located just above a waterfall in front of the building: the River Styx exits the cave and flows down towards the ocean from there. Mollie wrote a flowery entry in the room composition notebook (guests left their comments). I checked us out of the Chateau (0645) and we ate a hearty breakfast in the Chateau Cafe (finished at 0740). Raring to get started with our day, we headed over to the Visitors Center. It wasn’t open yet so we took a walk on the Cliff Nature Trail - we were treated to amazing views of the Illinois Valley below. When the Visitors Center opened (0830), we checked in for our cave tour (I'd reserved spots months earlier but there was a SNAFU with payment) and heard about lots of White Nose Syndrome concerns for the bats. At 0900, we started our tour of the Caves (with rangers this time!) and had a great time. After we finished our spelunking, Mollie was sworn in with another Junior Ranger badge (she got a "bat badge” this time). It was a very special visit! We picked up some souvenirs (1055) and then departed to the north (on US-199),). Again, we searched (unsuccessfully) for a Fish Hatchery - this type of stop has become sort of a joke between me and Mollie because I always want to go to them but we almost never see any fish... Throughout the day, Mollie and I had some great talks. At around 1300, we found a good place to stay in Medford and checked into the hotel early. We ate lunch (snacks) in the room. After a short break, we drove out to visit Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, a relatively new part of the NPS system. We parked first at the Green Springs Summit and hiked for about a half mile (round trip) on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). When we finished, we noticed a gravel road to another PCT trailhead and repositioned there. We then took a hike for about a mile to the Hobart Bluff spur trail and found some beautiful views of the entire area - we could see well into Northern California (including Mount Shasta), the Emigrant Lake and Klamath areas. Total PCT hiking distance today was about three miles - can’t beat the long days, mountain air and beautiful skies! We backtracked to Medford and enjoyed a good dinner at In-N-Out Burger (1950). From Mollie's Facebook post: "I went to In-N-Out Burger for the first time! We got there when there was no line, but that changed pretty soon after. All in all, this place isn't bad. We got a decent amount of food for $10. None of it was bad, but the burgers were only average. I loved their chocolate shake, and their fries were nice and crispy. This was a great way to end our day!" Back at the hotel (Days Inn) by 2100, we watched TV, made phone calls and went to bed at 2230.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 2

I woke up at 0415 (pesky East Coast time...) and did some more repacking. Mollie was still asleep so I drove to Walmart (Woodland, WA) to buy supplies. I had to wait for them to open at 0600 but eventually got everything we needed - I even found a new motion sickness medicine made with "essential oils" and Mollie ended up really liking it. Was finished shopping at 0620 and, back at the hotel, I ate breakfast with Mollie. We then packed the car and checked out of the hotel (Rodeway Inn) at 0645. We were on our way less than 15 minutes later, heading east with high expectations so we could get a look at the terrain near the world famous volcano, Mount St. Helens! We used WA-503 (and the Spur east of Yale) to get to southern end of National Park area. We stopped at Yale Park (boat launch on Lewis River) for pretty photos and then used FS-83 to reach the Ape Cave, which we'd found in the Atlas and learned more about on Google. The cave was a nearly two mile lava tube (underground) south of the volcano peak. By 0900, we had parked and, armed with two headlamps and two flashlights, we went walking into the Lava Tubes. Mollie was nervous at first about being in the dark, bats and Bigfoot but she did well inside the pitch black (and chilly) environment. We encountered a young couple that was coming out of the tube and they made Mollie feel better. The Lower Tube was about 0.75 miles long but we turned around by the half mile mark. We met up with a solo hiker on the way back and found even more people at the entrance. I'm very proud of Mollie for fighting through her hesitation and completing the unique hike. It was getting warm by the time we reached our car again and we headed back to FS-83 and drove further east (to the end of the road), stopping for lots of photos of the south side of the volcano. I'd last visited in 1984, when the damage from the 1980 eruption was stark and extensive. Almost 40 years later, there is much less evidence of disaster and the mountain looked rather serene... At Lava Canyon, we took a nature hike to see the falls and learned a lot about the various eruptions over the years. We saw a mama and baby deer. It was getting much hotter by then so we decided to head back towards civilization. Glad we detoured out this way! By 1000, we were on our way back towards I-5, using WA-503 (construction) and US-12. Mollie did manage to get a National Forest stamp at the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest Office. We drove down towards the Columbia River and, just before we left the state of Washington, located Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. Mollie got a NPS Passport stamp and we walked around the "living history" site, a reconstructed palisade and trapper camp for the Hudson Bay Company. We learned a lot about the fur trade and the history of Oregon Territory. The HBC made millions of dollars from the fur trade in the early Nineteenth Century at this location and we learned about the Company's trapping, packing, shipping (18000 mile journey), and European Clothing manufacturing activities. This place was almost part of Canada but it is now about half way between the start and finish of our adventure in the US Pacific Northwest! Once we'd had our fill of the park, we drove back to I-5 and crossed the river into Oregon. We got gas in Portland (1325) - they were alarmed that I had tried to pump my own fuel but the law had been changed recently to allow it. We encountered a lot of traffic on I-5 on the way through town. Mollie not a fan of the atmosphere in the city - there were a lot of homeless people, prevalent weed use (and billboards), along with high gas prices. We ate our lunch (snacks) in the car and drove east on I-84 into the Columbia River Gorge. We got a really good view of Mount Hood. Mollie spotted a dead beaver on the side of the road. We stopped at (busy) Multnomah Falls and took pictures, got ice cream and another NPS stamp. We then backtracked to I-205 and (after a lot more traffic) eventually got moving again south of Salem. We drove all the way to Grants Pass without stopping. We listened to a lot of XM radio (free in our rental car) and talked a lot about life and current events. Erin called to hear about our adventure. Once off the interstate, we tried to get food at In & Out Burger (too busy) but settled for some chicken strips and fries when I stopped for gas (1915). After a short break, we used WA-99 and US-199 to drive to Cave Junction. We then took WA-46 to the south to reach the Oregon Caves Chateau (arrived at 2000). On the way, we saw two deer. After we checked in, Mollie called Nicky on the courtesy phone (we had no internet or cell service) and we explored the property. We wrapped up the day by relaxing in our room (window open, cool air, pretty waterfall) before going to bed at 2200. It was so pleasant that we slept with the window open!

Montana Trip - Day 16

[somber anniversary... - got a very late start today (finances...) - didn't leave hotel until 1030L - drove across the Snake River (one of several crossings today) on I-84 and made it to Caldwell, Idaho, before I had to get gas - back on the road and drove through Boise without stopping (needed to get back into Utah by tonight) - passed Mountain Home (neither a Mountain or a place I'd like to call home) - following Snake River - got off highway at [Bliss] and started down old US-30 (called the 1000 Fountain Byway here) - after a nice ride down into the river valley, arrived in Hagerman and visited the Fossil Beds National Monument - Ranger was very helpful, pointing out other places to visit nearby and giving me some trail maps - I ended up missing a turn she recommended, but I'm glad I did: as a result, I saw the 1000 fountains! They look like waterfalls - on the opposite site of the Snake - falling from the high cliff walls - there were resorts along the river nearby - lunch at McDonalds in nearby [Buhl] - followed US-30 into Twin Falls (a mistake, it turned out, since I had to stop at nearly every light as I drove through the middle of town just to backtrack to the next place I wanted to visit: Minidoka Internment Camp) - the National [Monument] was in a very remote area off [ID-25] - interesting history and sobering reality - followed [ID-25] east and south, back "towards" Twin Falls, hoping to get around the city to head south - was successful, using [ID-50] - great canyon views when crossing the Snake east of town - sneaked around by the airport and then got US-93 - had a lot more traffic than I've seen for several days - very remote, desert-like environment - lots of BLM signs, indicating recreation areas - long, boring drive, actually - but straight with good speeds! - came around a corner into Nevada (and Pacific Time Zone again) and stumbled across Jackpot (a casino town in the middle of nowhere...) - picked up some snacks and mailed some post cards - back on the road soon after - listening to football games on the radio - rest of drive to Wells was uneventful (except for the pleasant rain showers) - got on I-80 and tracked west - realized soon after leaving Wells that there were NO gas stations to be had until the NV-UT border (and I really needed some fuel!) - hoped there would be some gas in Oasis (shouldn't there be?), but only a rest area - raining a bit more in the mountains - sweating for a bit (idling on big hills, slowed down, did everything I could to make it) - got lucky again and made it to [West Wendover] and a gas station - crossed border into Utah and got off the Interstate again, this time to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats - drove all the way out onto the flats on a paved road but found out they had just closed the raceway access before I arrived (1800L) - turned out to be a good thing, though, since I saw the amazing amount of salt that built up on the cars that had been out there all day... - saw a couple taking wedding photos on the flats - learned a little amout the speed testing (it is in season now - too bad I can't stay around...) - back on I-80 and into the desert (salt storms and high winds - beautiful sunset behind me! - long, desolate spaces for 70+ miles - getting dark - made it back to the exit I'd turned around at almost exactly a week ago - into Salt Lake City, switched to I-215 and then I-15 (towards Provo) - LOTs of construction - swerving lanes, closed lanes, speeding trucks, poorly lit signs - figured I was a goner a few times... - finally arrived at Spanish Fork and found a hotel (Western Inn) on US-6 (brings me back to the Cape...) - emails and repacking until 2330L, then bed - most amount of driving in one day since I started the trip - not as fun...]