America, America, God shed his grace on thee: West Coast pilgrimage

[Shrimpbox]

Our country is so physically hardy and rewarding that it becomes a spiritual journey to travel. Taking your family along just engraves a shared experience into your personal history.

We started in San Jose. Dry, too many people, and a whole lot of diversity. Our Sikh cab driver could not speak English nor could he obey the speed limit. Cab was a hybrid SUVs which was pretty cool. It is amazing how a lack of water turns everything ugly. Met with a relative, had a subpar lunch but warm visit, you know the kind of relative you like but might only see once every ten years. He's getting old. Took 280 to 19 north and bumper to bumper traffic all the way to golden gate. China town was big. No way I could live here. Temps sure beat that 95 and humidity we left in Florida. Golden Gate Bridge was beginning of awesomeness. Such a majestic symbol of our country when we were a can do nation. One of our nations pyramids. The traffic for 60 miles north of San Fran was unbearable. Stop and go for no obvious reason. Let me outta here. Wine country finally wore the only green we had seen so far. Traffic thinned and you started wondering how could we have gotten so rural so fast. You can tell the hills are trying hard to grow up to be mountains. Driving hard for the redwoods after the worst plane flight in memory and a poor nights sleep and a ninety year old mother in law trying hard to be a trooper. Almost didn't find a place to stay because a three day reggae festival in humboldt county had sucked all the rooms out of circulation. Whew the second hand smoke. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living organisms in the world. They are able to grow so straight because they have three times as many chromosomes as a normal tree and they can make their branches grow on which ever side will keep the tree growing straight. Ginormous. Their effect is like getting a mind massage. Cabins finally came into view and my ass thanked,the rest of my body profusely for its release. Cool night air, time change, and exhaustion finally overwhelmed my consciousness.

Next: No where to stay!

 

[ChrisL]

Our country is so physically hardy and rewarding that it becomes a spiritual journey to travel. Taking your family along just engraves a shared experience into your personal history.

We started in San Jose. Dry, too many people, and a whole lot of diversity. Our Sikh cab driver could not speak English nor could he obey the speed limit. Cab was a hybrid SUVs which was pretty cool. It is amazing how a lack of water turns everything ugly. Met with a relative, had a subpar lunch but warm visit, you know the kind of relative you like but might only see once every ten years. He's getting old. Took 280 to 19 north and bumper to bumper traffic all the way to golden gate. China town was big. No way I could live here. Temps sure beat that 95 and humidity we left in Florida. Golden Gate Bridge was beginning of awesomeness. Such a majestic symbol of our country when we were a can do nation. One of our nations pyramids. The traffic for 60 miles north of San Fran was unbearable. Stop and go for no obvious reason. Let me outta here. Wine country finally wore the only green we had seen so far. Traffic thinned and you started wondering how could we have gotten so rural so fast. You can tell the hills are trying hard to grow up to be mountains. Driving hard for the redwoods after the worst plane flight in memory and a poor nights sleep and a ninety year old mother in law trying hard to be a trooper. Almost didn't find a place to stay because a three day reggae festival in humboldt county had sucked all the rooms out of circulation. Whew the second hand smoke. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living organisms in the world. They are able to grow so straight because they have three times as many chromosomes as a normal tree and they can make their branches grow on which ever side will keep the tree growing straight. Ginormous. Their effect is like getting a mind massage. Cabins finally came into view and my ass thanked,the rest of my body profusely for its release. Cool night air, time change, and exhaustion finally overwhelmed my consciousness.

Next: No where to stay!

This actually doesn't sound very "rewarding" to me. It actually sounds kind of horrible. Lol. Maybe better planning would help next time?

 

[Shrimpbox]

It gets better

 

[ChrisL]

It gets better

Well when do you release the sequel? I'm curious as to your next adventure.

 

[toxicmedia]

Our country is so physically hardy and rewarding that it becomes a spiritual journey to travel. Taking your family along just engraves a shared experience into your personal history.

We started in San Jose. Dry, too many people, and a whole lot of diversity. Our Sikh cab driver could not speak English nor could he obey the speed limit. Cab was a hybrid SUVs which was pretty cool. It is amazing how a lack of water turns everything ugly. Met with a relative, had a subpar lunch but warm visit, you know the kind of relative you like but might only see once every ten years. He's getting old. Took 280 to 19 north and bumper to bumper traffic all the way to golden gate. China town was big. No way I could live here. Temps sure beat that 95 and humidity we left in Florida. Golden Gate Bridge was beginning of awesomeness. Such a majestic symbol of our country when we were a can do nation. One of our nations pyramids. The traffic for 60 miles north of San Fran was unbearable. Stop and go for no obvious reason. Let me outta here. Wine country finally wore the only green we had seen so far. Traffic thinned and you started wondering how could we have gotten so rural so fast. You can tell the hills are trying hard to grow up to be mountains. Driving hard for the redwoods after the worst plane flight in memory and a poor nights sleep and a ninety year old mother in law trying hard to be a trooper. Almost didn't find a place to stay because a three day reggae festival in humboldt county had sucked all the rooms out of circulation. Whew the second hand smoke. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living organisms in the world. They are able to grow so straight because they have three times as many chromosomes as a normal tree and they can make their branches grow on which ever side will keep the tree growing straight. Ginormous. Their effect is like getting a mind massage. Cabins finally came into view and my ass thanked,the rest of my body profusely for its release. Cool night air, time change, and exhaustion finally overwhelmed my consciousness.

Next: No where to stay!

Humbolt county is strange even by California standards. Lot's of ex-hippies, bikers, all manner of tree hugger, malcontents, and depressed former loggers. The only ones making money cater to affluent San Franciscans with Wineries and B&Bs'.

You've gone the wrong way, if you've continued north past the redwoods, because after that, you might as well be in Oregon. But if that's your intention, enjoy. Just a hint, Eureka and Crescent City are not worthy of a visit. If I were going north from the redwoods, I would blow through Eureka and Arcata, and brave the 299 and stop in Weaverville long enough to stop being dizzy, then back out to 5, and head up to Ashland and get funky. You'll know what I mean when you get there.

But if you're heading east, you're going to be bored out of your skull till you get to the more interesting parts of Utah

 

[IsaacNewton]

Our country is so physically hardy and rewarding that it becomes a spiritual journey to travel. Taking your family along just engraves a shared experience into your personal history.

We started in San Jose. Dry, too many people, and a whole lot of diversity. Our Sikh cab driver could not speak English nor could he obey the speed limit. Cab was a hybrid SUVs which was pretty cool. It is amazing how a lack of water turns everything ugly. Met with a relative, had a subpar lunch but warm visit, you know the kind of relative you like but might only see once every ten years. He's getting old. Took 280 to 19 north and bumper to bumper traffic all the way to golden gate. China town was big. No way I could live here. Temps sure beat that 95 and humidity we left in Florida. Golden Gate Bridge was beginning of awesomeness. Such a majestic symbol of our country when we were a can do nation. One of our nations pyramids. The traffic for 60 miles north of San Fran was unbearable. Stop and go for no obvious reason. Let me outta here. Wine country finally wore the only green we had seen so far. Traffic thinned and you started wondering how could we have gotten so rural so fast. You can tell the hills are trying hard to grow up to be mountains. Driving hard for the redwoods after the worst plane flight in memory and a poor nights sleep and a ninety year old mother in law trying hard to be a trooper. Almost didn't find a place to stay because a three day reggae festival in humboldt county had sucked all the rooms out of circulation. Whew the second hand smoke. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living organisms in the world. They are able to grow so straight because they have three times as many chromosomes as a normal tree and they can make their branches grow on which ever side will keep the tree growing straight. Ginormous. Their effect is like getting a mind massage. Cabins finally came into view and my ass thanked,the rest of my body profusely for its release. Cool night air, time change, and exhaustion finally overwhelmed my consciousness.

Next: No where to stay!

Yeah, traffic in the bay area. But, California has so many places and things to see you can drive in any direction and run into awesome. We generally load up the car, head to the 99 junction and decide on the spot north or south. Of course you get great heading east or west as well.

Bay area, Sierra Nevadas, Monterey, Big Sur, Coastal Highway (the drive along the California coast is spiritual). Further south Morro Bay, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, Channel Islands, on to LA. A million cool places.

 

[toxicmedia]

Our country is so physically hardy and rewarding that it becomes a spiritual journey to travel. Taking your family along just engraves a shared experience into your personal history.

We started in San Jose. Dry, too many people, and a whole lot of diversity. Our Sikh cab driver could not speak English nor could he obey the speed limit. Cab was a hybrid SUVs which was pretty cool. It is amazing how a lack of water turns everything ugly. Met with a relative, had a subpar lunch but warm visit, you know the kind of relative you like but might only see once every ten years. He's getting old. Took 280 to 19 north and bumper to bumper traffic all the way to golden gate. China town was big. No way I could live here. Temps sure beat that 95 and humidity we left in Florida. Golden Gate Bridge was beginning of awesomeness. Such a majestic symbol of our country when we were a can do nation. One of our nations pyramids. The traffic for 60 miles north of San Fran was unbearable. Stop and go for no obvious reason. Let me outta here. Wine country finally wore the only green we had seen so far. Traffic thinned and you started wondering how could we have gotten so rural so fast. You can tell the hills are trying hard to grow up to be mountains. Driving hard for the redwoods after the worst plane flight in memory and a poor nights sleep and a ninety year old mother in law trying hard to be a trooper. Almost didn't find a place to stay because a three day reggae festival in humboldt county had sucked all the rooms out of circulation. Whew the second hand smoke. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living organisms in the world. They are able to grow so straight because they have three times as many chromosomes as a normal tree and they can make their branches grow on which ever side will keep the tree growing straight. Ginormous. Their effect is like getting a mind massage. Cabins finally came into view and my ass thanked,the rest of my body profusely for its release. Cool night air, time change, and exhaustion finally overwhelmed my consciousness.

Next: No where to stay!

Yeah, traffic in the bay area. But, California has so many places and things to see you can drive in any direction and run into awesome. We generally load up the car, head to the 99 junction and decide on the spot north or south. Of course you get great heading east or west as well.

Bay area, Sierra Nevadas, Monterey, Big Sur, Coastal Highway (the drive along the California coast is spiritual). Further south Morro Bay, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, Channel Islands, on to LA. A million cool places.

You sure can tell the difference between a Northern Californian, and a Southern Californian

 

[Shrimpbox]

Waking up to 58 degrees is sheer bliss. Coffee and San Fran bakery goods do the morning justice. There are three drive through trees in the redwood park. The one we went through was a remnant of a tree 3000 years old. That is hard to fathom, an organism alive today that was alive before the time of Christ. An organism that survived mini ice age and excessive warming. It is hard to find enough superlatives for these big trees and it's hard to be grateful enough to the men who saved them for posterity. The old forest trees left today make up 5 per cent of the original population, but they are healthy and the forest is expanding. Many of Americas one per centers past and present have adopted different groves to help protect the trees and expand the park. Even in the midst of the drought the trees offer a cooling caress when in their presence. 11 of us couldn't even cover half of the circumference of Americas largest tree. The river beds amongst the forest are bone dry with just a trickle of water, and stand in stark contrast to signs at least a hundred feet above the beds that show the level of the flood of 1964.

The mission now is to find a place to stay for the night, the only one we did not have reservations for. Wouldn't you know that between eureka California and Florence Oregon there is not one room to be had, much less three. Another music festival attracting fifteen thousand. Eureka was the only harbor for 200 miles from San Fran which made it a very rich town and it shows. Many stately Victorian homes give it a lot of class. On to crescent city and more full motels unless you are looking for a by the hour joint. August is the busiest tourist month and we apparently are in a record breaking tourist season, people are leaving the triple digit temps and smoke from the wildfires to find relief on the coast. It wasn't looking good so we headed to Medford and interstate 5. As fate would have it, after 20 miles we came upon the Houichi Motel, no kidding, and the heavily medicated live in desk clerk found us three rooms. I love it when a plan comes together.

Tomorrow: rocks, elks, and seals

 

[Shrimpbox]

It starts before you get to Oregon. Nature has put up her own maginot line to keep the two legged invaders at bay. Rock formations must be harder rock that has not been worn down yet by ocean waves. They come in all shapes and sizes and names and make the Oregon coast special around every turn. The wide flat beaches and fast moving tides keep you on your toes. Clamming one minute and the next watching harbor seals sunning on a sand bar like a bunch of sausages but always punctuated by stone sentennials jutting out of the water and impervious to bird shit and stellar sea lions.

No sooner had we crossed into Oregon among the ocean mists than we saw a large herd of Roosevelt elk not 300 yards from the seashore. There were half a dozen males with big racks living large together as the rut season has not started yet. The herd numbered about 25 and they were not exactly in the wilderness. Blueberrys and white clam chowder punctuated our drive as we headed toward the seal cave in Florence. We had been to the seal cave before and saw it full of a couple hundred sea lions including many big Bulls. The seal cave is the largest ocean cave on the country and serves as a waypoint for seals going both north and south. After pulling off of the coastal highway(101) you have to enter a gift shop and buy a ticket to ride an elevator 200 feet down to the cave. It is cool noisy and damp. For some reason we only found a couple of dozen sea lions in the cave, we had to go outside to see the bulk of them sunning themselves on the rocks. Sea lions can bend their tails u dear their bodies to help their front flippers to move on land. Harbor seals can only use their front flippers and so look like they are humping something when they try to move.

When you are driving up the Oregon coast you never stop scanning the water for whales. Whales may be seen as close as a quarter mile off the coast. The man at the sea cave said there were about ninety gray whales that stayed off the coast year round. The weather remained cool and we motored through a number of tourist coastal towns on our way to Tillamook and our coastal rental cabin in Netarts.

Next: a day of little travel, ice cream, oysters, and beach combing.

 

[Shrimpbox]

One item that I need to mention is that even with a scarcity of water salmon season had started. We came to a bridge across the mouth of the rogue river and saw about 40 small boats trolling back and forth almost running into each other.looked like they were getting it while they could. Probably more fun to watch than participate in.

 

[toxicmedia]

It starts before you get to Oregon. Nature has put up her own maginot line to keep the two legged invaders at bay. Rock formations must be harder rock that has not been worn down yet by ocean waves. They come in all shapes and sizes and names and make the Oregon coast special around every turn. The wide flat beaches and fast moving tides keep you on your toes. Clamming one minute and the next watching harbor seals sunning on a sand bar like a bunch of sausages but always punctuated by stone sentennials jutting out of the water and impervious to bird shit and stellar sea lions.

No sooner had we crossed into Oregon among the ocean mists than we saw a large herd of Roosevelt elk not 300 yards from the seashore. There were half a dozen males with big racks living large together as the rut season has not started yet. The herd numbered about 25 and they were not exactly in the wilderness. Blueberrys and white clam chowder punctuated our drive as we headed toward the seal cave in Florence. We had been to the seal cave before and saw it full of a couple hundred sea lions including many big Bulls. The seal cave is the largest ocean cave on the country and serves as a waypoint for seals going both north and south. After pulling off of the coastal highway(101) you have to enter a gift shop and buy a ticket to ride an elevator 200 feet down to the cave. It is cool noisy and damp. For some reason we only found a couple of dozen sea lions in the cave, we had to go outside to see the bulk of them sunning themselves on the rocks. Sea lions can bend their tails u dear their bodies to help their front flippers to move on land. Harbor seals can only use their front flippers and so look like they are humping something when they try to move.

When you are driving up the Oregon coast you never stop scanning the water for whales. Whales may be seen as close as a quarter mile off the coast. The man at the sea cave said there were about ninety gray whales that stayed off the coast year round. The weather remained cool and we motored through a number of tourist coastal towns on our way to Tillamook and our coastal rental cabin in Netarts.

Next: a day of little travel, ice cream, oysters, and beach combing.

Yes, the Oregon Coast is magical indeed. Perhaps I was too hard on Eureka and Arcata....well, not Arcata.

But they do have more than a few nice Victorians. Eureka also has thei great hotel downtown with a Tudor theme, but I was told it was haunted when I stayed there.

So what?......on to Seattle/Vancouver BC?

Don't forget to stop in Seaside OR, and Mt St Helens.

 

[Syriusly]

Sounds like a great trip so far.

Just a clarification for you- we are in the middle of a drought- but California is a wet/dry Mediterranean climate- we only get rain- when we get it- generally in the winter- so by this time of year- drought or not- the hills are brown, except along the coast in the North where there is more moisture.

Yeah- I am curious where you are going next- Crater Lake is one of the wonders of the West Coast and I would recommend it strongly.

 

[Shrimpbox]

Thank you all for,your suggestions but our problem is,that you have to plan a trip like this six months in advance for such a big group. It is unbelievable, but large homes were all gone six months before we needed them. And as much as we liked outdoor hiking rafting and four wheeling when you have a ninety year old great grandma and a three year old you are rather constrained. But you know what, if the old girl wants to go more power to her and it is our role to help out as much as we can.

The area changes as you move through mid and northern Oregon at least along 101. Western Oregon seems to rest on four pillars: logging, fishing, tourism, and agriculture. As we pulled into Tillamook you see signs of what has happened throughout the country, small farms have given way to large industrial dairies with old abandoned barns that dot the countryside like lost tombstones. The same thing has happened on the eastern seaboard, hell everywhere. We stopped at a Safeway and loaded up on supplies for three days and then headed to Netarts, a sleepy summer beach town that was going to offer us a respit from constant driving.

What I love about the Oregon coast that is so much different from home is just the elevation. The blue rose cottage sits 100 feet above the beach with a 270 degree view. We can watch people clamming, bonfires at night, lights on the water, the seals, and a very strange Pacific Ocean. Having been on the water most of my life, I can see how superstitious sailors would look out on the sea and see things. As you looked to the west the ocean literally fades into a giant fog bank, even during some stiff wind age it was that way the whole time we were there. The ocean never got angry like the gulf or east coast and the tides were two a day and probably 4 feet. Let me say this unequivocally. If you like walking an uncrowded beach with your dog or your family this is the place. The beach at low tide is probably fifty yards wide and not the granular sticky sand of Florida but hard packed sand suitable for jogging. Every corner has a new surprise and a Kodak moment. Sea lions can be found on many of the rock formations but there are no boats in close to mar the experience. It really can be just you the beach and the ocean. When you get tired of the beach I don't think there is any other coast in the whole country that has as many picturesque light houses, many surrounded by old growth forest state parks. There are plenty of tourists here but this is a nature lovers paradise. Don't worry about bringing your bathing suit, the water is not much above 50 degrees, you won't be doing any swimming and the waves ar not big enough for surfing.

One thing that is different here from 10 years ago are all the tsunami evacuation signs on the road, just like in Florida with the hurricane evacuation route. I just have to laugh. Any tsunami that would take out the blue rose cottage, you better have your ark built. Grama got the king size bed, wife and I got the futon.

Next: ice cream, oysters, sand hills,salmon, and Astoria.

 

[shadow355]

It gets better

Not when people, as I believe, have entered my residence when I am not home and flatten out the cushions on my couch. The couch cushions.....pushed down and more flattened out.

And people driving up and down my driveway with a heavy truck, or similar vehicle when I am not home, flattening the gravel in my driveway into the ground. I only drive on my driveway - both tires on the outside edges of the driveway. The gravel in the center should be higher than the edges ; but it also is pushed into the ground.

Just my belief and observations.

Shadow 355

 

[Shrimpbox]

The next day was divided up into activities that individuals wanted to do. Son in law and his 21 year old peeled off to go four wheeling on the northern edge of,the great sand dunes that appear all over western Oregon. These huge dunes are not on the water but miles inland and they have a kind of rock star status amongst the four wheeler community. The boys rented a couple of souped up rigs and had a great time but brought home a lot of new bruises.
U.S. More mature members of the party lounged around til it was lunchtime. Where we going to eat? An oft heard remark this trip. We ended up on the water at an Pacific Oyster packing house that doubled as a restaurant. Huge plate glass windows let us watch the shucking action while we ate. The place is off the scale modern, clean, and stainless steel. Lots of Mexicans were shucking away and they must have put the champion shucker on the corner where we could see him work. He was in another universe fast. Pacific oysters look to have a more brittle shell than Apalachicola oysters. Shuckers in Florida have a machine that grinds off the corner of the oyster so that they can get the shucking knife in. The pacific oyster shucker has a somewhat thinner knife that he uses like an ice pick to create a hole that he can open the oyster with. This guy was like a rat on acid. I don't know how he got so fast but I don't see how his wrists held up to a year of that kind of action. I was trying to be objective, but pacific oysters can't hold a candle to Apalchicola oysters. Oysters are farmed out west, tonged in Florida.
Another round of quant lighthouse looking and then a trip to the Tillamook creamery. The Tillamook name is famous for butter and dairy products, heaven knows there are enough dairies around. The creamery looked like a downsized Walmart and twice as crowded. Outside everyone was clutching an ice cream cone. Inside you could watch butter being made and packaged or you could get behind a hundred people waiting for ice cream. Ice cream sure was good. Clear skies that night and a wonderful Big Dipper.

We were staying 60 miles from Astoria so we decided to make the trip. Everywhere you travel on the Oregon coast you see the remnant pilings that must have been used to transport the vast amount of timber that was extracted from this land. I have no doubt it was over harvested then as I have no doubt it is over managed today. The mountains show a checkerboard pattern of harvest that leaves plenty of unmolested mountain for preservation of wildlife. There is no shortage of trees.
Most of the beach architecture is minimalist. There doesn't seem to be any zoning in Oregon as most of the beach towns we went through had shacks that were bumper to bumper blocking any view of the beach. There are no condos or high rises and that is a big plus but the towns are very drab, although the flowers are just disgusting. This time of year in Florida you might keep flowers growing if you stand over them and water em twice a day. In the cool dampness of the NW they just throw some plants in the dirt and they grow magnificently unattended. Hanging on lampposts, in yards, flower boxes, just anywhere and any kinds. Their beauty is recycled in any town you are in refortifying your spirit. They are a joy.
There were a couple of high end towns on the way to Astoria, one might have been seaside where more effort was made to class it up. There is a lot of money intersecting here. Seattle to the north and California south. A lot of snobs too.
Astoria is a relic of a bygone era. Sitting at the mouth of the mighty Columbia all the wealth of natural resources trickled down to the city. Now the biggest deal is the huge bridge across the river. The waterfront is rundown and the rest of the city looked to be collecting social security. We stopped at a marina in the shadow of the bridge and watched young boys cleaning salmon from the charters. What beautiful fish and gorgeous meat. The redder the fillets the better the fish. Slipped into a true one table hole in the wall and had the best fried clams on the west coast. Talked some more to the the fish cleaners and heard an interesting story. The sea lions are so prolific that they are eating the salmon in gill nets and hook and line, even pulling men overboard who are hand netting. You can't kill the sea lions so they came up with a novel approach to repell the thieves. Fisherman are allowed to use paint ball guns filled with pepper balls to deter the sea lions. No lethal force, whole,salmon. Pretty good compromise.

Next: Washington state and San Juan islands, Yee Haw