Oregon Coast

Sunday, March 17

Not much was happening today. We went in to Freddy’s so Fred and Barney could get their fishing licenses and then went out to Fort Clatsop (a reproduction of where the Lewis and Clark expedition spent the winter.) We have been out there several times, so this was just a quick stop for a stamp cancellation we did not have.

Barney went out to the river to wet his line a little, but no action.  The weather has been very good most of the time. We’ll get a shower once in a while, then sun and blue skies, and very little wind.

Once again we spent the evening playing dominoes and listening to 60s music. A great day.

Monday was another great day. While the guys went out to do a little fishing, Betty and Wilma found a web site talking about the river traffic.  There was a podcast, and we enjoyed listening to it. Learned some new stuff, and it was fun to hear about what ships were on the river today, and what they are carrying. It also included a weather forecast, and that was kind of ominous. By Tuesday afternoon we are to get a fast moving system come through with gale force winds, rain, and high seas. The campground is tucked down in behind some low hills and some trees, so we may not feel it too much.

Later we walked out to the fishing spot and hung around. There was still no fishing action, but it’s nice to be out there enjoying the view.

Tuesday morning there was still no sign of the weather system except for a few showers. We took off for Seaside and the outlet mall. Picked up a few things and hopped back in the Rubblemobile. Barney had a mission in mind, and we wound up at the Tillamook Cheese factory where we enjoyed watching the production line in action, sampled their wares, and had lunch in their café. It was late afternoon before heading back, and the rain had arrived, so we tucked in and read and relaxed when we got back. Sometime during the night the winds kicked in, and it rained and rained. Was quite a blustery night!

Wednesday was our day scheduled to find fish and chips in Astoria. We spent a little time at the ocean and river overlooks, but it was still quite blustery. Wilma walked down to the trash/recycle center and didn’t get wet, but just about as soon as she got back it came down again.  Then when we did get into Astoria, we had barely gotten back in the truck when it came down again, and was really black skies over Astoria, but across the bay it wasn’t near that bad. We stopped at a little park overlooking the river and watched a small girl throwing pieces of bread to the seagulls. She was in a pickup and leaning out the window. Several of the gulls were getting close to getting inside with her. It was fun to watch.

Twas another great day, and we hope you had one too.

First 2013 trip

Saturday, March 16, 2013
Happy Birthday Link. Hope you had a nice day.
Our trip over was uneventful but nice. We were able to get away even a few minutes before we had planned, then stopped for lunch in LaGrande. Also stopped at the Grocery Outlet there. There were a few things we couldn’t pass up since our local store had been out of several items the last time through. It’s not like our cupboards or frig were empty!

Pebbles - check out all the telephone transmission lines

lots of wind power along the gorge

We chugged on through the Blue Mountains into less than beautiful terrain until we met up with the Columbia River

where the scenery at least becomes more interesting.

Mt Hood

Viewing the fish ladder - only a few steelhead

Driving on the dam

Our first major stop of the day was at the Bonneville Dam Visitor Center. We had been there many years ago, and maybe all the kids remember visiting the sturgeon pond. I think the granddad (Herman?) is 70 some years old. We didn’t take the time to visit the pond this trip – we had stamps to get! The VC rendered up two of them, and if we hurried we might get across the river on time to get two more before the Ranger Station closed at Beacon Rock, Washington.


So back up the road to the Bridge of the Gods, pay toll, and on across to the Washington side. If we could have just driven across the rest of the dam it would have saved us quite a bit of time! Oh well. We eventually found the Ranger Station about 10 minutes after 5, and the ranger was just locking up. But he was very gracious and let us get parked and hustle in for the stamps. The station actually closes at 4:30, but he had been delayed time after time, and we were happy about that even if he wasn’t!
We went on another couple of hours and stopped in the Walmart lot in Longview, Washington for overnight.

Fog rolling along the mighty Columbia

Approaching the Astoria Bridge

Starting up the highest part

Friday morning we had an enjoyable drive along the Columbia River and on out to the Astoria/Meglar bridge, crossing back into Oregon.

Walking out to the North Head lighthouse

Fresnel lens in the Lewis and Clark center

Breakfast was bountiful at Stefanie’s Cabin in Astoria, then we went on to Fort Stevens State Park and obtained campsites. After trying, and trying, and trying campsites, the problem child was finally satisfied with our sites. The check in lady was still smiling after we went back in for the third or fourth time to finally settle on a site, but I bet she grumbled about us later. Even after that we had to go back in and get a stamp that we didn’t know was located there!  Then it was off to enjoy the ocean, the river, and the Military museum at Fort Stevens where we obtained three more stamps.

Okay, even a sidewalk can be historic?

Former lighthouse keeper quarters, now vacation rentals

Sneak Peak of the lighthouse?

Saturday morning we went back to the Washington side of the river to visit the North Head Lighthouse and the the Lewis and Clark center. We got eight stamps there and really enjoyed the center. Came back to camp for a very late lunch, (but breakfast was very late too) then went back out to the ocean overlook and the river to enjoy the blustery weather and the river traffic.

 

 

 

 

 

We ended our day playing dominoes at the Flintstones cavemobile. We are having a most enjoyable trip. It has actually been fairly nice weather when we want to be out, and there is sunlight shining through the trees in the campground, and blue skies as I’m posting this on Sunday morning. We’re heading over to the Rubble mobile for breakfast in a few, then I’ll add pictures and get this posted.

Not able to get the home page up with the phone hot spot, but MiFi had no problem. Think about that Link. Maybe we’re doing something wrong.

Five Minutes Too Late

Thursday, November 8, 2012

On the road by 7 am and expecting a fairly long travel day, we made it even longer.

Our overnight at the rest area midway through Wyoming on I 80 was just what you would expect with quite a lot of traffic noise. We hit the road for a couple of hours before stopping for breakfast at Denny’s, and fuel for the trucks.

  There are not a lot of scenic wonders to enjoy along the way, so audio books keep the boredom down. About 220 miles down the road, we entered Utah, and a few miles later stopped at the Echo Canyon Information Center and rest area. The attendant there was a very nice little older lady who was happy to help us with stamps for our books. First the date had to be changed, and she fiddled with one while Fred changed another. When the one she was working on was ready, she gave it a trial stamp and found it was November 80. Try again. Now it should be correct, and the trial stamp revealed it was November 9. Okay, next time she did get it right. But like I said, she was very nice to talk with.

At this point we decided to just keep driving and get home today, saving the stamps at City of Rocks for another day. We could be home by 9 pm.

Another stretch at a rest area and we’re still tossing around the idea of going to City of Rocks, spend the night at the campground, and get on home Friday morning. Yep, we turned off I 84 towards Malta. It was 37 miles, not 60 mph road conditions, and a few minutes to 4. The VC closes at 4:30. Oh well, we’ll spend the night and get our stamps in the morning.

At 4:35 we arrive at the closed VC. One car is just leaving, and a young couple is searching the outside of the building for a water faucet to fill their bottles. City of Rocks is a very popular rock climbing area that we have previously visited – before starting our stamp collections!

Barney went to check, but it really was closed. He was talking to the young couple searching for water when the door opened and the ranger allowed them to get water and us to get our stamps! It was so nice of him. We mentioned we were going to the campground, and he said there would be several inches of snow in the area before morning, and since the campground is a little higher, maybe a little more there.

Another conference and we high tailed it out of the area before the snow could hit. Back on I 84, we trekked on home, still arriving about 9 pm, glad to be out of the weather!  (And by Friday morning we were hearing it was still snowing there, and travel hazardous, and in fact, Boise was also getting snow flurries – so thankful we came on home.)

The rock pads will be put away now awaiting our next journey. Thanks for travelling along.

Into Wyoming

Wednesday November 7, 2012

We were up fairly early in the Scott’s Bluff County Fairgrounds CG. A very busy rail line ran right next to the CG but believe it or not the trains didn’t bother us at all, even though they ran all night. Once in a while you would wake up and turn over then you would hear a train going through. We ate breakfast of eggs, biscuits and gravy with a little sauerkraut before leaving the CG.  The restrooms had a couple of shower stalls, but we didn’t try them. I don’t think they bothered to turn on the hot water heater for us! But it really wasn’t a bad place to stay.

We drove west on route 26 along the North Platte River and made out first stop of the day at the old Fort Laramie National Historic Site in Wyoming. We watched a video at the VC and collected 6 stamps for our passport books. The fort was originally a trading post then was taken over by the Army as a stop along the Oregon Trail, to provide security for the wagon trains and maintain contact with the Plains Indians. During the Civil War the Army shut it down and it was sold for $1400 and fell into disrepair. It was later purchased by concerned citizens and Wyoming then was turned over to the park service in 1903. Some of the buildings have been restored and refurnished with period items. It is quite an interesting place.  It was kind of cool overnight, but while touring the fort it was quite warm and nice to be out in it..

From Fort Laramie the day turned into a travel day. We continued west on 26 to I-25 and headed south toward Cheyenne and I-80. The wind was blowing from the west with gusts up to 35 mph. The cave-mobiles were rocking and rolling down the road. At times it felt like we were just herding them in the direction we wanted to go and they kind of wandered down the road. We made a stop for fuel and food when we reached I-80. We also made a quick stop at the Lincoln Memorial between Cheyenne and Laramie. Then we were back on I-80 west in what seemed to be a little less wind. We are now stopped at the Fort Steel Rest Area just east of Rawlins, WY. We plan on spending the night. A small herd of deer are also stopped at the rest area, but we don’t know if they are spending the night with us. They certainly act like they own the place and don’t let the traffic bother them. Almost seem to pose for pictures!

That’s it for the night. Happy hunting.

Western Nebraska

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The Lone Eagle campground on Lake McConaughy in western Nebraska was a good stop. We could hear the rumble of the coal trains, but not enough to bother us. It was dark and quiet and led to a good night of sleep. There were a few drawbacks – like no water – but the biggie was the goatheads! We had to step on them barefoot on the rugs before we realized we had tracked them into the cavemobiles. So we plucked them out and made sure we stayed on the pavement while getting ready to break camp.   The ranger didn’t come by during the night to collect the CG fee or throw us out, so on the way out we stopped at the dump station and then slipped our fee envelopes in the “Iron Ranger” and departed the Lone Eagle Campground and Public Road No. 6.

It was a couple of hours drive north on route 92 to the Chimney Rock National Historic Site where we made a stop at the VC and collected 5 or 6 stamps and watched their video on the Oregon and Mormon Trails. Chimney Rock was a big landmark in the Oregon and Mormon Trail system. 

Then we went on up 92 to the Scott’s Bluff National Monument VC, where we got another 4 or 5 stamps.  We watched their video and spent some time in their exhibits. While we were there Wilma and Betty whipped up some sandwiches for lunch.  After lunch we walked to a few of their outdoor exhibits and took a few steps up the Oregon Trail. That crossing must have been some ordeal. It’s hard to imagine crossing the country at 15 miles per day, on a good day, in the rain, mud, heat, dust, wind and snow.  One sign told us that it took them two months to get to Salt Lake City from here.

From Scotts Bluff, NE we drove north on route 29 to the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument on the Niobrara River in northwest Nebraska. The fossil beds were found on a ranch owned by James H. Cook who had met Chief Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux in 1874. Cook had a collection of Indian articles that were given to his family by his Indian friends. He donated the collection to the park service. The collection is housed in the Agate Fossil Beds VC. Harold Cook, James’ son donated his library and the land which became a National Monument in 1965. This was an interesting stop. Of course the required stamps were duly collected. The digs found a large bone bed and the VC has replicas of the skeletons of some of the larger animals found on the ranch. Looks like they were similar to rhinos, and there was a large bear/dog type animal.  The major digs in the area ended in the 1930’s.

By the time we finished out there we didn’t have time to go on to Ft. Laramie before they closed, so opted to check out the camping at the Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds in Mitchell, NE. We got here about 5 minutes before the office was closing, and were told we could stay at any of their spots. We are settled into adjacent spots for the night. There are no other campers here. And, as is true of many of the places we camp, the railroad runs right next to the CG. This time we are not only close to the tracks, but obviously a major intersection judging from the amount of whistle blowing the trains do as they come through. It is loud, but I doubt if it will keep us awake! 

Have a lovely night. Toot toot!