Welcome to our latest adventure.
After a year off we have loaded up the camper (on a nice new truck!) and hit the road again for the winter.
Check back often for updates!
Dec. 1 – 31 – Las Quintas RV Park – Yuma, AZ
Since we left home before Halloween we have been fairly busy and have seen a lot. We both decided we should settle down somewhere for a while and not have to think about where we are staying for the next night or two. We looked at renting a place in Phoenix but decided to come back to Yuma and grab a spot at Las Quintas where we stayed on our last adventure a couple of times. Our neighbours from Leduc are here and we met a lot of friends when we visited before. The park also offered us a 50% discount for the month so we are here for December.
So far we have driven just under 7,500 kms and enjoyed every day. Some of the weather in Washington and Oregon could have been better but you forget about that when you remember the sights you have seen and the places you have visited. Our highlights have been the Oregon coast and the Redwood Forest. We are looking forward to being settled for a month and to spend some time with friends from home. There are many activities here for us to be a part of if we want, I have even been invited to join the men’s golf league every Tuesday!
Don’t be concerned with the dates at the top of this post. I will post updates and pictures at least weekly with our goings on in and around Yuma.
Nov. 27 – 30 Phoenix, AZ
A few days rolled in to one update but we didn’t do too much exciting the last few days! Wednesday morning we left the casino and hit the outlet mall nearby. Cheryl was looking for a couple of specific items and she was successful. After lunch we found a laundromat and then to BestBuy to take advantage of a Black Friday deal on a new laptop. When we rented an apartment in Phoenix in February we found a beautiful park and walking trail that we both enjoyed and we went back there today for a good hike and happy hour at the golf course the park surrounds. Back to the first casino we stayed at for the night.
Thursday was Thanksgiving and nothing much was open so we spent the day exploring the area. Cheryl found a hiking trail close by and we spent some time there before settling in at a park/playground to enjoy a beautiful afternoon outside in the sun. We have enjoyed our casino and went back there again for another night. They don’t seem to care that we are here every night so we keep coming back!
Friday was Black Friday shopping for the two of us and most of the 5 million people in the Phoenix area! What a madhouse. The mall Cheryl wanted to go to was absolutely crazy and there was no way we were going to be able to park the truck/camper in the parking lot. I decided to drop Cheryl off and go do some other errands while she was shopping. I got a few blocks away and found an empty parking lot and decided to park the truck there and join her for a bit instead of trying to get back into the traffic jam in a few hours to pick her up. After the joy of being in a mall with the entire population of Saskatchewan we found a place to wash the truck and camper and dump our tank before heading back to our casino for the night. We watched the Edmonton hockey game and did pretty well on the slots before calling it a night.
Saturday was (you guessed it) more shopping. I have been trying to find some new golf shoes since we left so we set out on a mission to find a pair. I still don’t have a new pair of shoes but we hit the mother lode of deals at the stores we visited. We have both decided we have enough clothes and shoes now to do us for a long long time and we have stopped shopping! Back to the casino for our last night here before we head to Yuma tomorrow.
Nov. 26 – Phoenix, AZ
Today was golf day and Cheryl and I had a wonderful time playing Wigwam Golf Course. It is one of our favourites in the area and we try to play it whenever we are here. It is close to Luke AFB so you get to watch fighter jets flying around while you are golfing (now you know why we enjoy it so much!).
After golf we tried a different casino to spend the night. This one allows overnight parking as well but they are a little more strict and you have to register with security before parking. After getting some information from us security gave us a piece of paper to display in the front window which also told us of the rules for parking. Some are pretty standard such as “RV’s & Semis must be parked away from the casino. Please do not block the flow of traffic”, “Pets must be kept in the RV except while being walked on a leash”, “Please refrain from running a generator between 9 PM and 7:30 AM”, etc. All pretty standard stuff until we read #9 – “Please remain fully clothed while outside your RV or Semi.”??? It isn’t a rule we usually have difficulty obeying but were curious the events that took place that made it necessary to include that in the list of rules!
We did play a few slots before bed time and again the casino paid us to spend the night. Still not a big win but if we are up $50-100 we walk away and live to play another night!
Nov. 25 – Phoenix, AZ
With the camper full of water and the campers clean after showering we headed to Scottsdale for some shopping for Cheryl and golfing for me. There is a big fashion mall in Scottsdale and Cheryl has been on a mission to find her dress for the upcoming wedding next May and thought this would be a great place to look. I met her back at the mall after hitting a few golf balls at the range and we went out for lunch. We were not done with the mall yet as she wanted to show me a couple of possibilities she had found at a couple of different stores. On our way back to the mall we got sidetracked into a different store that she had not gone to yet and we hit the dress section. Success! She found a beautiful dress at Nordstrom that looked fantastic and fit perfectly for a decent price and it is now in a garment bag hanging in the back of the truck! Hopefully it makes it home undamaged.
Tonight we stayed at a casino we had visited on our previous adventure and like Twin Arrows Casino it was economically beneficial as the casino paid us to park overnight once more!
Nov. 24 – Twin Arrows Casino – Sedona – Lake Pleasant Campground, AZ
A sunny morning but extremely windy. Wind warnings were in place for the area but it looked like we would drive out of it fairly quickly. We were under an hour to Sedona and the forecast there was good with little or no wind. We headed west on I-40 back towards Flagstaff but had to go slow due to the strong winds. By the time we got south on I-17 the wind had dissipated and we enjoyed a beautiful drive through the red rocks into Sedona.
After a quick drive through the touristy parts of the city we went up to the airport, which sits atop a hill, and hiked to a few wonderful lookouts to enjoy the scenery of Sedona. After lunch we continued south along I-17 for the short drive towards Phoenix. We stopped at Lake Pleasant Park, where we camped on our last adventure, to see if they had any spots left for the night. They had a few left and we grabbed one so we could recharge everything, fill up with water, grab a shower, and dump the camper in the morning.
Nov. 21 – 23 – Lake Havasu City, Arizona
We are retracing some steps from our last adventure but we really enjoyed our time in Parker and Lake Havasu so we didn’t mind spending some more time here again. As chance would have it our neighbours from Leduc were going to be in Lake Havasu today as well so we got together with them for a visit and went out for supper. They are driving to Yuma for the winter and the timing worked for us to meet up for a quick visit before they continued to Yuma and we went wherever we were going!
We had a very short drive from Parker and decided to get some laundry done before meeting our friends. As we were waiting for the dryer a lady came in to get her clothes and went off on another couple. We were not sure if she was on drugs or just mad but she was having a meltdown about someone touching her clothes. The police were called but she had left by the time they arrived. She didn’t physically do anything to anyone but it was a tirade of epic proportions.
After laundry we checked out a campsite but it was fully booked so we drove a bit out of town and found one of many boondocking areas that looked decent. We set up camp for a bit and then drove back into town to visit our neighbours and go for supper.
The next morning we left camp and found a nice lakeside park to do some stretching and take a nice walk along the water to the London Bridge and back. A nice lunch and some shopping finished off our day before finding a different boondocking spot from the night before. We went back to Craggy Wash, where we stayed last time for a few nights, and grabbed a nice quiet spot. A few other campers were walking their dogs along the trail by our camper and we had a good visit with them all.
Another sunny day met us in the morning and we returned to our park for a repeat of yesterday’s stretching and walking. We both decided we had seen enough of the area and set our sights on Phoenix via Flagstaff and Sedona. A rest area along I40 was our lunch spot today and then on to Flagstaff for the night. We had no luck finding a campsite for tonight in the area so we continued a bit east of Flagstaff and stayed at Twin Arrows Casino. A better stop this time as our luck turned around and the casino paid us to spend the night!
Nov. 18 – 21 – Anza Boreggo State Park – Parker, Arizona
We left Anza Boreggo this morning for Parker, AZ. We visited Parker on our last adventure with our neighbours from Leduc who have a place in Yuma and enjoyed the area and the golf course. On our way to Parker we took the south route around Salton Sea and stopped at a place called Slab City. Not sure the best way to describe Slab City but I will try! It took its name from the concrete slabs left behind from a World War II marine camp that was torn down. The area is now home to an off-the-grid, alternative lifestyle community known for attracting people who want to live outside mainstream society. Slab City is unincorporated meaning it is not officially a town and therefore no bylaws although state and federal laws are enforced somewhat. There is no power, no water, and no sewage so the residents have adapted to living off-the-grid with many relying on solar power for energy. As for sewage and personal hygiene requirements we didn’t stick around long enough to see how the residents deal with that! It has been called “The Last Free Place on Earth”, and “The Most Lawless City in America”. There are some stories of crime but probably no more so than any other city in the country. The local police patrol daily and although some violations such as rampant drug use are overlooked there does not seem to be a sense of lawlessness in the area. There is school bus service for the children so they can attend local schools, UPS, FedEx etc make deliveries and we even saw a fire truck and ambulance respond to a “residence”. There is a makeshift library and weekly events such as Karaoke Friday’s! Some residents may be anti-establishment or anti-government and choose to live there while many others are there out of necessity. By some accounts about half of the people living in Slab City receive government assistance each month.
After our stop in Slab City we drove to Parker and found a campground for the night. We were going to stay at the casino again like we did last time but the camper needed to be dumped and we both felt like a nice long shower in a proper facility so we grabbed a site for three nights. During our stay here we got in a golf game at Emerald Canyon, washed the truck and camper and organized our belongings, fuelled up and did a Walmart run for supplies.
Another relaxing few days with glorious weather again. Tomorrow we make the short drive up to Lake Havasu City.
Nov. 16 and 17 – Anza Boreggo State Park
Some glorious weather and a very enjoyable two days in the park. We did a lot of hiking and exploring. Again, for those of you that remember our last time here the park is home to over 130 sculptures depicting a multitude of subjects ranging from dinosaurs to a jeep crawling up a rock! We didn’t get to see them all last time so we set our goals on finding some more this time. We were successful in our hunt and got to see different areas of the park we missed out on our last visit.
Nov. 15 – Indio – Anza Boreggo State Park, California
Laundry day and shopping again at Macy’s! Cheryl is set on finding her mother-of-the-bride dress and Macy’s always seems to have a great selection for her. She did find one today but did not buy it although she did get all the information so she can order it online if nothing better comes along. After the successful shopping outing we made a lunch to go and hit the road south along the Salton Sea towards Anza Boreggo State Park. For those of you that remember our last adventure we have visited here before and really enjoyed the area so we were happy to be coming back again. We found the same boondocking area as last time and grabbed a spot to spend a few days.
Nov. 14 – Boron Rest Area – Indio, California
A very quiet rest area and a good night’s sleep. Being so close to Edward’s AFB we hoped to see some action but only heard a couple of planes this morning. There is a museum on the base we wanted to visit but after phoning the base and trying to get access we were advised that only base personnel or invited guests could get access. I asked the girl on the other end of the phone to invite me as her guest and everything will be good. We had a good laugh but still didn’t get to visit the museum!
We decided on Palm Springs for today and headed that way. Took the long way there through Barstow and Yucca Valley to avoid as much of I-10 as we could. Another great drive through some interesting small towns and rugged terrain. We had two options for parking tonight, both casinos, and settled on Spotight 29. It seemed a little more welcoming to overnight RVers than the other option. It was still early so after lunch we grabbed some groceries and I hit another driving range. Back at the casino to find a parking spot that seemed away from the big rigs and we went in to see if lady luck would be with us tonight. Still not much luck on the slots but we held our own at a blackjack table for an hour or so chatting with some locals.
Got back to the camper to prepare supper and realized the parking lot was getting very full with both semis and RVs. We got to bed early as we expected most of these trucks to be firing up early tomorrow.
Nov. 13 – Wawona Campground – Boron Rest Area, Edwards AFB, California
The campground was very quiet with only three or four other people spending the night. We weren’t sure how far we were going to get today but we assumed somewhere around Bakersfield would be a good day’s drive with some stops along the way. Our first stop was Fresno around 90 minutes after we left camp. Cheryl found a pretty in-city park with some good trails called Woodward Park. We found a spot to park the truck and enjoyed a 3-mile loop around the park. We heated up some leftovers in the camper and enjoyed a nice lunch outside on a picnic table in the park. Having our meals, morning coffee, etc outside whenever possible probably makes it easier to survive in the small camper all these months. It is a small space but when you are only in it to sleep and prep meals it doesn’t seem small at all. I guess that is why we complain about the rain so much and try to find places that are sunny!
We continued to Bakersfield but couldn’t find anywhere that we wanted to spend the night. Cheryl found a rest area about 90 minutes east and we ended up there for the night. After we parked for the night a lady noticed our truck without a front license plate and stopped to ask where we from. Turns out she is from Alberta as well, Camrose which is about 45 minutes southeast of Leduc, and is making her way south for the winter by herself in a campervan. We had a nice visit with Mary and I think she enjoyed having someone to talk with after spending everyday in her vehicle by herself.
Nov. 12 – Salinas, California – Wawona Campground, Yosemite National Park
Well our dose of Vitamin Sea, ha-ha, has come to an end and we are heading inland. Other than concrete jungles and interstates there isn’t much else to see continuing south so we decided to head east and start our way towards Arizona. Our first stop along the way is Yosemite National Park. We have driven through the park once before many years ago when we did a ski trip to Lake Tahoe and took a day trip to San Francisco but neither of us remember too much of that visit. Our route took us to the north entrance via Los Banos and Merced. A very scenic drive but as we neared the entrance to the park we noticed we were going up very high and there were skiffs of snow along the side of the road! Cheryl was not happy! Upon check in at the gate entrance they advised us that chains on our tires were required for the next 13 miles if we wanted to continue. I asked if four-wheel drive and all-season tires were acceptable the ranger informed me they were just telling us the rules but they were not able to enforce them. If we wanted to continue we could as they did not have the power to stop us. We figured it couldn’t be any worse than driving in Alberta so we continued down the road just a little bit to check out our planned campground for the night, Hodgdon Meadow Campground. The campground was open but deserted. It was very wet and muddy and even some snow in the shady areas. Since it was still early we decided to continue down the road a bit to the visitor centre and some lookout points along the way. We could always come back here after our sightseeing. Well the road got pretty bad in a couple of areas but certainly not impassable or in need of chains so we continued about 45 minutes to the scenic overlooks and the visitor centre. Well the visitor was actually the lodge so we bypassed that and found a few more places to stop and enjoy the views. Neither of us wanted to spend the night in Hodgon Meadow so we decided to continue south out of the park and look for a different place to spend the night. We had researched another campground at the south end of the park and had planned to stay there tomorrow after doing a full day of sightseeing and exploring from Hodgon. It had been a full day already and we saw some beautiful sights so we were happy cutting our Yosemite trip short by a day and headed to Wawona Campground, about 45 vminutes away.
We were pleased the drive to Wawona was downhill and we arrived later in the afternoon to a much drier, warmer campground and settled in for the night. It was a longer day than we had planned but the drive, except for a short segment as we entered the park from the north, was enjoyable and very scenic.
Nov. 11 – Monterey Peninsula – Salinas, California
Pebble Beach day! The forecast was not spectacular but it wasn’t supposed to be too bad. Unfortunately they got it wrong and I got soaked playing golf. The sun did finally come out toward the end of the round and it was an enjoyable day playing Pebble Beach. Cheryl did not join me for the round but enjoyed the day. She was able to Skype with her mother and enjoyed shopping in some of the many shops around the golf course. I met her back at the camper after my round and after drying off we had a wonderful lunch overlooking the 18th green and the Pacific Ocean.
A quick side story while golfing. I was paired with a couple of guys from Boston and as we were teeing off on 14 we heard some sirens very close to us. While we were hitting our shots the fire trucks and ambulance came right on the course and down the cart path on the hole we were playing. One of the Boston guys talked to one of the responders and found out that a worker had lost control of his lawnmower and it went over the cliff with him still in the seat! It wasn’t one of the highest cliffs luckily and he survived but with some major injuries.
After lunch we drove down to Carmel and enjoyed visiting this beautiful seaside town. Carmel is the town that Clint Eastwood was elected mayor of in 1986. He only served a two-year term but enacted some bylaws that are still in force today. After Carmel we had a short 30 minute drive back to Salinas and a Love’s truck stop where we had planned to spend the night before continuing our adventure tomorrow.
Nov. 10 – Morgan Hill – Monterey Peninsula, California
I will hand it to Cheryl, she comes up with the best ideas! She said to me “Since we are so close to Pebble Beach you should see if you can get a tee-time”. Since I always listen to Cheryl I set my alarm and called Pebble Beach as soon as they opened on Sunday morning and got a time for 9:20 Monday morning. For those of you not up on golf some background – Pebble Beach always ranks in the top 3 of courses in the world that the public can play (St. Andrews in Scotland also makes the top 5). You can book a time at Pebble Beach a year in advance if you are staying in one of their lodges, hotels, etc. For those of us that cannot afford prices in excess of $1,000/night for accommodations (golf is still extra!) we can call first thing every morning and book for that day and the next. I had called when we parked yesterday late afternoon but there was nothing available so I decided to try again today. Much to my surprise the wonderful person I was talking to said they did indeed have a spot for one person and I took the 9:20 time for Monday.
Due to my excitement of getting a time at Pebble Beach the rest of the day is a blur. Cheryl says we had fun and I will try to recap the best I can! We got some laundry done and loaded up on a few supplies for the coming days. I wanted to get to another driving range to prepare for my round tomorrow and we found a nice course for that. Cheryl enjoyed a walk through the neighbourhood while I worked on my game. We headed towards Monterey to find a place we could stay for the night. We were not expecting to find anything right in Monterey but we took a chance and headed there. On our way we saw something on the other side of the highway that looked like a possibility and we checked it out. It was a large parking lot along the highway by a large Dole warehouse/factory. After checking it out we were confident it would be an acceptable (and legal) place to park for the night. Since it was only 15 minutes to Monterey we continued there but could not find anywhere that would allow overnight parking except for campgrounds, RV parks, etc that were charging way to much for what they offered. We headed back to our Dole lot and enjoyed another free night of accommodations.
Nov. 9 – Casini Ranch – Morgan Hill, California
We got ourselves organized in the morning and after breakfast made the short drive to Santa Rosa. Cheryl wanted to hit Macy’s and I wanted to hit golf balls! I dropped Cheryl off at the mall and found a golf course nearby and spent an hour on the driving range. I met Cheryl back at the mall and after some shopping success there for both of us we hit the road towards San Francisco. We had researched some possible places to stay today while we were in the campground last night and found a great spot right at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge. H. Dana Bowers Memorial Vista Point is a rest area that overlooks the bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, etc and looked like a fine place to spend the night. Unfortunately when we arrived it was completely full with a line-up of cars, buses, RVs, waiting to get in. I guess it is a great spot for locals and tourists alike to park for free with access to the bridge and walking trails in the area. We were confident it would clear out later in the day and we would be able to find a spot to park for the night but it was only 2 o’clock in the afternoon and we didn’t feel like wasting the day just to wait for a spot to open up. We have visited San Francisco and the area before so we were happy to continue south and find a different spot to spend the night.
After the traffic and concrete jungle of the area we were happy to be out in the country again and started to research possible spots to park overnight. Cheryl found a Love’s Truck Stop near Gilroy so we decided that would be our goal. A traffic accident on the 101 changed our plans as Gilroy became 85 minutes away but only 40 kms! An exit for a Chevron gas station presented quickly and we took the opportunity to get off the highway and maybe change our plans again. As we pulled into the gas station we noticed a large empty parking lot attached so we asked if we were allowed to park overnight and they said absolutely! The area was lit and far enough from the highway to be relatively quiet so we jumped at our opportunity and plopped ourselves down for the night. We were very happy with our find and even commented to each other that this empty parking lot was so much nicer than our campground last night!
Nov. 8 – Coyote Valley Casino – Casini Ranch Family Campground, Duncan’s Mills, California
With the weather forecast and not too far to drive today we decided to book a tee-time and play nine holes at a local course in Ukiah. It was great to get out and swing a club again and Cheryl and I enjoyed the round. A nice lunch on the patio afterwards and we headed to our next campground a little way south. Last night, and this morning, when we were looking at available spots we were very surprised to find little availability or very high prices. We realized it is the long weekend and apparently many people in California book one last camping holiday before the “winter” comes. We found Casini Ranch and it had a couple of spots left at a decent price so we booked site for the night. Not that it was a mistake but it wasn’t our most enjoyable campground we have stayed in! It was very busy, lots of kids, but it did have showers and a dump station which we needed. It offers many things for families and small kids like playgrounds, petting zoo, movies, etc. While we were grilling supper outside the parties around us started with music, games, and screaming kids! We were making bets on how many times the festivities would wake us up but we were pleasantly surprised as everyone was very well behaved as it got later and all adhered to the 10 pm quiet time.
Nov. 7 – Trinidad Rest Area – Coyote Valley Casino, Redwood Valley, California
A good night in a typical rest area. Fairly quiet throughout the night but traffic noise and commotion start around sunrise and it is tough to get back to sleep. We enjoyed a good breakfast in the camper and after some planning of our day got on our way southbound along HWY 101 again.
A short five minutes into our day and we were in Trinidad and decided to take a break from being in the truck! Trinidad State Beach provided easy parking and access to a wonderful beach which we thoroughly enjoyed. After an hour or so walking along the beach and just enjoying the scenery we continued down 101. We still hadn’t had our fill of the Redwoods so we took a side road called “Avenue of the Giants” which parallels 101 but meanders through the forest with many opportunities for hikes, picnics, etc. We found a great trail for a walk and then enjoyed lunch in the forest. After a bit more of a winding drive through the massive trees we were back on 101 again and continuing south.
We spotted a casino sign and decided to spend a “free” night in their parking lot. A couple of spins on some slot machines without any luck and we got back to the camper for supper and a very quiet night in the casino parking lot.
Nov. 6 – Humbug Mountain State Park – Trinidad Rest Area, California
Hello Trump, Goodbye Harris, Hello California, Goodbye Oregon.
Well, enough said about those two things! We had a short hike close to the campground this morning and then packed up and went to California. Another beautiful day with sunshine and warm temperatures. We stopped in Brookings, Oregon to fuel up with cheap diesel and stock up with cheap groceries before entering the wonderful high-priced, over-taxed state of California. Hopefully with the range on the new truck I won’t have to fill up more than once here! Just as we were finished fuelling up and heading to the grocery store we did witness a Trump convoy of about 10 vehicles, mostly trucks of course, honking horns and waving flags with variations of “Trump Won”, “MAGA” “45 and 47” displayed proudly everywhere. I’m pretty sure the organizers had this planned for today no matter what the outcome of the election would have been!
Our first stop in California was Crescent City. A quaint town/city situated with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the majestic Redwood Forest on the other. We found the visitor centre for some information and then grabbed a parking spot nearby for another nice walk along the coast at Battery Point Beach. The Battery Point Lighthouse is still an active lighthouse and tours are offered. Unfortunately the tours are only offered at low tide when you can walk across the beach to the access road. We probably could have made it across if we had rubber boots but we decided not to risk it!
We both wanted to spend some time exploring the Redwood Forest and after some searching found a trail about an hour south and went there. Lady Bird Johnson Grove was named after the First Lady for her conservation and environmental work in the 1960s. It is a short trail but takes you deep into the magnificent redwoods of the area.
After we got back to HWY 101 we started looking for a place to stay. A rest area appeared shortly that looked acceptable and being later in the afternoon we pulled in for the night. We were able to get a Starlink signal for the internet and settled in for the night to watch the Oiler’s hockey game.
Forecast looks good again for tomorrow and we will continue southbound until we stop!
Nov. 5 – Sunset Bay State Park – Humbug Mountain State Park, Oregon
Well we finally woke to a beautiful blue sky and enjoyed the morning. A great cup of coffee at the campsite, a quick shower and we continued our adventure. There is a short scenic drive down the coast from the campground with some lookout spots, botanical gardens, historic markers, sea lion colonies, etc which we enjoyed. A quick stop back in Charleston to explore the fishing village and then we headed south down some back roads to connect with HWY 101 again. Our (okay mine) next destination was Bandon Dunes Golf Resort along the coast. We managed to fit the truck and camper in one of their parking lots and walked around a bit to enjoy the scenery. I won’t go on and on about the resort, although you all know I could, except to hit a few highlights. The original 18-hole course opened in 1999 to rave reviews. It won many awards when it opened and continues to be a top destination for golfers from around the world. It has now evolved to 6 courses, award-winning restaurants, and options for on-site accommodations. I may return one day for a few rounds but at $400 USD per in summer it would get a bit pricey! As we continue down the coast and get closer to Pebble Beach I may try to get a time there and play it once more.
We stopped in Bandon to refill propane and water and headed south to find our next home for the night. Our plan was to stay at Bullard’s State Beach Campground but they were closed for two weeks for some renovations so we continued south. We had a great booklet that listed all the campgrounds in the area and we found one that looked possible with the services we needed (a dump station!). Upon arrival we found a site with power, water, and an open view of the sky for our Starlink internet connection (we wanted to watch the election). We got online and ended up booking the last site available in that loop for the night! We never thought in early November we would have trouble finding a campground with open sites. Another nice meal in the camper and we settled in to see what would happen with the election.
Nov. 4 – Tillicum Beach Campground – Sunset Bay State Park, Charleston, Oregon
Although it was not planned we ended up at Devil’s Churn today on what would have been Shirley’s 89th birthday (for those of you reading the blog and not familiar with the family that was my mother who passed away recently) who had a final request regarding this place. A bit more background for those outside the loop – the family -myself, my brother Cameron, and mom and dad – moved to Oregon from Saskatoon in 1970 for dad to continue some courses that were offered at the university located in Eugene, Oregon. We spent many weekends camping and exploring along the Oregon Coast. It was a memorable and enjoyable time for the family and we have all returned to visit the area to reminisce and share with significant others. I won’t bore with with endless stories of the area but a few gems come to mind. One of my favourites, which I really only recall from the stories I heard (I was only 6 or 7 when it happened) was about money. All along the Oregon coast are tourist traps trying to get another dollar out of everyone who drives through. Sea Lion Caves, Go-Karts, Ice-Cream, Boat Tours, Animal Safari, you name it you can do it. Cameron and I would always beg to stop, “We want ice cream!”, “Can we see the sea lions?”, “I want a Sno-Cone!”, and on and on it went. Finally dad had enough and offered a solution. He gave Cameron (being the oldest and probably already way better with money than myself!) a wad of cash. We could do whatever we wanted as long as we had money left, but of course there was a catch! For those of you that know John, there is always a catch. If there was money left after ice cream, go-karts, etc. we got to split the remainder between us and spend it on anything we wanted. Suffice it to say, we did not visit one tourist trap that weekend and went home to Eugene to spend our bounty!
Due to the weather we didn’t get a chance to get out and explore too much today. We stopped at Heceta Head Lighthouse, one of the most recognizable images along the Oregon Coast, but didn’t make the trek up the trail due to the rain. After a few other stops at lookouts and trails that turned out to be a bust we found Sunset Bay State Park, just outside of Coos Bay, and grabbed a site for the night.
The forecast looks much better for tomorrow and we have our fingers crossed!
Nov. 3 – Devils Lake State Park – Tillicum Beach Campround, Yachats, Oregon
An awesome day! The weather finally cleared and we had some sun. Our first order of business was an early morning hike to Drift Creek Falls. A windy US Forestry Road led us to the trail head and a 3 mile out and back hike provided some amazing views. After crossing a suspension bridge 100 feet over the creek the 75 foot waterfall was in clear view. After many pictures and 30 minutes or so enjoying the spot we hiked back to the parking lot and continued down HWY 101. After stops at a few different lookouts along the way, Boiler Bay (the waves crash onto the rocks and send plumes of water shooting into the air) and Devils Punch Bowl standout as favourites, we found our campsite for the night at Tillicum Beach. A great spot with sites right along the beach to watch the surf roll in. A great feed of BBQ burgers for myself and Cheryl enjoyed her salmon and then we settled in to watch the hockey game for the rest of the evening.
Nov. 2 – Devils Lake State Park – Devils Lake State Park, Lincoln City
After some research last night we found that Lincoln City had some interesting things to see and do so we booked our site for one more night and spent the day here. One of the more interesting things to do in Lincoln City is their Finders Keepers days. At certain times throughout the year locals will “hide” glass floats (small, round glass balls about 3-4 inches in diameter) along the coastline. If you find one it is yours to keep they just ask that you post where you found it and the corresponding number on the ball. This weekend was one of the times they were hiding the balls so Cheryl and I hit the beach to go hunting. Unfortunately we didn’t find one but it was very enjoyable and a fun way to spend an hour walking along the beach.
We had some lunch while doing a few loads of laundry and then hit the town again for the rest of the afternoon. We had seen a roadside seafood vendor yesterday and wanted to stop and get some fresh seafood. Cheryl found some beautiful salmon and I grabbed a pound of shrimp. We also visited the Lincoln City Glass Center. A small glass blowing factory which provides instruction and lets guests try their hand at making something. We didn’t try that but we did manage to “find” a glass float as a nice keepsake in the gift shop!
Nov. 1 – Nehalem Bay – Devils Lake State Park, Lincoln City, Oregon
A late start to the day as we had a video call scheduled for noon today with our interior designer back home. We are doing a shower renovation in the master bedroom and we needed to go over some plans. Still a bit dreary today but we did manage to get in a walk along the beach this morning. A short drive down 101 and we arrived in Tillamook and visited the Tillamook Air Museum. Originally two hangars were constructed here during WWII to build blimps so the military could patrol the Pacific Ocean looking for German submarines. One hangar was destroyed by fire but the other remains standing and now houses a museum mostly dedicated to blimp building but also has other interesting exhibits.
We had planned on staying at a rest area just outside Tillamook tonight but it was only mid afternoon so we decided to continue down 101 and set our sights on Lincoln City. Since 101 is somewhat inland in this area we took a slight detour to get back to the coast and had a pleasant scenic drive towards Netarts and Cape Lookout State Park. We arrived in Lincoln City around 5 pm only to find our rest area we had planned to spend the night was not your typical rest area and did not allow overnight parking. Some quick research and we found Devils Lake State Park located in Lincoln City with a small campground that had lots of sites available for the night.
Oct. 31 – Dismal Nitch Rest Area – Nehalem Bay State Park, Oregon
Another rainy night in the rest area but the camper is nice and dry. We are both happy we are not tenting anymore! Rain off and on in the forecast still but we are going to start heading south along the coast. We needed a few supplies so stopped at a Fred Meyer to pick up a few things. On our way in to the store Cheryl noticed a young man and commented on his hair. It took us back to the 80’s style and we thought that maybe the look was coming back in. Once we got closer we realized he was dressed up as a punk rocker from the 1980’s for Halloween! I guess no such luck on the hairstyle returning.
Due to the rainy forecast Cheryl had researched some indoor things to do and found an Aquatic Centre in Astoria we could visit. It had a pool, hot tub, and showers. Two of those three we really needed! After a couple of hours relaxing we started down Highway 101 along the coast. A quick stop in Seaside for lunch and an enjoyable walk down the promenade and beach during a break in the rain. A few more stops along the way at various lookouts and we started to look for a place to stay. We had found spots in and around Tillamook so set our sights there. We didn’t quite make it as a road sign pointed us toward Nehalem Bay State Park so we decided to check it out. It was a very nice spot so we decided to set up for the night and continue the short drive to Tillamook tomorrow.
Oct. 30 – Dismal Nitch Rest Area – Dismal Nitch Rest Area
As you can see from the description we didn’t get very far today! The weather turned on us and we are looking at three days of pretty solid rain down the Oregon coast. One of our goals this trip was to spend a lot of time in Oregon both along the coast and inland as well. We had anticipated spending multiple days in one spot and very little driving each day. With that in mind we have decided not to run away from this system to better weather further south but to wait it out in the hope that it will improve.
We crossed the bridge this morning into Oregon and went to Fort Steven’s Park. There is an old shipwreck on the beach, the Peter Iredale, which ran ashore on the Oregon coast October 25, 1906. Unfortunately with the rain we were unable to explore it other than from the cab of the truck. From there we went to another Lewis and Clark site at Ft. Clatsop a few miles away. We found an empty parking lot close to the visitor centre and set up our Starlink so I could update the blog and Cheryl had a chance to Skype with her mother. After lunch, leftover pizza from the night before which was fantastic, the rain stopped and provided us a chance to get outside. We drove back to the shipwreck and were able to walk up and down the beach to enjoy the shoreline. We enjoyed our rest area from last night and chose to stay there again tonight but before going back across the bridge into Washington we explored Astoria. Founded in 1811 Astoria is obviously a port city as well as the oldest city in the state of Oregon and the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The city population is around 10,000 so there was not too much to explore but we did enjoy visiting the Astoria Column which sits atop a hill and provides some great views in all directions. With some more rain coming we crossed the bridge back towards our rest area and settled in for the night.
Oct. 29 – Millersylvania State Park, Washington – Dismal Nitch Rest Area, Washington
A nice night at our campground here just outside of Olympia. After breakfast we did one of the hikes around the area before hitting the road. With a quick stop to refill the propane tank we headed back into Olympia to do some shopping. We didn’t have much luck at Macy’s but Cheryl did well at TJ Maxx across the street! We made a nice lunch to go and hit the road down HWY 101 toward Astoria, Oregon. It was nice to get off Interstate 5 and hit the back roads again. A very leisurely and pretty two hour drive and we found a rest area along the Columbia River just across from Astoria to spend the night. It is called “Dismal Nitch” take from the diary/travel log of Lewis and Clark from their exploration of the west in November of 1805. For us it seems like a very nice spot to spend the night so maybe they misnamed it.
Tonight for supper we are trying our pepperoni (which you will read about if you continue the blog) on a store-bought pizza crust.
Oct. 28 – Lake Wenatchee State Park – Boeing Factory, Everett, Washington – Millersylvania State Park, Washington
We took advantage of the facilities in the campground this morning to prepare for the next few days. A nice hot shower, filled up our water tank and dumped the trailer holding tank. We got an earlier start today as we had about a two hour drive to get to the Boeing factory in Everett. We were unable to book the complete factory tour due to a labour dispute. One of the unions has been on strike for over a year and the people doing the tours are unwilling to cross their picket line. Once a new contract is ratified the tours will begin again. We were able to visit the “Future of Flight” exhibit which was informative but certainly not as grand as being inside the factory itself. After a couple of hours at Boeing we continued toward Olympia and our next stop at Millersylvania State Park. Another well run state park with excellent facilities and a number of nature trails which we enjoyed today and will try another one tomorrow.
Oct. 27 – Lake Spokane Campground – Lake Wenatchee Campground, Washington
With our Boeing tour booked for Monday we wanted to start heading west today to get relatively close to Everett so we don’t have to leave too early on Monday morning. We researched another state park at Lake Wenatchee and decided that was a good place to aim for. It was a nice day and we enjoyed the drive along Highway 2. We had come across an interesting city in our research called Leavenworth and decided to check it out. Not to be confused with Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas which is home to the US Military disciplinary barracks. This Leavenworth is, as Google says – “Leavenworth is a Bavarian-styled village in the Cascade Mountains, in central Washington State. Alpine-style buildings with restaurants serving German beer and food line Front Street. The Nutcracker Museum displays thousands of nutcrackers, some dating back centuries. On the Wenatchee River, Waterfront Park is a habitat for ospreys and eagles. The village is a gateway to nearby ski areas and wineries.” We had some extra time so we found a laundromat to do a load of clothes and a visited a small market while waiting for the laundry before walking around Leavenworth. It was your typical fare of fruits and cheeses, sauces and dips, local beer and wine, etc. We did find a couple of interesting items to purchase before we left – some spicy pickled garlic and some zesty dill pickles. Although a bit too tacky for us we enjoyed the walk through downtown Leavenworth. It was very busy even for this time of year. I’m sure that during the summer months it would be a very popular destination for locals and tourists alike. We thought we should grab something “Bavarian” while we were here so we found a butcher shop to grab some bratwurst or something similar. We found a nice chunk of pepperoni and bought it for the road.
We tried all three purchases tonight when we stopped and we must say we did well! The garlic and pickles especially were very tasty!
Oct. 26 – Killarney Lake BLM, Idaho – Lake Spokane Campground, Washington
We had initially planned to spend another night at our gem of a spot at Killarney Lake but after realizing the fishermen were spending the night and planning on being on the lake early again Sunday we changed our plans. We have tickets purchased for a Boeing factory tour on Monday in Everett, Washington so we decided to start heading our way west. We were planning on a Tuesday tour but they don’t offer tours on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday so we opted for Monday instead of Friday but that meant an adjustment to our plans.
The forecast was for a beautiful day today and rain on Sunday so we decided to make a short trip to Spokane and find a nice spot and enjoy the day outside. We usually pick at least two spots for the next night just in case one is full/questionable/etc. Today it worked in our favour as the first spot said it was full even though it looked like there were empty sites. I think they were just getting ready for the end of the season and closing things down. Our next option was available and we grabbed a nice site at Lake Spokane Campground. We were one of two campers in the park but unfortunately they are also getting ready for the end of season and some amenities are not available like showers and sewer dump facilities.
We enjoyed a lovely sunny day along Lake Spokane. Tomorrow we will head west toward our Boeing tour and find another spot to spend the night.
Oct.25 – Moyie Lake B.C. – Coeur D’Alene, ID
We found a nice park outside of Cranbrook about 30 minutes from the US border to spend the night. Being so late in the year the campground was empty and almost shut down. The showers/bathrooms were locked and the RV dump station was closed for the season. The information kiosk instructed us to pick a site and an attendant would visit us to collect the fee. Well no attendant came and we did not search for one! One free night for us. It was a very nice spot and I’m sure that during the summer months it would be very busy.
It was a little cool last night with temps dropping to about -5c but the furnace in the camper did the job and we were fine. We woke to a nice sunny day and after breakfast headed to the border. This isn’t our first border crossing and we are always prepared but you never know what to expect. We know what you can and cannot bring across the border and we never lie or try to sneak anything through.. After a couple of usual questions – “Where are you going?” – “Today, Coeur D’Alene but we will end up in Arizona” – “How long will you be in the US?” – “About 5 months” – “Anything to declare?” – “No” – “Have a nice day”. That was it! Maybe 2 minutes total and we were on our way. We both looked at each other and drove away before he could change his mind.
We had done some research before entering Idaho and had found some hikes we wanted to do to give us a break from the truck. The first was Copper Creek Falls which was only 2km from the border. A nice 35 minute hike to a decent waterfall and then back on the road again for the short drive to Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho. After stopping at the visitor centre and a grocery store we found another nice hike to Snow Creek Falls. This hike was a bit longer, 50 minutes and more elevation change, but a nice view at the end of both the upper and lower falls.
Another short drive into Coeur D’Alene and a Walmart stop for groceries and supplies. We had researched another dispersed camping (or boondocking) spot just east of the city and headed there for the night. It is run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM in my later posts) and there are many of them throughout the US. Most are free, or a moderate fee, and we have always had good luck with each spot we have found. There are many apps and websites dedicated to such spots and we utilize them often. This spot was no different and we enjoyed our night. The only drawback was a couple of fisherman joined us early in the morning and we were unable to get back to sleep after the commotion around 6:00 the next morning.
Oct. 23-24 Leduc, AB – Frank Slide (Crowsnest Pass) AB – Moyie Lake Provincial Park, B.C.
After waiting out a bit of bad weather that hit Leduc last weekend we hit the road. We were both anxious to be on our way and we have been organizing the camper/truck for about a week now in preparation for departure. We have a bit of a route planned but as usual we will be changing the plan often I’m sure! We know we will be getting to the Pacific Coast and following it south from Washington through Oregon and California before heading inland towards Arizona and other destinations.
The weather turned nice again and we were on our way mid-morning for the 6 hour or so drive down to Frank Slide. We avoided Highway 2 which would be the quickest route but we have both driven that road enough and decided to take the back roads as we usually do. Straight west from Leduc and then south on AB 22 pretty much all the way to Crowsnest Pass before a little bit on AB 3. We stayed just a bit east of Frank for the night. There is some crown land north of Coleman which allows overnight camping for a small fee and we took advantage of a cheap and very quiet spot to spend the night. In the morning we visited the Frank Slide Interpretative Centre for a couple of hours before heading towards Cranbrook.
Frank was a mining town incorporated in the early 1900s after they discovered a large coal deposit in Turtle Mountain. Henry Frank was a businessman from Butte, Montana who funded the mine and the town was named after him. Workers came from across the country and around the world to make their fortune in the mine. Unfortunately in the early hours of April 29, 1903, a large part of the mountain let go and a massive rock slide cascaded down the slope destroying most of the new town and many of its inhabitants in 90 seconds. In total an estimated 110 million tonnes of rock rained down through the town stopping only as it rode up the other side of the valley. Other than a few excavations for the new highway and a new rail line, all the rock remains where came to rest over 100 years ago, in some places over 150 feet deep. There is a nice walkway through the rubble and it allows you to get a perspective of just how large some of the rocks are. Throughout the centre are many stories of the people who perished that night as well as those who survived either by luck or fate. One story I found interesting was regarding a group of new workers who were waiting for a train to bring them to Frank the day before the disaster happened. As they waited at the station for their train to arrive they were informed that due to a scheduling delay the train to Frank would not be able to depart until the next morning. I am very grateful these men avoided the disaster but found it funny that even in 1903 CP Rail could not keep a schedule! I guess some things never change.
After our visit of Frank Slide we headed west towards Cranbrook B.C. for our next night before crossing the border to the US.
