Pompano - RV Trip: BAJA - UP NORTH.

This will be an ongoing chronicle about an RV camping trip from San Diego to the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Midwest.

I will try to put in mostly significant and pertinent information about the camping...rates, emenities, etc. But if I should happen to embelish the boring facts with a few analogies and detours..well, just try to get past that.


Campground 1

Rancho Santa Inez , Catavina, Baja Road.
Rate: 80 pesos
No hookups, has water spigot, outhouse, small cafe, shade trees, garbage cans. The sign coming in says 60 pesos, but evidently the rate went up right after we drove in...? Would probably just boondock next trip a little further up the road in the boulders. Lots of spaces there...free, but no services of course.

Campground 2

KOA, Chula Vista, San Diego
Rate: $60 USD
Full hookups, cable tv, wi-fi, large shaded sites, very clean park, good security with gated entry..need code to get in after 8 pm, store, laundry, pool. Close to all San Diego downtown events, shops, airport. Friendly & helpful staff. While a bit spendy, I think it is worth it for a few days while touring or shopping San Diego.

Campground 3

Guajome Regional Park, Hwy 76, 7 miles east of Oceanside.
Rate: $28 USD
Water & Electric only, with common water/sewer dump. A beautiful and scenic park with 2 lakes, a forest of trees with mucho animals like rabbits, squirrels, deer, many species of birds, and a zillion ants.
I like this one the best, even given the distance to San Diego ..about 35 miles. Gated and secure entry, very well-maintained.

Campground 4

KOA on I-5 Northbound at Los Banos turnoff.
Rate: $60 USD
Since I had passed the last good-looking RV camp about 30 miles back and it was getting towards dusk, I wanted to pull into the very next park....hence this one.

Typical KOA layout with shade, large sites, full hook-ups, wi-fi, cable, etc. Good place to get refreshed from a long slow, climb over the Grapevine. Nothing much else to say about it...a good haven for the night. Fuel next door. Since it was free, I applied for and recieved a KOA card which gives me a 10% discount on further KOA camping. I am thinking, "Ohh..whoppee!..Be still, my heart!"




KOA - LOS BANOS EXIT INTERSTATE 5

Okay, time to get On with the Road Trip...where's my roadcup?








[Edited on 5-31-2011 by Pompano]

Roger, I also posted this on another thread entitled "Pompano".

"Roger, if you find yourself on I-84 on the way east, we're near it just north of Twin Falls, ID. Good hook-ups and the price is right. Waaaayyyyyyy below KOA and with wonderful vistas of the Pioneer Mts to the north. Backyard is BLM for miles and miles."

Allen R

Roger,
Dinner for you and Co-pilot will be served if you pass through Kamloops if you are going to Alaska (world-famous trout fishing in our area)

Well, Roger, Post Falls is nice, but you'd be a mite hard-pressed to see our views from there. It's about 500 miles north of us. That's I-90 up there. We're off I-84 near Twin Falls.

Allen R.

OK Igor you can't hang a bait like that and not expect it to be taken What was the exception? Details please.

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy Quote: Originally posted by Skipjack Joe That was 35 years ago and I've stayed away since (with one exception). OK Igor you can't hang a bait like that and not expect it to be taken What was the exception? Details please.

Skipjack there is supposed to be alot of whoopin and hollerin' on your honeymoon, but usually by the happy couple

Replies

Quote:

Originally posted by bufeo Well, Roger, Post Falls is nice, but you'd be a mite hard-pressed to see our views from there. It's about 500 miles north of us. That's I-90 up there. We're off I-84 near Twin Falls. Allen R.

Okay Irene, you may have opened Pandora’s Box, so this simple non-Baja campground report may indeed morph into a full-blown trip extravaganza…including photos and commentary. Maybe…it all depends on the events of the day.

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy Quote: Originally posted by Skipjack Joe That was 35 years ago and I've stayed away since (with one exception). OK Igor you can't hang a bait like that and not expect it to be taken What was the exception? Details please.

The second was at Jackson Hole. Wyoming in the mid 90s.

http://koa.com/campgrounds/jackson-hole/

I had read so much about the S. Fork of the Snake and wanted to see for myself. It wasn't as bad as Niagra Falls but still not my cup of tea. Kids playing ball on those gravel roads between the cars. I think it gets louder in the summer. Any campground that has a manicured lawn. That's the red light. Game rooms, swimming pools - more signs of a place to avoid.

This is more to my liking. You, undoubtedly have stayed at this campground, Roger. Next to Bing's Landing along the banks of the Kenai River. Not too far from Soldotna. We had wild raspberries growing in our campsite. Even fried up some wild mushrooms after the rains.

glad you checked in Roger - everyone, myself included, was going thru rogerwithdrawal symptoms



buckle up everyone !!!!

You can still find campsites like this but it's not easy.

On the banks of the Klamath.

About an hour from now they'll start rising...

Ukiah Fairgrounds RV Park - $25

After leaving the KOA near Los Bano, had a great breakfast at PeaSoup Anderson’s….not pea soup though. Got me to thinking about an old buddy of my Dad’s who was called Peasoup. Got that monicker from his bartending days when he let a pot of pea soup boil over onto the wall behind the stove…forever staining it and earning his nickname.






Wound my way up I-5 past some fresh fruit stands where I bought cherries, apricots, and pistachios.





Passing near and over some controversial water channels:




Thru the citrus and almond groves:



And thru many vinyards..

to the I-580 thru Oakland, bypassing San Francisco and the Golden Gate:






There… can you see the Gate off there in the distance?








This bridge is not quite as famous as the Gate, but is a great shortcut around the city if heading for Eureka and the Coast Highway.





Getting to Ukiah in the afternoon, we asked about the best RV campground in town...it was definitely this one:





The RV Park at the Fairgrounds.







The park had access to all kinds of options..like barbeques, children's playgrounds, laundy, bathrooms, showers, driving range, art 7 crafts shows, and much more.




For $25 we got full hookups. I am posting the information for this great little campground.

Ukiah Fairgrounds..The Redwood Empire Fair & Event Center. 707-462-3884 1055 North State St. Ukiah, CA. 95482 www.redwoodempirefair.com info@redwoodempirefair.com









[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Questions/comments

No Packoderm, the owners came out in thier car to make the rounds collecting the campground fees. The elderly senora stated it was 80 pesos per vehicle. Don't know why they don't change the sign at the entrance.

Quote:

Originally posted by Barbarosa Quote: Originally posted by deportes You were looking at the bay bridge from the Richmond San rafeal bridge. Going by Berkeley and heading to Tracy on 580 and Hiway 5. That sign indicates Walnut creek where I live. Good eye on the view of The *Oakland* Bay Bridge (there's no pic of the Gate, even in the distance). And they're heading west on I-580 (toward US 101 north), not east. They'd past near Tracy previously, on the way in. Interesting little fact about Red Rock (just off the Richmond Bridge). It'll win you a bar bet every time! "What is the northernmost point in San Francisco?" Yup. Find it on a map. Pretty curious. (Yup, the pix are great! <g>

Good info from both of you..thanks. I was too busy watching traffic to take better photos. Hah..that's an interesting factoid about Red Rock island..will keep that in mind alongside Cape Flattery, Wa.

The Redwood Elk Campground - Hwy 101

Got an early enough start out of Ukiah …meaning by 10 am. Hey, who wants to spend the best part of the day driving? Got to greet the sunrise with a hot cuppa Joe, make some breakfast, check tires, engine, unhook the hookups, curl up the awning, play with the neighbors lab who has been watching me, wagging his tail & slobbering all over his leash.

Finally, a hot shower & shave…..Then it was time to hit 101 North again. And just so you know, I am on the Redwood Highway.




I roll through the pleasant town of Willits…in the land of the giant redwoods.







Some of my best moments on these Road Trips are the Americana photo-ops you come across…like this picturesque old highway bridge. Let’s hope it’s in solid shape and not on any ‘list’ for demolition as are so many scattered around our nation.







This part of the coast forest has so many ferns…wish I could tell you what the name of this one is….guess I’ll just call it Nice Fern next to the Bridge. I had to park the MH and walk back about a half-mile for the 2 shots above…and it was well worth the hike.






Another example of early Americana Highways are these small rental bungalows …perfect for a couple of small family for a night or a week. Used to cost about $4 a night back in the day…probably $40-$50 now? Still a good deal for someone. I can just see the old family sedans parked alongside the cabins…maybe a Woody station wagon?







Getting past some of the road’s edge redwoods can be challenging. I see scrape marks on all the roadside ones….and so I hog the middle line with my extra-wide coach body.





Take a good look at some of those dead redwoods…a good way to see just how tall they are. Those are not nearly the biggest, but are still 200 footers.






I love bridges…hoping you don’t mind if I post a few of them. It’s all about the waters below, which invites me to see what fishes lurk in them.












Shades of the “Smokey hiding in the bushes” A lot of small places are placing these old police cruisers out near the highway. Tends to slow down a few, I suppose?




Ah…who can resist these tourist traps? Well, most of us, I expect. I think a lot of international visitors stop here and spend mucho dinero…seeing as how the dollars are so cheap nowadays!



Need a redwood clock carving, some wooden earrings, a bear for your driveway?




Any object in your imagination can be carved for you.




Here’s a thought I just had for any and all hunters, bird watchers, and nature lovers. Lots of these small, but well-stocked outdoor shops exist in towns in the country…mostly featuring hunting and fishing gear, one can also find bird books, fine binoculars, bug nets, collection cases, and all kinds of outdoor paraphenalia.







Welcome to small town Main Street, USA… downtown! How about that view for nostalgia? Reminds of the closest town we used to shop when growing up. Never used cash, just charged it and paid at the end of the month.








I saw that prominentary called Patrick’s Point and pulled into the State Beach park located there. Unfortunately, there were no waterfront RV sites available. No hookups, either, although that fact didn’t bother me. Rate was $45 per night for waterfront sites. I moved on…in the hopes of finding a site further up the coast. Not a big deal, since it was only about 3 pm…lots of time to make camp.








A nice lady at this park visitor center gave me some good advice and directed me up the road to an elk park that had RV sites...







I came upon it within about 3 miles…the ELK were a dead giveaway.




Stone Lagoon RV Park, Hwy 101. I was met at the entrance and guided by this gent on a bike to great site with a view of the horses, elk, and also a clear shot at the satellite for my DirecTV! Now what could be better??





Horses in the foreground...Elk in the background. They get along quite well in the same pasture...respecting thier mutual boundaries. Isn't that a refreshing thought?








I had full hookups, a very un-crowded site, picnic table, a fireplace, and a lovely view. Uh…I should mention the elk & horses do wander thru the campgrounds at certain times…and seeing as how elk & horses graze a lot, that causes them to void a lot…so watch where you’re walking!

All that for $27. I think it was a very, very good deal. Thanks again to the nice gal at the state park visitor’s center for the recommendation. Now I’m passing it along to you. Stone Lagoon RV Park, Hwy 101, about 20 miles north of Trinadad.






[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Good Morning All..

Am up and having Fox&Friends/coffee with some guests here at the Stone Lagoon RV Park.

I may run out of cream and sugar.














Some coffee conversation for you...

I was visiting with some other campers, who turned out to be seasonal residents of the park. When I asked about all the vacancies left at this nice park, they told me that it was always like this until the summer season. Then it was full for the summer and early fall. I had lucked out to find the place with so much open space.

A bit chilly again this morning... 48 and overcast... but I'm getting used to it and can always run the coach heaters to warm things up.

Think of cold and elk, here's an ancedote that came to mind.

I recall late season tent camping on elk hunts in the Canadian Rockies when our tent's only heat was a barrel stove. Before turning in for the night, we got that barrel really blazing hot....cherry red...but it only lasted for a hour or so. Towards dawn, someone had to scamper out of bed and restart the fire, then jump back into your bag to wait for the heat to spread out into the big tent.

Soon...You were blazing hot on the side facing the stove..and frostbite cold on your other side...so you kept turning over and back, over and back...like being a human rotisseri.

Hey, I just listened to a bit of interesting news. One of the poll-rated front runners for US President has announced he will not run .. because of spiritual reasons. Refreshing... so rare these days...faith over politics.

Today's wandering will most likely put me some miles further up the coast....OR into the mountains northeast of here. Will know when I get to an intersection.

Either way, I'll find another campground to tell you about...and maybe some more Road Trip America trivia.







[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

My favorite hot toddy;
1 shot of Brandy
I shot of Kahlua
1 cup of hot coffee
And don't forget the your favorite creamer !!

[Edited on 5-15-2011 by Diver]

9:00 AM - 45F





1:00 PM - 47F




6:00 PM - 44F




IT'S TIME...






Gracias, Ira.
Dennis, will buy some sweet/sour or marg mix manana and try yours then. I have a feeling this weather will hold....

p.s. This is the damnedest trip. Seems to be a deja vu kind of thing going on?? Maybe a different route manana...I'll toss a coin. Heads I go west...Tails I go east.





[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Somehow I knew we'd see the Coffee-mate !
Also works great with hot cocoa for those who don't like coffee.
And with whip cream and shaved chocolate to impress the ladies.

Hi Pompano,

Somewhat new member here. I've been off work on medical leave for a couple of months and I can't go back until June so I've spent more time than usual reading these boards and keeping myself entertained, especially with these trip reports. Thank you for taking the time to post reports, pictures and sharing the trip, it's very much appreciated.

PS. You seem to be slacking, I haven't seen anything new today.

Regards,

Mark

Crescent City Tsunami and Campground

Warning...historical detours prevail below...writer's license and all that stuff.


Crescent City


I am going to enter some extra info on this terrific little seaside town…because it has been through so much in its history. This will involve a little background reporting, plus more current events.





I roll into Crescent City and find a town that has suffered a lot from natural and economic disasters.
The region has never recovered from the loss of the timber industry in the 1980s and 1990s, and downturns in salmon fishing.
It's going to be hard to recover here after the last tsunami on March 11, 2011.

To give this report a more personal flavor, here’s some local reporting of the recent tidal wave destruction to the area:

March 11, 2011. A series of powerful surges generated by the devastating earthquake in Japan arrived about 7:30 a.m. that day and pounded the harbor through the day and night. Eight boats were believed sunk and dozens of others damaged; an unmanned sailboat sucked out of the harbor ran aground on the coast.

About 20 miles south, the family of a 25-year-old Oregon man combed the beach looking for signs of him. Authorities say Dustin Weber was swept away as he and two friends photographed the waves.

"He just didn't respect the ocean and didn't understand the tsunami," his father, Jon Weber, said. "The (first surge) hit about 7:30. It was the second wave that hit at 9:30 that got him."

Back north in Crescent City, crews geared up for the enormous task of assessing and fixing the damage to the port, where a sheen of oil floated in the basin. Seagulls feasted on mussels exposed by upended docks. About 80 percent of the docks that once sheltered 140 boats were gone.


“Crescent City is what I call a tsunami magnet,” a local professor told the Associated Press after tsunami surges destroyed the harbor docks, sank 16 boats and damaged many others.

“When you look at the contiguous 48 states, there is no question that Crescent City has had more damage, and typically has the highest water levels recorded at any West Coast site, no matter where it comes from — whether it comes from Chile, or Alaska or Japan,” said the professor of geology and chairwoman of the Geology and Oceanography departments at Humboldt State University.

Since the 1930s, dozens of tsunamis have been recorded along our shores, and in the past 150 years no other community in the “Lower 48” has suffered more from them.

One factor that spared the harbor from even more damage was that the biggest March 11 surges arrived near low tide, keeping them within the confines of the breakwaters around the harbor.

That wasn’t the case during the tsunami of March 27-28, 1964, when four significant surges spawned from a mammoth Alaska earthquake hit Crescent City at high tide.

Eleven people were killed in Del Norte County, and Crescent City’s downtown was devastated. The killer fourth wave was believed to be a 22-footer, although a prior surge broke the harbor tide gauge.

By contast, the biggest March 11 surge was measured at 8.1 feet.



So, to what does Crescent City owe this dubious honor?

PLENTY OF REASONS
Experts say there are several reasons why Crescent City is particularly tsunami-prone, The local newspaper, The Triplicate, reported on this subject in 2009 when it published a six-part series on the 45th anniversary of the ’64 tidal waves.

There’s what is called a “Fickle Finger of Fate” that points at the North Coast. This is the Mendocino Fracture Zone, an underwater ridge that extends thousands of miles due west from Cape Mendocino.

This scar is visible in satellite images, and the sea floor directly north of the fracture zone is more shallow than it is to the south.



March 2011: Damaged boats are strewn across the Crescent City Harbor boat basin after the tsunami surges that sank 16 vessels. The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson wrote: “Fishermen say going south across that boundary is like going into the deep end because the water drops so abruptly,” he said. “We actually get a slightly larger tsunami just north of Cape Mendocino rather then just south of it.”

A tsunami’s speed is a direct function of how deep the ocean is. The greater the depth, the faster the wave. As the tsunami hits shallow water approaching a coastline, friction causes the wave to slow down. And it doesn’t just tap on the brakes — both feet are down.

“You still can’t outrun it,” the newshound said, “but it’s going a lot slower.”

A tsunami that had been traveling almost as fast as a commercial jetliner in the deep ocean slows to 25-30 mph when it reaches shore. This change in speed “causes the water to bunch up because that fast-moving water behind it catches up to it.”

The shallower ocean depth north of the Mendocino Fracture Zone means a tsunami’s amplitude will be larger than in other parts of California.

“That actually acts as a wave guide, it concentrates the wave energy. We just basically have a bigger incoming wave from almost any other place in the Pacific along the Northern California Coast.”

Further funneling the impact of a tsunami toward Crescent City, is the shape of our portion of the continental shelf.

California’s northern coastline resembles a backward C-shape from Crescent City down to Cape Mendocino. Inside of this is another curve between Point St. George in Del Norte County and Patrick’s Point in Humboldt County.

“Our shelf seems to be kind of bowl-shaped,” quoted from reporter, “Energy sort of gets trapped and that’s why the tsunami tends to last a long time.”

Another multiplying factor locally is the position of our harbor and the natural bend of our beach that gives Crescent City its name.

“It’s this crescent-shaped bay that again tends to amplify the tsunami energy. The natural geometry of the harbor seems to welcome tsunamis from all directions.”

Then there’s the manmade design of the harbor. After the ’64 tsunami, Crescent City built a rectangular boat basin. It’s good for sheltering boats from stormy seas, but actually makes the effects of the tsunami worse.

Research has found that the inner small boat basin actually focuses a tsunami’s energy once it’s in the harbor.

“It’s not going to make the tsunami any higher, all it does is funnel it. You’re forcing all that water into a narrow opening.”

In 2009, Troy Nicolini of the National Weather Service in Eureka described this motion as the “bathtub affect,” and he said it’s particularly pronounced inside Crescent City’s harbor.

“You can imagine that when a wave comes in there it bounces off the concrete walls. It just bounces and keeps most of its energy,” Nicolini said. “It stays in there long enough for the next wave to come in and now they’re both bouncing around.”

He said this is like putting two kids in a bathtub together. When they both start splashing around, the water resonate off the sides of the tub becoming more turbulent and eventually winding up on the floor.

This makes even small tsunamis potentially devastating. In 2006, an earthquake near Russia’s Kuril Islands sent waves across the Pacific and into Crescent City. Though the surge was small and never breached land, it pushed into the inner boat basin and caused an estimated $22.5 million in damage to the docks.

“It was a real eye-opener,” said the reporter, “I was as surprised as anybody that there was that much damage.”

But perhaps the No. 1 reason Crescent City has the unfortunate stigma of being a tsunami poster-child is its relation to the ocean.

“It’s low. It’s really close to the water and it sticks out. It’s what we call exposure.”
The tsunami warnings moved faster than the waves, giving millions of people across the Pacific hours to flee to higher ground. Now they are left to clean up what the waves had wrought: Destroyed docks and damaged boats.

A deadly tsunami generated by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan raced across the Pacific on Friday and into marinas and harbors in Hawaii and on the West Coast, sending boats crashing into one another, carrying some out to sea and demolishing docks.



The damage - the most severe in two seaside towns along the Oregon-California border - was estimated to be in the millions.

"This is just devastating. I never thought I'd see this again," said Ted Scott, a retired mill worker who lived in Crescent City, Calif., when a 1964 tsunami killed 11 people, 17 total along the West Coast.

Still, there was relief that the destruction in the U.S. was nothing like that in Japan. The offshore quake pushed water onto land, sometimes miles inland, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people. Hundreds are dead.


As it happened….
In Oregon, the first swells to hit the U.S. mainland were barely noticeable.



In Crescent City, Calif., miles to the south, Coast Guard spent seven hours of fruitless searching for a man who was swept out to sea, before calling off the effort. He had been taking photos near the mouth of the Klamath River. Two people with him jumped in to rescue him, and were able to get back to land, authorities said.

An 8-foot wave rushed into the harbor, destroying about 35 boats and ripping chunks off the wooden docks, as marina workers and fishermen scrambled between surges to secure property. Officials estimated millions of dollars in damage.

When the water returned, someone would yell "Here comes another one!" to clear the area.

Scott, the retired mill worker, watched the water pour into the harbor.

"I watched the docks bust apart. It buckled like a graham cracker," he said.

The waves had not made it over a 20-foot break wall protecting the rest of the city. No serious injuries were reported.

A veteran Coast Guard pilot who flew a search and rescue mission over the roiling ocean for six hours said he had never seen anything like it.

"Even from the air, you could actually smell the mud from the ocean floor. As it flowed, you saw the blackness of the water because it was all mixing together," said Lt. Cmdr. Brent Bergan.


Scientists warned that the first tsunami waves are not always the strongest. The threat can last for several hours and people should watch out for strong currents.








Well, that’s the sad news about Crescent City…let’s hope it recovers quickly.

I found a very pleasant bay-front RV park easily enough. As you drive north on 101 through Crescent City, it is on your left almost as soon as you enter town. Easy in…easy out.

Crescent City Oceanfront RV Park - $32 w/full-hookups - wi-fi and nice views.








It was a wee bit chilly...which is usual for the northern Cal coast at this time of year...I guess?










I was thinking….? CHECK OUT THE BLACK RV…GOOD FOR HEAT ABSORPTION?





Ciao, Crescent City....time to flip another direction coin...and announce a WARNING to those that are actually following this report that I feel myself getting into somewhat of of an editorial mood which may not be politically correct.




[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Roger...

As always. I'm thoroughly enjoying all your great pictures and your very humorous commentary and stories!!

Thanks for taking the time to write and post everything for us!

And...as I wrote on your last trip, if you get up Redmond, Washington way,
east of Seattle, try to stop in at my brother's great Italian Restaurant. They'll treat you right at "FRANKIE'S PIZZA AND PASTA" and you'll love the food and vino. Plus...Redmond has lots of great wineries and the Redhook Beer brewery.


Really looking forward to the rest of your trip!


Michael / Miguelamo

Well Pomp I,m right behind you coffee in hand did the Fox and Friends thing and thought I would tag along today,fun trip so far but the dampnest is starting to get to me,but will tough it out
Rob

South Oregon Coast

(Thanks for those nice offers and invites, guys, but I am already off that part of the route. Can I have a rain check?)


Comments and anecdotal memories along Highway 101….the Pacific Coast Highway.


For the last 30 years… and maybe a few more…I’ve been RVing up and down this scenic drive on annual migrations to and from Baja Sur. I am always finding some new sights to delight my senses…or to remind me of a past event.


Just a short drive from Crescent City to enter the Oregon part of the coast highway.
You know what?? Being raised on the Great Plains, these tall tree lined, tunnel-like roads give me a slight claustrophobic feeling…but very slight.





This old ship made into a gift shop and museum is a familiar landmark. Nostalgia note: Many years ago, I bought my first bag of colorful & cheap Philippine seashells here to ‘salt’ my Coyote home beach for the sake of my youngest nieces and nephews. They were thrilled with their treasures and I was thrilled with their smiles.





I really like this house and it’s setting. Well…right up until that really big tsunami comes ashore….





There is no lack of marinas along the Coast Highway. Wonderful photo-ops, right? We all love them. I lived in one at Lake Union, Seattle, for a couple seasons…great times back then…and I just might do it again.



Hmmm…perhaps a recent transplant from a certain place near San Quintin...or maybe another meaning to the Cielto Lindo sign? It’s all in the imagination.



When was the last time you went to a movie theater like the one below? Ah…I can smell the popcorn! Add some Milk Duds or Chocolate Raisins and you’ve got a real treat.



See the plastic flowers left on the side rail? Looks like a roadside death memorial left by grieving relatives. A new custom comes to America….it will spread out…if our legislature/road departments allow it…don’t you think?



One never tires of such grand scenery as you find on the Pacific Coast Highway.











This waterfront café once…or maybe still is…was owned by a very nice Chinaman namedTommy, who helped me out once when I was detained by city police for driving my motorcycle onto a sidewalk to park it when entering his café to eat. Thanks to Tommy, I was not ticketed …and had a great lunch.



Ahh…those are great memories from the Coast. But its always nice to add some new scenes. Hmmm...Just where should I point this thing now?






[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Roger,
How do you get clear skies up in that area? It is always foggy or raining there.

We are not so lucky here, in the rest of Northern California; Rain and yes....snow....in the middle of May! Record cold temperatures too.
My house in The Gold Country this Sunday (Today rain):

Hmm...danged if I know, Tony. Always foggy and raining, huh? It's been mostly sunny along the coast so far.

It's gotta be this 4-leafed clover I'm using as a bookmark....OR that golden cabrilla I caught just before leaving Baja??


But wait...it is a tad bit cloudy where I'm driving right now....
...Oregon Hwys 126/99/20 Eastbound.

I wonder what's up ahead? I'm just out rambing around...in a generally northeast direction.


[Edited on 5-17-2011 by Pompano]

Just to Bring This Lovely RV Travel Thread Back to Baja

Eugene, Oregon...a diamond in the rough.

I found this diamond in the rough:


Premier RV Resort, Eugene, Oregon


Because I believe RVing Nomads will want to stay at this place, I’m giving it a good plug…as I will to any good park I come across on this trip. ‘Sides, I like to give a personal touch to such things …as it affects me. Embellish the facts?...Naw. Just beef ‘em up a little!

Getting a little whimsical here...

Directions to the RV park:

From the North - Take Oregon I-5 exit 199, Coburg. Turn left onto Van Duyn Road. Cross over the freeway and look for the resort on the right.
From the South - Take Oregon I-5 exit 199, Coburg. Turn right onto Van Duyn Road. Look for the resort on the right.



Fuel Stop - The resort is just past the Fuel Stop…which gives you a discount for cash…not much, but 5 cents a gallon adds up on a motorhome.





The surrounding property was woodland, fences, and pasture…with many grazing sheep and cows. Very picturesque and peaceful. The main lodge and other community buildings were nice and showed pride of ownership. The clubhouse for campers was full of very friendly folks who greeted me with…”Hi, stranger. Come have some coffee and visit. Tell us about your travels?” (If only they knew what they were getting into…hmm?)

Amenities at the park included these:
Big-Rig Friendly Long Pull-Throughs
Free Wi-Fi
20/30/50 Amp Sites
Satellite TV
Beautiful Bathrooms/Showers
Off-leash area for dogs
Laundry Concierge Service
Gift Shop Open Year Round
Free Delivered Newspaper
No Speed Bumps
Friendship Circle Gas Log Fire Pit

Along with a standard swimming pool (which is lost on me..) and clubhouse, etc…the park offers mailboxes for long term vacationers. Another nice touch.




I especially liked the park lake residents….see you this fall, boys!




This is an average campsite. Long and wide enough to accommodate any size RV …plus the slides.
(and it looks like those slides kinda pushed the fence a little, huh?)



Newspaper is delivered to your RV each morning. Not too sure that can be called a ‘good thing?...but to each his own, I say.




You can wash your RV on the campsite. Now that’s a real plus for me!




I found the park to be very clean and well maintained with a reasonable rate. The manager was very helpful in Eugene area directions and site selection. The park has excellent facilities. I would rate this a 10 if not so near I-5. This makes it somewhat noisy if you are on the interstate side of the park. I had a fairly quiet site away from the interstate. I enjoyed my stay and decided on an additional day.

Rate: $34 total…a real bargain!


Some Eugene events and sights:

Having nothing pressing on my calendar, I did some local sightseeing and found these attractions to be simply…..Great!

The Bridges of Lane County

Goodpasture Bridge, McKenzie River.




I did some research on these Lane County Bridges and found it to be very interesting…and hope you do, too.

Covered bridges are an important cultural feature on the Lane County landscape. Lane county has more covered bridges than any other county west of the Appalachian Mountains. Eighteen of the twenty bridges in the county are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Covered bridges were constructed to withstand heavy rains and salty sea air. The barn-type structures over the bridges protect the wood trusses and floor planking from the elements and extend the functional lives of the bridges. The design of the wooden bridges is similar to steel truss bridges, but the shortage of steel during World War I and the local access to high quality timber contributed to the use of wood as a bridge building material.

By 1918, plans for covered bridges had become standardized to include open windows for light and ventilation together with such features as laminated floors and interior whitewashing. The twenty covered bridges of Lane County represent many hours of hand labor by skilled craftspeople.

Recently, some of Lane County's covered bridges have become inadequate for increased traffic and commercial loads. In some cases, new bridges have been built adjacent to existing covered bridges to accommodate modern traffic needs. Lane County has a continuous maintenance program for all County owned covered bridges.


Next I toured this place for birds of prey:



Cascades Raptor Center

What is a Raptor?

Raptors are birds of prey such as...

eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, osprey, and kites...

...hunting birds with keen eyesight and hearing, strong feet with sharp talons for grasping and killing prey, and curved beaks for ripping up their food. Raptors are not the only predators of the bird world, but they are the only birds that hunt with their feet!

32275 Fox Hollow Road - P.O. Box 5386 - Eugene, OR 97405
Phone (541) 485-1320 - Fax (541) 485-4586 - info@eRaptors.org

Cascades Raptor Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife rescue and public education to enhance appreciation, respect, and stewardship of the natural world. I think it is a very worthwhile organization...and reminds me of our ranch neighbor when growing up near the Badlands of ND. He was an avid falconer, using his raptors to hunt sharptail grouse and pheasant…but also cared and nursed wounded birds of prey…plus put on lyceum programs for schoolkids all over the nation.

Is your property overrun by mice? Here’s one fun solution...attract a kestrel or two by building them a nesting box. They will repay you by devasting the mouse population…but don’t kid yourself..the mice will not be wiped out completely…NOTHING can do that!

Nest Box Specifications
Building suggestions: Rough cedar or exterior plywood are good, durable building materials. Rough wood should be used so young birds can climb out. Several ¼" ventilation holes should be provided to prevent suffocation of young birds. Drill three or four ¼" holes in the floor for drainage. Galvanized nails or brass screws will not rust like ordinary nails. Clean and repair boxes at least once every other year. Build so one side, front, top, or bottom can be easily opened for cleaning.



General placement suggestions: Boxes that face away from storms are more inviting to birds. Young birds will not become trapped in boxes that tilt forward at the top. Placement should prohibit predator access from above or below, including cats, raccoons, snakes.



And last, but not least…the museum below was especially an interesting visit for me. I'm a history buff....as some may recall from a few of my earlier posts.

"History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is. We are not makers of history. We are made by history."

Thomas Jefferson



University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History

This small museum is housed in a building designed to vaguely resemble a traditional Northwest Coast Indian longhouse. The ancient peoples and even more ancient animals that once roamed the Northwest are the main focus of the museum's exhibits. Geology, botany, and archaeology topics also get plenty of display space here.





Well, that visit to Eugene was very enlightening and fun…and I’ll return someday to enjoy more.



But right now…it’s time to have a campfire, a hot toddy for the body… (Whoa, does this old Baja dog ever need one) ….and to reflect: “I wonder what’s over that next hill?”







[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

The Columbia Gorge

The Dalles, Columbia River Gorge



The area around The Dalles, Oregon, provides opportunities for a variety of outdoor sports and activities. The Dalles, which sits along the banks of the Columbia River, originally served as a military outpost, was established in 1850. Today, the town serves as a jumping off spot for a host of national forests, state parks and recreation areas. RV campsites are available in the area, offered by park services and private businesses

The Columbia River Gorge serves as the state line between Washington to the north and Oregon to the south. Situated 84 miles east of Portland, The Dalles lies just across the Columbia River from Dalleport, Washington, and the Columbia Gore Regional Airport. Surrounding The Dalles, you can find a wide variety of landscapes and natural settings, with vast portions of land designated as park areas

Deschutes River State Park
Thirty miles east of The Dalles, this park is located where the Deschutes River and the Columbia River converge. The Deschutes River State Park offers 34 electric sites in addition to 25 primitive sites. Since there is a quarter-mile drop along the last 100 miles of the river, folks here can enjoy a major adrenaline rush from white-water rafting, kayaking or even tubing the river. There's also a boat launch and a 17-mile mountain bike trail.

Maryhill State Park
Maryhill State Park is located over the river in Washington, just 30 miles away. It is a 99-acre camping park that provides 50 utility sites for rigs up to 60 feet long, as well as 20 tent sites. The park has four bathrooms and 10 showers, and campers here can enjoy activities like boating, fishing and combing the beach. Water enthusiasts can water ski or sailboard. Hikers have over a mile-long trail to explore.

My choice…a boondock on the shores of the Columbia fairly close to The Dalles..just off the highway’s frontage road.

Rate: Free

















My views are pretty good….considering the price is right! What do you think?





Looks like this place is used by locals who fish from the bank. Buene suerte, amigos! Hope you catch lots of big ones and enjoy many dinners.





I always like to find these candid type photo-ops. Makes a fun trip much funner!

I came across these totally different types of dogs at a Rest Area. First time I ever saw a dog ramp in use. I guess it beats getting a hernia lifting Fido into the back compartment. I’d opt for the wiener dog.




Lots of barge traffic on the Columbia. Something that is suffering on the Old Miss right about now…



Tunnels like this one are great additions to America’s Road Trips...but try to refrain from blowing your horn!



Heading slowly, but surely...ENE. Tomorrow will bring some adventure, I'm sure. Hasta pronto.







[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Roger....

Keeps getting BETTER and BETTER....Really enjoying the pictures, descriptions and comments!!!


I love the coastal areas of CA, OR and WA and all the rivers, streams, mountains, bridges, tunnels, train trestles and more that's along their highways.

I feel like I'm riding along on the trip and I want to reach out and grab the bottles to make the Hot Toddies....ummm...please tell me where the wipes are...I spilled a little and need to clean it up!


Miguelamo

BOONDOCK.............BOONDOCK............BOONDOCK!!!!!!!!

Nice find, along the Columbia, Roger. That's the best way to camp in rigs. The hookups are just for email and taking on and releasing fluids, once a week.

You DO know about the fine Indian casino boondocking in that area, dont you Roger? The casinos in Wash/Ore, etc., arent the whimpy type found in AZ and CA. THEY HAVE CRAPS!!!!! 3x4x5 times odds. Even found one with 10x odds!!!

But, unless you've got a good system, casino boondocking CAN get more expensive than a 60 dollar KOA.

[Edited on 5-19-2011 by Hook]

The Gorge and the Highway to Up North

Quote:

Originally posted by AmoPescar Roger.... Keeps getting BETTER and BETTER....Really enjoying the pictures, descriptions and comments!!! I love the coastal areas of CA, OR and WA and all the rivers, streams, mountains, bridges, tunnels, train trestles and more that's along their highways. I feel like I'm riding along on the trip and I want to reach out and grab the bottles to make the Hot Toddies....ummm...please tell me where the wipes are...I spilled a little and need to clean it up! Miguelamo

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook BOONDOCK.............BOONDOCK............BOONDOCK!!!!!!!! Nice find, along the Columbia, Roger. That's the best way to camp in rigs. The hookups are just for email and taking on and releasing fluids, once a week. You DO know about the fine Indian casino boondocking in that area, dont you Roger? The casinos in Wash/Ore, etc., arent the whimpy type found in AZ and CA. THEY HAVE CRAPS!!!!! 3x4x5 times odds. Even found one with 10x odds!!! But, unless you've got a good system, casino boondocking CAN get more expensive than a 60 dollar KOA.

Hoo-boy….of course you can’t know, Paul, but you’re preaching to the choir. Boondocking has been my specialty since boyhood travels in my old International stepside, Jasper, pulling a horse trailer. You can’t really appreciate real nature unless you do the real thing…which means a rough camp. Don't get me started on my boyhood camping...or somebody will surely complain about all the walleye and pike photos. Damn, I be bad!

But... this thread is supposed to be about campgrounds and parks, too..…so I’m pledged to try exploring them equally. On any other trip I will boondock more than use parks with hookups, but it’s also very nice to have all the amenities if you should choose to…like water, electricity, wi-fi, cable tv, laundry, etc. Trust me…after a couple weeks of roughing it on a 4000 mile trip.…(boondocking)…getting all squeaky-clean and enjoying all the park’s comforts is well worth the price. KOA’s are okay, but their rates are about twice the price of a normal RV park…and I find most of mine in the $25 - $35 category.

Yes! Casinos are simply great concrete pads to camp for little or no money. They get your money inside.

At one time or another over the last few decades, I 've camped at all the Native American casinos along the Washington and Oregon coasts..and inland from ND to Nevada. Why? Because they are usually free….and I like to play Texas Hold-Em!

RVing from the Gorge east to the Rockies.

Time to update the trip.

Some photos of the RV trip through the Columbia River Gorge…and east to the Rockies.


One of the RV camps was at Maryhill State Park campground. Very pleasant & scenic… a good value at $30 night with full hookups.

Has a great boat ramp for fishing on the Columbia River. Some of the best walleye fishing in the Lower 48 can be found here.







• Americana Road Lore…Tourist attraction!

Another campsite …Free with elec. and water hookup…was found at this semi-famous gift shop…$50,000 Silver Dollar Gift Store


Yes, there really are 50,000 silver dollars on the bartop and on the back walls of this saloon. (one is slightly scratched from efforts to lever it out of the bartop.)


An comfy stop for a night. All the pinecones you could possibly want…..


We took some secondary highways towards the Rockies….

Bighorn Country…



A small forest fire was contained and extinguished by smokejumpers from Idaho and Montana


I found a pleasant campsite next to this river for the night. Water was too high and cloudy for fishing, though.




Mountain High wilderness...truly beautiful.






Reached snow level elevations here and there. Brrrr...after Baja, this is too cool for me.



Some of my best choices for campgrounds in the Rockies are the fishing access turnoffs. My fee was $12 night.

















The fishing access places are sometimes launching areas for river rafters.






*I had a yen for some beef jerky, so I stopped at this store and also took some photos of the mounts inside.


Hi-Country Jerky













The jerky was/is very good!



And now, it's time to get ...

..."On the Road Again."









[Edited on 10-17-2011 by Pompano]

Bob...I guess they must be doing okay, then. Glad to hear it...America needs some good success stories these days!


[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Past the Great Divide in Montana

Go east, old man...go east.





Welcome to the Big Open.





Traffic is light.




Did I mention it's been raining? ....a lot.




So one day I decided to get off the main highway and onto a very secondary road. This particular one turned out to be a mistake..

Can you pick a good route through this minefield of potholes?




The plus side of this trail were all these historical site signs of the Big Open.















[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano Welcome to the Big Open.

Roger,

I once had a very unpleasant experience right about there.

Igor, I've had to duck into that cornfield a couple times myself.



"Sammy's Pizza Campground".

For my next campground I decided on the parking lot at Sammy's Pizza.


Now all I had to do was get there.


You see, there was still this dang flooding going on....




Aha...I can see Sammy's up ahead...




Hmmm...How to get there is the question? No turning here...



Eureka! By Jove, I'll try 3 rights.....even if they're all flooded.





Viola...and here we are! Think I better order quick...that water is rising fast.





Oooohh....can you smell heaven with extra cheese?

Note: This is thee best pizza in the world. Period.




Definitely one of my favorite campgrounds. Rate: $17 plus tip.




[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano Viola...and here we are! Think I better order quick...that water is rising fast.

WOW....That is cool. They let you park on the sidewalk.


.

Roger, Bajahowodd, Nomads...

Well...My brother's place in Redmond, WA makes some DARN GOOD pizza!! …He's been in business almost 20 years and is very popular in the area…of course I'm prejudiced, But his reputation for good food is well known!

Here's his Facebook page...
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Frankies-Pizza-and-Pasta/1...





Miguelamo


[Edited on 5-24-2011 by AmoPescar]

[Edited on 5-25-2011 by BajaNomad]

As an Italian that was born and raised in New York, I may have to agree with this. There's absolutely nothing better than a couple of slices from one of the Mom and Pop places in the city.

PS. It's all in the water....

Opinions...

Note: I am highjacking myself to reply to the postings about PIZZA!


"It is not best that we should all think alike; it is a difference of opinion that makes horse races."

That's a quote from one of my favorite American authors...Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)



Who Makes The Worlds Best Pizza?

An easy answer to this. Every pizza lover feels the best pizza is made best in their own home town. West Coast pizza fans are very loyal to their pizza. Mid-west pizza fans are loyal to their own pizza. Don't even get me started about the debate between Chicago Deep Dish pizza vs. New York Pizza. New Haven pizza fans are fiercely loyal to "Wooster Street" style pizza.


American deep dish, thick crust, thin crust, fire-brick, etc, etc..the style and presentations are limitless....as is the pleasure of trying them all. After all, there is only good and not-as-good pizza.

Of course other countries feel their pizza variations are the best...as Co-Pilot will lecture on for hours and hours. Italia alone will overwhelm you with all their different kinds of pizza pies.


Which reminds me....This pizza IS the best in the world..bar none.

Roma, Italia. 'Pizzarito'

Excellent crust and they let you customize your own pizza! Choose whatever spices and toppings (salami, pepperoni, lutefisk, cheeses, etc...whatever you want. Wonderful outdoor seating on the Via Veneto.


Which reminds me: This pizza IS the best in the world..bar none.

Napoli, Italia. 'Cafaso'

Many would place Cafaso as the #1 overall pizza in the world...legendary – charred to a blissful golden delight in a hot seasoned oven. A large pizza with the thinnest crust I have had anywhere in the world, translucent practically. The locals eat with a knife and fork. Ingredients, (must be 30 combinations) are thinly sliced too so as not to overwhelm the pizza. Amazing and truly yummy.


Which reminds me: This pizza is the best in the world..bar none...

Mid-western USA, 'Sammy's Pizza'





One thing is absolutely certain:
I love pizza and you do too!



[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Quote:

Originally posted by Don Jorge Why not Minot! Well, lots of reasons Damn its wet up here this year, Saludos

Hola amigo!

Yes, damn wet up here this spring...I am going to have to make a long detour just to get to my Duk Shak. Two creeks have turned into large rivers and have cut off access from the south...so I go the long way around.








See you later this fall...rooster time with Randy and nephews.

Roger


[Edited on 5-25-2011 by Pompano]

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano Igor, I've had to duck into that cornfield a couple times myself.

Sure glad you like to take pictures, and like stopping at "sites" with historical value

Great stuff... really..

Pizza wars... their all good.. never ate a pizza I didn't like ...

You are sure going through some weather... looks like that rig will go anywhere

Really enjoying the trip and your choice of topping sound good to me...

Keep it coming...

Checking their site out next....

[Edited on 5-24-2011 by wessongroup]

[Edited on 5-24-2011 by wessongroup]

Thanks Jim, I would be glad to return to some Jeep rides around Ouray and Telluride. We may have done some of the same trails.

















yes...the above all come with stories...





One of my favorite motorhome Road Trips is the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton..and taking a ride on the old railway...blowing smoke!

These were from a trip thru that area in Oct, 2009. Fun stuff!















Thanks for the offer and reminders...Can't wait to get back down there!

UP NORTH TRIP ... A SLIGHT DETOUR....

I'm on a short leave from the Up North trip to make a slight detour to inspect my old and much loved Duk Shak on the Dakota/Saskatchewan border. This is a favorite cottage where I get to watch…and hunt…the Central Flyway’s waterfowl winging their way south every fall…what a sight to behold…one of the finest in nature. Millions of migratory birds stop for 2 months or more at the huge surrounding Federal Refuge. My duk shak sits on the inside corner of it’s L-shaped perimeter.



I will further digress with some pertinent facts as to why I have this place...and some other un-pertinent stuff, too.

J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located along the Souris River in north-central North Dakota. This 58,700-acre Refuge extends south from the Canadian border for approximately 45 miles and is the largest refuge in North Dakota. The diverse habitat types found on the refuge - mixed grass prairie, river valley, marshes, sandhills, and woodlands - support an abundant variety of wildlife.
The Refuge serves as an important feeding and resting area for hundreds of thousands of waterfowl which annually migrate through the Central Flyway. The refuge has developed into one of the most important duck production areas in the United States and is a favorite spot for birds of all descriptions to stop during their migrations north and south. More than 300 species of birds have been observed here since the refuge was established. Nearly 125 species nest here.

Gadwall, blue-winged teal, mallard, and Canada goose are the most numerous nesting waterfowl.

Many species of shorebirds and grebes, the white pelican, sandhill crane, lark bunting, longspurs, and the sparrows- including Baird's and LeConte's, are among the list that take summer residence on the refuge. The Refuge is designated as a Globally Important Bird Area and is a regional site in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.
Truly a birder’s paradise.
Managing upland areas for waterfowl nesting habitat has also benefited upland game birds. The sharp-tailed grouse, ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge, ruffed grouse, and wild turkey are all occupants of the refuge.

Many interesting mammals can also be found on the refuge. Animals such as beaver, mink, raccoon, and weasel can be found at home in the marshes. The higher ground, which includes the sandhills area of the refuge, harbors such animals as the white-tailed deer, moose, coyote, red fox, badger, porcupine, and rabbit







I enjoy decoying honkers and greenheads....finest kind! These days I shoot more with my camera than with my shotgun.




This is pothole country… better known as the Duck Hatchery. Here Co-Pilot helps to fatten up some mallards for the coming fall...yeah, sure…!









Snow geese often crowd the skies in migrations of 5-6 million birds…high numbers in the last few years. The snows have been over-populating thier tundra nesting grounds of late. Game biologists are in a quandary to find a solution to the over-nesting dangers. We try do our part…









The upland bird hunting is superb also…lots of pheasants, sharptail, partridge, turkey, and ruffed grouse…sorry, too for north for quail.

Nothing so exciting as a pointing dog....then the FLUSH!

Meet JET.




THE WORK!
I have to take some time out to replace sump pump, water heater, etc. damaged during when the basement flooded!!...then clean up some yard storm damage, and finally draw up plans for a remodel of the utilities...meaning: ‘Put everything above ground level’. ...because...

Damned if the same thing didn't happen last year!!









Guess I might as well add an after-the-hunt c-cktail porch for mi amigos.




Did I mention this spring has been VERY wet in these parts?



Several roads are flooded or nearly so...

There 3 possible roads to reach the Duk Shak.

One is still unpassable..


Another is still ‘passable’ ….for the time being.


A week ago, this road was covered with 3 feet of flood water….okay now at 3 inches.


This greenie loves it, though! Hope you find some corn this fall, mi quacko…eat hearty...and FATTEN UP!





*To be continued from another location:

Next stop will be at the Minot airport where I will depart for San Diego…to return with pickup and Yarcraft backtroller boat. Then it’s time to button up the Duk Shak and continue the Road Trip to another cottage further Up North. Catch some truly great table fish …cold water caught, golden fried & delicious fillets…of.. walleyes!.


The river/lake here is at flood stage now. If it rises much more, I'll just unhook the walleyes into the frypan. Would you care for extra-crispy or regular?



Tally Ho, Watson....the games afoot!




[Edited on 5-29-2011 by Pompano]

[Edited on 10-17-2011 by Pompano]

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano *In the above photo Toneart and others might recognize a certain person... He knows that this fellow is no longer welcome to hunt with me..and why. Hey, he put his foot into it this time...deep...and is really making national news now, right Tony?