Escape to the COOL Pacific Coast -Butchart Gardens, BC

Herein lies a potpourri of photos from a timely trip up the Pacific Coast from Baja to British Columbia. Grab a seat and I hope you enjoy the views!

Our trip begins in late June at our Coyote Bay home south of Mulege, BCS.



And....

It was time to Bug Out!

We wanted NORTH as far as we could.

Hey...We were plumb worn out from all the huge fish we'd been catching ...not to mention finding homes for all the fillets.



"Hola amigo. One fillet...or two?"



Okay-okay, I know you can't quite swallow that fisherman's story...even though it is sometimes true.

I try to contain these exaggerations by Co-Pilot, but it's a real chore.



Actually...the truth is, it was getting too dang hot to stay in Conception Bay any longer.

"It's hotter'n the Gates of Hell!"became my daily announcement.

It got so hot that a neighbor on our seawall was shedding an article of clothing each day...down to just a bikini. Poor thing....I was very worried she might get sunburned and so I kept plenty of lotion at hand.


Personally, I had already had a bout with heat stroke (or maybe some kind of hot flash)...and complaining bitterly about the heat while running the generator and AC full bore did nothing for Co-Pilot's patience with that whole scene.



Well, anyhoo...we made up our minds to hug the cooler Pacific Coast as close as possible on this annual northbound trip starting from our home in Baja Sur.

We load the camper with all things needed for the long trip north.



We did just that, as we are in love with the gorgeous scenery along that spectacular shore and always find another treasure...or maybe just a friendly rock to lean on.



Our Long, Long Trailer...remember that old movie with Lucy and Desi?



A far different thing than our folk's first campers, right? Here's an old pic of one my Dad built himself and was pretty comfortable for the time. (Sure wish that old car was still around...)



Nice thing about our modern & roomy RV is...we make camp whenever and wherever we want..and in relative comfort.





Co-Pilot always looks forward to these trips... which have the benefit of providing her with plenty of healthy excercise.



Well, off we go on a scenic road trip. Your driver today will be....somebody else.



We took in all the usual and terrific sights...

Starting in San Diego's area:

San Diego Bay





Fun Swap Meets are an addiction of mine...and Co-Pilot humors me.



We get over to the oceanfront attractions as soon as possible.






For all the great street scenes..



...where I got to do a little 'tracking'.



And pass through the coastal cities.



Surfing beaches are plentiful.








California Coast Views.

Following the trail of the padres.







The Golden Gate in San Fransisco ...spells adventure & romance.



While hugging the coast, visiting Hearst Castle was a must-see.



Lots of wildlife along these stretches...like these Canada geese.



Elephant Seals, Seals & Sea Lions line the shores. No longer endangered.



The huge elephant seals coming ashore to lay out in the sun, warming themselves after a hearty meal.









The Sea Lion Caves just south of Newport. (Hint: Bring air freshener!)




Some views..... you just didn't need to see....




We visited and ate at an old Mulege amigo's cafe in Newport. Unique and simply delicious every time.



Lighthouses were a favorite stop.







Colorful coastal towns pepper the entire trip.







Crescent City presented some fine crabbing and delicious dinners.






The Oregon Coast has no comparison..one of the world's best coastal drives.



Plenty of history....like the way the mail was delivered back in the day.




With a thousand trails to explore inland.





Trout are found in most every stream. If you're lucky, some will find a home in your cooler.



Plenty of coffee shops to test the java.



Salt water taffy for all ages.



Boutiques of every description.



It's Co-Pilot's birthday soon.



Hint: She likes these...craves them actually.


Co-Pilot wanted to stop and see if this young couple needed help. I nixed that idea after seeing the diapers come out.



While visiting the Air Museum near Tillimook we caught an exhibition in precision flying by the Blue Angels.





Every seacoast town brought another marina to explore.











Finding a working liquor still in Newport.



Visting amigos and touring their gardens. Seems everyone has a garden these days....



End of Part One...





[Edited on 12-11-2015 by Pompano]

Part Two

PART TWO OF A NOSTALGIC TRIP

One of things I always look forward to on the Oregon Coast...other than enjoying the cooler weather in summers..is

Catching some nice salmon....

....while noting the mood of the region.





Which means a great salmon BBQ is always on the menu.



The berry pies...ummm



Picking your own berries is fun. Sometimes by trial.......



......and error!




Endless sandy & scenic beaches.








We always had plenty of time to relax and take it all in.





Fish 'N Chips...Clam 'N Chips...Oysters N' Chips...do you see a pattern here?



Excercise on some golf courses along the way with amigos who live on the links.



Side trips are common...because we love 'em, too! Hello, Lake Tahoe..scenery plus and nice cool water.

While in the Lake Tahoe area, we got to visit some Baja amigos who were camp-hosting there in the summers. A great way to spend summers in the moutains.






I never worry about banditos and such on these trips back and forth to Baja...or anywhere. Some of us are skilled in many ways... Here Co-Pilot is keeping in shape while practising her Five-Point-Palm Exploding-Heart-Technique .




We found some Wild West places and got into the mood with some photo ops. Here Co-Pilot is into her Lilly Langtree look.



The Heceta Head Lighthouse is just plain fantastic. This would the perfect place to write a book.



The Devil's Cauldron is another great stop...what huge waves crash up and down that channel! Which reminded me to tell Co-Pilot to check the laundry bin.




After awesome times winding up that coast road, we came to the extreme northern part of our journey when we reached Cape Flattery & Puget Sound and gazed off to the north across the waters.

We spot what might be a Bigfoot in the Olympic Rain Forest.



We join in the fun for opening day of Washington's clam season.





Touring a market fair, I chance upon and admire a really nice rack.



Co-Pilot admires Cape Flattery overlook (this is the most westerly spot in the lower 48 states.)



Here we are at Neah Bay...salmon galore in these waters.



Yes, sweetheart, you're the perfect weight for a nice king salmon.



It was fun to watch this great balancing act done by the gals of a Hooter's Pub.





Totem poles are typical of this area.



Hmm? Why not go a little further north? So we left our fifth wheel and pickup at a Port Angeles RV park






....and arranged tickets on the town's ferry which would take us to the pretty manicured seaport town of Victoria, BC on Victoria Island...just west of Vancouver. We took along our bikes so we could tour the whole town at our own pace. This proved to be a very good idea for the entire trip.

Biking allowed us to cover a lot more ground when checking out boats.



Checking out seaside restaurants.


Or just touring some local hotspots.


The 25 mile ferry trip was a scenic trip of about 2 hours...and a good deal at $60 person. We were lucky and saw a lot of marine life on the crossing. Our anticipation mounted as we drew closer to Victoria.





I had made reservations at the grand Fairmont Empress Hotel, a historic and very elegant hotel overlooking the harbor at Victoria. It was a good choice indeed. And so easy to get to on our bikes from the ferry port of arrival.




We were eager to see the sights and didn't waste any time laying on the couch. We made time to go see these magnificent gardens. They were gorgeous and in full flower.



Chinatown was very..chinese.




We took this wonderful carriage as a way to get there and see the sights. Our well-trained horse was named 'Lucy'.





THE BUTCHART GARDENS.

Some history on the Gardens.

Being in the cement industry already, the Butcharts were attracted from Owen Sound, Ontario to Canada’s West Coast by those rich limestone deposits. In 1904, Mr. Butchart developed a quarry and built a cement plant at Tod Inlet (on Vancouver Island) to satisfy Portland cement demand from San Francisco to Victoria. Jennie Butchart became the company’s chemist. Close to the quarry, the Butcharts established the family home complete with sweet peas and rose bushes.





Walkways through the gardens made for an easy and pleasant visit.




The smells along the way were irrresitable.





Several bronze statues are displayed in the gardens.


One, of a wild boar, purchased on a Mediterranean trip in 1973, was cast in Florence, a replica of a 1620 bronze cast by Pietro Tacca. It is called "Tacca" in honor of the sculptor and, just as the original's, its snout is shiny from the many visitors rubbing it for luck.


As Mr. Butchart exhausted limestone deposits, his enterprising wife Jennie, made plans to create something of beauty in the gigantic exhausted pit. From farmland nearby, she had tonnes of top soil brought in by horse and cart and used it to line the floor of the abandoned quarry. Little by little, the quarry blossomed into the spectacular Sunken Garden.

Between 1906 and 1929, the Butcharts created a Japanese Garden on the seaside, an Italian Garden on their former tennis court and a beautiful Rose Garden. Mr. Butchart took great pride in his wife's remarkable work. An enthusiastic hobbyist, he collected ornamental birds from all over the world. He kept ducks in the Star Pond, noisy peac-cks on the front lawn and many elaborate birdhouses throughout the gardens.

The fame of Mrs. Butchart’s gardening quickly spread. By the 1920s more than fifty thousand people visited her garden each year. The hospitable Butcharts christened their estate “Benvenuto”, the Italian word for “Welcome”. Their house grew into a comfortable, luxurious showplace, with a bowling alley, indoor saltwater swimming pool, paneled billiard room and a wonder of its age, a self-playing Aeolian pipe organ (still played on Summer’s Firework Saturdays). Today, it houses the Dining Room Restaurant, offices, and rooms still used for family entertaining.

In 2004, The Gardens was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.


The renown of the family owned gardens is widespread. Each year over a million bedding plants in some 900 varieties give you uninterrupted bloom from March through October. Almost a million people visit annually for spring’s colourful flowering bulbs; summer’s riot of colour, entertainment and Saturday Fireworks; fall’s russets and golds; the Magic of Christmas’ decorations; and winter’s peacefulness.


After our tour, I remind Co-Pilot of some garden chores of our own awaiting us back home.



You're doing a great job, sweetheart...Only 8 more rows to go.



Co-Pilot then reminds me of a promise to take some grandkids on a RV vacation after getting back down to Seattle.
She phones to make the arrangements.


It's a done deal! They are eager to come!



She flys from Seattle to ND to retreive the girlies.


They all arrive back safe and sound..and I have to admit the world is a better place.



Especially at breakfast...Make room, gals, I'm famished.



A few nights later, we got a sitter and went out to eat with some friends. Yummy it was.



Being a diet whisperer, the next day she stocks up on Pepto in case I overeat like yesterday.

The rest of that RV trip was a hoot with two little girlies to show the world. And I enjoyed shopping for them as much as Co-Pilot. That's a grandparent's job after all. They really liked posing in these jean outfits.



And that's a wrap on the summer's trip north!