Reset search
USA eclipse 2017USA eclipse 2017
SatelliteEdit route

USA eclipse 2017

July - August 2017
A 36-day adventure by John Read more
  • 62footprints
  • 1countries
  • 36days
  • 323photos
  • 0videos
  • 12.8kkilometers
  • 3.3kkilometers
Follow Calendar Share Bucket list
Date ascending
  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 12

    God Dammit Hoover.

    August 7, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C

    Had a super early run to Yavapai Point to watch the sun rise. Back for brekkiie. Then off to say a final farewell to the Canyon from the appropriately named Grand View Point. Probably the best view of the Colorado we've seen. Enjoyed the peace & solitude until a noisy Japanese family appeared. Time to make a sharp exit. The small matter of 250 odd miles to Boulder City & the Hoover Dam. Decided to fill up (the car & us) at Williams - should be cheaper. The freeway junction was before town so we had to make something of a detour. By chance that meant we drove a little of Route 66. Williams was the last town to be bypassed. It was full of Americana looking shops & a Safeway. Stocked up for the journey ahead. Unfortunately the phone satnav wasn't playing ball so distances & arrival times were the old fashioned guestimate. What didn't help was the appalling standard of the motorway surface - pot holes on a motorway is just not safe. This is what you get in a low tax, small state, low investment society. Cruised along, searching for cacti and listening to a popular beat combo from Liverpool. Bizarre world. Made it to the Dam, allbeit with a couple of detours - one scenic outlook and one to try to approach over the dam - don't let you. Did as we were told & faced security, queues for parking & then more security to get in the visitor centre. And the heat!!! Some respite in the centre & jumped the queue with having booked online. Watched a video preaching how heroic it all was & then queued for a lift down to the powerplant. The scale was massive & all the while the subtle vibration of flowing water being channelled beneath. Battled the heat to get some photos outside - both on the dam and from the nearby bridge. The cooling stations dotted around the area helped ensure Liz didn't pass out. Once done - onwards to Boulder City. Hotel had a pool which was good. Did a little washing & it was dry in next to no time. Tea was at a diner that served drinks in the biggest jam jars that existed. Superb food as well.Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 13

    Stress, stress, stress.

    August 8, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Always likely to be a stressful morning but this really took it to the extreme. Breakfast a little later than I would have liked put me on edge. All loaded and on way by 7.40 for a 10.30 flight seemed ok but the small matter of handing over a damaged car made that equation far more uncertain. Also had to fill up. Phone was giving good instructions & all was going smootly enough until traffic. Noooo! On exiting from the freeway, decided to get petrol asap. That didn't go well. First time I had been asked for a zip code. Had to go inside & she wanted to know how much was needed. Not a clue so she took for $30. Thankfully it only ended up being $15 - though getting a receipt proved a battle, both in understanding her & getting her attention in the first place. Onwards - the rentacar was easy enough to locate. Our section not so much. Then the inspection - all of 5 secs to notice the windscreen - not remotely interested by the hubcap. Maintained we were insured but wouldn't commit to what that meant - understandably. Gave me all the paperwork he said I'd need - we'll see. In the hands of the insurance now - not a nice sentence that. Bus to the terminal calmed me down a little and the tiny queue to drop bags more so. Bizarrely check in was road side. By boarding all was rosy - looking forward to milder conditions in Oregon.Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 13

    Just a bit more stress - yeah!

    August 8, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Landed in Portland relatively calm & relaxed - was able to stream a movie and had a decent amount of leg room. Portland airport claims to have won the best airport in USA for the fifth year running - any airport that sets aside an area for bike assembly is alright by me. That unfortunately is where the positivity stopped. Found the car rental and the guy seemed accommodating enough - no problem picking up the car early - omitted to tell us it was going to cost us. Then tried to, underhandedly land us with all sorts of insurance and rescue stuff. All rejected - apparently I was freaking out (man)
    Eventually the paperwork was negotiated & we were told to pick any car from lot 3. This we did - a Focus. Much to the disappointment of the couple following. What did we do next? How did they know which car we were taking? Found a guy & he explained that the contract was sorted on exit. OK - on exit suggested that there were issues I wanted recording. She wasn't happy. Eventually established that anything under the size of a quarter was OK. Out into the wilds of Portland. Phone at the ready & for the most part it did a good job - just one missed turn. What was bad was the traffic & at 1.30 it suggests Portland was a busy old place. Worst driving experience since LA. Exiting from the motorway on the left or the right with little warning isn't great. Still we made it safely out but dread going back as surely we must. The cottage was about 90 miles away & there was a supermarket in Tillamook the nearest main town. Stopped to stock up. As we got close to the coast the mist thickened and the temperature fell. The cottage was found easy enough - perched precariously on the hillside looking out over the beach. Liz unpacked & I had a wander along the beach. Very quiet - nice.    Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 14

    Deer & I - equally scared.

    August 9, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Had phoned up the bike guy last night & though he'd completely forgotten about it he assured me he'd be out at 8.30 with a bike. Was a little skeptical but nonetheless waited in anticipation. 8.30 came and went, bike routes were prepared & I was all set. I was all for getting on phone when up rolls a big 4WD. Happy days. Sorted out the paperwork - laid back round here - no helmet, lock or repair kit. Not needed - we'll see. He proceeded to give me all sorts of tips for routes & places to go. Liz was taking advantage of the facilities - washing hair & clothes so free to go. While the bike would win no awards for modern gadgetry it would do & having a mountain bike on these roads was definitely for the best. First turn off our road - dirt track. Sign of things to come. Steady climb upto Cape Meares & then a road block. Pondered whether that meant bikes. My thoughts were interrupted - a lady checked I knew where I was going & confirmed bikes were ok. Pushed on through the misty forest towards Bay Ocean City spit - an off road track on the site of a resort washed into the sea by erosion. Unfortunately no remains but a fine cycle ride along the bay to a secluded beach. Saw a steam train and scared the shit out of a deer - some blue thing hurtling towards it - it bolted scaring the shit out of me. On the way I bumped into the lady again - her name was Sydney and she gave us some local tips on eats. Also recommended the Tillamook County Fair & in particular the Pig & Ford race. One to figure out there...Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 14

    Out staring a squirrel.

    August 9, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Back from my cycle in time for lunch. Had a quick dip in the hot tub to sooth. Remnants from yesterday's tea served a purpose and the veranda outside helped relax - enjoying the view and the mild temperatures. Eventually itchy feet got the better of me so we had a little wander up the beach - got about as far as Netarts - the next village. The sky was brightening & it was pleasantly warm. The sea was pretty high & Liz wasn't for getting wet feet at the streams so a few piggy backs were called for - could I be trusted... Came back through town and I use the term loosely. Nosied at a couple of the houses for sale - not just us - a passing guy was similarly shocked by the cost of a 4 bedroomed beachside house - $1.6m - not going to happen. Back the veranda and Liz got out-stared by a squirrel - she was always going to blink first. These yankee squirrels are tough.Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 15

    All manner of bizarre treeness.

    August 10, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Laid back start to the day - run along the beach & back for brekkie. Heading up to Cape Meares Lighthouse & wildlife reserve - going to be a misty one again so waterproofs to hand. A world away from walks in the South West but bizarrely we had more rain there than in Oregon. Parked up at the lighthouse area first and ambled down - plenty of info about the local wildlife - most of which had passed through prior to August. Still a few gobby birds could be heard. For once bins had been remembered so Liz was scouring the surroundings for anything of interest. The lighthouse is, apparently, the shortest in Oregon but is one of only 2 to have an 8 faced mirror crafted in France. It's a special little lighthouse in a nutshell. Back up the hill to the Octopus tree - a tree shaped like an octopus & it kind of was but no-one knows quite why it turned out that way. Drove back to the main trailhead and walked down to the big spruce - no explanation needed. Quietness would have been nice though - 2 overly loud families were dominating the surroundings - singing songs for gods sake - how dare they!
    It was indeed a big spruce - apparently 750 - 800 years old.
    Decided to try & make it down to Cape Meares beach - a 2 mile hike should thin out the noisy masses. It did but with the thick mists & forest, views were limited and it was pretty moist under foot. Made it to where the forest thinned and offered some measure of views. Headed back for lunch at The Blue Agate cafe back at base camp. Epic crab & shrimp sarnie with seafood chowder, Liz had an equally monstrous fish and chips. Light tea tonight me thinks.    Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 15

    Mooching

    August 10, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Post stodge fest required one of 2 approaches - relax or work it off. Both were tried. Liz spent time working on her writing & enjoying the view. I went off to get supplies for tea - initially it was supposed to be at the end of a 25 miler but half way up the hill out of town plans changed - opted to go straight to Netarts, explore & pick up supplies. Not really much of a flatter option but definitely shorter. Bit of up & down between Oceanside & Netarts - mist was getting thicker. Got there to find that beyond the 2 grocery stores, there was little more of note - estate agent & hippy tat stores don't count. Took in the harbour - no boats - maybe they were all out... The bigger looking grocery store got the vote but offered little choice & was pretty pricey but I guess did the job. Headed back as the mist started to turn to drizzle. Right decision.Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 16

    Ice cream for lunch.

    August 11, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Really misty morning - could barely see the sea on my morning run. The 3 arch rocks looked as if they were floating on clouds. Had an extended soak in the hot tub. Then on to the main event - taking in all that Tillamook has to offer & first stop was the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The visitor centre was supposedly good for free cheese samples, fine ice cream & fudge. Not a bad combination though they'll do well to compete on any front with Cornwall. The factory visit was unavailable due to the visitor centre being refurbished so we were left with an exhibition about cows & then a queue for the cheese. 6 samples - 2 mild, 2 more mature & 2 messed around with. Was all a little rushed. Had to move on to the next because the person behind would be waiting. The cheese was fine apart from the messed up stuff - why put pepper & jalapenos in? Wandered through the shop to the ice cream area - 1 scoop $4 - 3 scoops $5. Financially it was a no brainer. And as for the size of the scoops - could see why there were so many fat arses around here. My blueberry, stawberry & vanilla combination worked well but boy was it filling. And Liz battled gamely with the huge chunks of chocolate in her mint choc & raspberry white choc mixture. No other lunch arrangements were required. Tellingly at the cash registers there was a range of indigestion medication available.Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 16

    Holy cow, that was some pig race.

    August 11, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The County Show had been recommended as something quintessentially American so it would have been rude not to attend while in Tillamook. The concern was that there wouldn't be sufficient to entertain us until the essential viewing that was the pig and ford race at 5.30. We had an amble around town to try and pass a little time but eventually concluded that there wasn't much else in town. Parked up - our little car (a focus) hidden amongst massive pick-ups & 4WDs. Something of a metaphor. Wandered in - sampling the popcorn and we were in another world. Cow parades with a running commentary on the size & shape of their teets. All manner of bizarre foods - elephant ears, deep fried oreos & funnel cakes were on offer. Animals of all sizes & varieties were on show - some less harmoniously than others - a pair of pigs were having a barny. Explored the show & the carnival & then settled down to a couple of the horse races - atmospheric - though nothing was riding on it. There was an ice-cream tasting competition, hypnotists & lots of kids doing dodgy dances. There were gun & hunting exhibitions next to the Republican party's area proudly displaying pictures of the Orange one. It was all very random. But this was just the appetiser. The main course of weirdness was yet to come. Took our seats in the stands for the 'world famous' pig and ford race. Guy grabs a pig, puts it under his arm, cranks his Model T started & then proceeds to race round the track, swaps pig & repeat. The winners go through to the world championship - the fact that no-where outside of this bit of Oregon competes is irrelevant. The compere claimed this to be classic redneck fare. It was in fact hilarious - not sure the pigs agreed - a fair bit of squealing. The 2 races came & went - nothing could follow that so we didn't try & better it & went to the shops for fruit. A good proportion could do with taking our lead - yet more fatness.Read more

  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017
    Day 17

    Morning Cycle.

    August 12, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Got upto the grim news that Liverpool had conceded a sloppy equaliser. Not happy. Nice cycle should help. Had one planned that might just do the trick. 23 miles along the Tillamook Bay and estuary and using forestry roads to cut back to Netarts. Started out and refreshing is probably the polite way of describing the temperature. Still a good chunk was uphill so it worked. Initially I was on the Cape Meares stretch - some nice views and some dodgy roads. At the other end, just by the road block duty was done - informing a big group of cyclists that the road hadn't entirely been swallowed up by the sea. Nice easy cycle along the river & so many cyclists going the other way - maybe drivers in Oregon are courteous towards cyclists...
    A short spell on the main road to Netarts suggested otherwise - plenty of inappropriate overtaking by pick-ups & 4WDs. Thankfully most of the way back was forestry roads - very quiet. At Netarts there was no avoiding the main road - back to the bad old ways. Pulled to the side of the road to take a photo - was given grief by a pick up for being in the way. If your car barely fits on the carriageway & you find it difficult negotiating obstacles because of this, don't blame me - get a smaller car. To soften the annoyance there were tentative signs that this may end up being a sunny day.    Read more

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English