Pac Northwest 2020

august - september 2020
Oregon "cool down" with the Hardings Læs mere
  • 23fodaftryk
  • 1Lande
  • 23dage
  • 123fotos
  • 0videoer
  • 1,0kmiles
  • Dag 8

    Day off, and laundry!

    17. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Gave ourselves a slow down day and just enjoyed the park, with a few chores! Got all our laundry done per covid guidelines. The laundry room is scheduled in two hour blocks of time with only one user at a time. Linley and I snagged the coveted slots, 10:30 to 12:30, and the 12:30 to 2:30 windows. Clothes, sheets, and towels all done. They only had 2 washers and dryers so we had to stay on top of it!

    Spent the rest of the afternoon doing some needlework on a quilt project while Tom got an afternoon nap! Great BBQ steak, grilled asparagus and salad for dinner. Still eating inside with AC on, but have a window view of Icicle River.

    Sometimes it is nice to slow down and take a day off from sightseeing goals! Thank you Lord, for AC units and a great campsite!
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  • Dag 9

    Shopping, lunch and shopping!

    18. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    A little cooler day, high 90s, maybe it hit one hundred... but this works out well for shopping! All shops were air conditioned, so we always had a cool respite as we "shopped!"

    Almost all visitors were pretty good about masks, and the stores had tables set up with hand sanitary stations right at the entrance. With signs suggesting you only pick up items that you were interested in buying...

    Leavenworth is a Bavarian themed small town, kind of in the heart of fruit trees, vines, and craft breweries, at the base of the Cascades. Lots of shops, clothing, home accessories, women's boutiques, sporting goods, pretzels, candy, bakeries, bratwurst, cheese shops....and all with air conditioning. Even in "bavaria town" we ended up with pizza for lunch, because frankly, the outdoor seating was in the shade! But I did forego the pepperoni for sausage out of deference for the theme!

    The guys were patient, once we found the ice cream shop and a shady park bench. Spent the day hiking through the shops, and then finished the day with BBQ steaks riverside!
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  • Dag 10

    One long drive to Ranier

    19. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Let's see....interstate or scenic County highway? I will always default to the backroads, but boy, was it a long day! It does not help adding grocery shopping in the morning, and then a "quick" stop at a local fruit stand, which happened to have a gift and quilt shop adjacent. Loved this quilt shop! No fabric, but bought a couple of patterns. With groceries, and fresh fruit in hand we finally started driving about noon!

    It was a pretty drive, that challenged our nav skills...lots of twists and turns, through forests, rivers, orchards, road construction, detours, Seattle/Tacoma suburb rush hour traffic, and final destination outside of the national park for Mt. Ranier by 7:30 p.m. or so! But we survived, not sure Hardings will agree to avoid the interstate next time it comes up! Taco 🥗 and bed!
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  • Dag 11

    Mt. Ranier National Park

    20. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    We are overnighting in an RV park, Elkamp Eastcreek, just outside of Mineral. When booking this most of the campgrounds in the park were already booked. Although about 30 minutes away, this smaller park is really nice with big tall trees, water and power hook ups.

    Drove into Ranier and stopped to get out first glimpse of the mountain at Longmire....but like many of our mountain "views" from other trips, the mountain had some cloud cover! We actually never got a full look at Rainier during the day, but this park has a number of great stops to get a full view. Even with clouds, the views are great. Rainier is big, over 14,000 ft! And you get to see it from so many different stops.

    We spent some time at Longmire, with the original administration buildings, gas station, wood trestle bridge and gift shop. This is in the southwest corner of the park. Pretty quiet day, not many people at this location.

    Drove on and stopped at Christine Falls, one of a number of falls in the park. Because this mountain still has well over a dozen glaciers, there are lots of glacially fed creeks and waterfalls. Odd to see the silty, glacial waters that we associate with Alaska. The falls were really pretty, and glad we stopped. They were just a short walk of the road.
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  • Dag 11

    Mt. Rainier, afternoon views

    20. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    As you drove further in the park the views just keep getting better! Had lunch at Cougar Rock, and the early afternoon stop at Paradise Visitor center. This is the largest and main visitor center in the park. It has spectacular views of Rainier, except if there are clouds! And even with the clouds it did not disappoint... we could see some of the lower part of the mountain, with some glaciers, and a beautiful wildflower garden. LOTS of folks here! This stop is only at 5400 feet, but being so far north we timed it just right for a wildflower bloom!

    Never got in this visitor center, there was a line of visitors, all in masks waiting to get in. And (I think) it was only to go through the gift shop. But what a great location. There are lots of bikes out of this stop. But tons of hikes in the park, all different lengths and difficulties. I would love to come back and spend a couple of days here.

    Drove out Steven's Canyon road, more great views, if not for the clouds... and then all the way to the Steven's entrance, in the south east corner of park. We hopped out and took a short, but fun hike to the Grove of the"Patriarchs", thousand year old year trees, mostly cedar and pines. Crossed a suspension beside over one of the glacial creeks.

    Love this park, can't wait to come back and spend some time!
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  • Dag 12

    Grays Covered Bridge and into Seaside

    21. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Hit the road this morning, stopping in Morton, Washington for gas, coffee and mid morning snacks! (Although the server asked what our lunch order might be...?) Wet drive following the highway on the north side of the great Columbia River! It is a big river!

    Stopped for lunch in a little tiny park in Castle Rock, Loved the flowers, and had a picnic area all to ourselves. The weather was wet and cloudy enough that we never saw Mt. St. Helens, even from the highway.

    We (Linley and I) decided that, in route, a "drive by" of one of the covered bridges in Washington would be interesting. It was, sort of.

    30 minutes later after pulling the jeep from the RV and backing both RVs up the road, we managed to extricate ourselves from a "no turn around" location. Sure wish they would post these signs with much bigger letters! And sooner, instead of in the midst of the turn down the lane.....in spite of the rain we did get back to the highway. I tried to einxplain that this is what "adventure" means in the RV world. Can't quite remember what the bridge looked like.

    Late in the day, we crossed the Astoria-Megler bridge, all 4 miles of it, and had our first glimpse of Astoria. Lots of colorful Victorians, hillside in the view from the highway. RV park was in Seaside, 30 more minutes down the highway. Little pricey, but anywhere on the Oregon coast costs some bucks. However the owner/manager did have 2 week old beagle puppies that we got to hold! So it was worth it!
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  • Dag 13

    Beautiful day in Astoria

    22. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Gorgeous day in Astoria, wet weather gone and lots of blue skies!
    Drove back to Astoria, stopping for coffee and marionberry scones. We love our morning stops...
    We stopped at the Columbia River Maritime museum first. This is a great museum to visit with lots of info on the river, the Coast Guard, the weather, the fishing... just well done. Particularly interesting because this location, for ships entering the river, is one of the most dangerous ports due to the "collision" of the river with the ocean at the river "bar".
    We had a late lunch at Mos, our first indoor dining experience since leaving Fresno. They handled the social distancing really well, tables far apart and well scrubbed between seatings, staff with masks... and we enjoyed our fish lunch with a view of the marina.
    Back in the jeep and up to the Astoria column. The column itself is not open, but the views from the park are fabulous. Especially on such a clear day. On the way down just drove the neighborhood looking at some fabulous old Victorians perched on the hill overlooking the Columbia.
    Back to our RV location in Seaside.
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  • Dag 14

    Morning 101 drive, Astoria to Tillamook

    23. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Another gorgeous day on the Oregon coast. Our intent is to stay on 101 the whole way.

    First stop was Ecola State Park. Great overlook for "terrible tilly", the old Tillamook lighthouse. It is no longer operational, and is located about 1.5 miles of shore. The headland have us a view north to the lighthouse, and a view south to Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock. The drive in, about 2 miles, was a little tricky and not really recommended for RVs, but we squeezed our way in the single wide road.
    Just gorgeous views!

    We got back our of the park, stopping at some more view points, how can you NOT stop?! Drove through Oswald West State Park, numerous other little coastal towns until we got to Tillamook, our lunch destination.
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  • Dag 14

    Afternoon drive, Tillamook to Newport

    23. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    This is the second time Tom and I have been to Tillamook, and both times they were not running tours. We had hoped to get grilled cheese sandwiches, but due to Covid, we stood in line (with masks) and each had ice cream for lunch. No food being served, just ice cream and a selection of 7 oz. Cheeses. The ice cream was delicious!

    Back on the road, snacking on cheese and salami for a very late lunch. More overlooks, and drove the Otter Crest loop with more views! We could not have had more accommodating weather!

    Stayed at the Newport Marina & RV Park this evening. We have been here before, but I wanted to come back because it is right by the bridge, marina, the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Rogue brewery. Lots to do, see, and eat in one location. Just parking lot style park, but good location.

    Dinner at the Rogue, fish and Dead Guy ale! Delicious, especially because no cook and clean up!
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  • Dag 15

    Newport, Yaquina Lighthouse

    24. august 2020, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Couldn't get into Oregon Coast Aquarium; they require reservations to manage occupant load, darn it. So we headed up the highway (after coffee stop at the Human Bean) to Yaquina lighthouse and headland. What a treat!

    Beautiful site, in spite of really strong, cold wind. Visitors center and tide pools closed, but we spent a healthy hour watching some gray whales right beyond the rocky tide pool area. Lots of water spouts, then the long rolling back of the whale. Only to have them pop up in a slightly different spot 5 minutes later. They did not seem to be passing thru, because they were still there when we dragged ourselves away. But not before we finally got to see one tail flip out of the water! And we all saw it at the same time!

    Not only did we need to move on to see some more coast but it was also really windy, "blow your hat off of you were not holding it" windy! Sometimes you really felt like you had to lean into the wind just to hold your spot. Despite the wind it was a great stop!
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