Dunes and tide pools
3. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We started our drive up the coast in the morning. This began what felt like a somewhat rushed push - with several hours a day in the van. It seemed like everything took longer than what google mapsLæs mere
Cape Perpetua and a place to stay
3. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
We drove up to the view at Cape Perpetua. We could see the toilet flushing down below and the sun sparkled off the water.
But we were all tired and didn't have a campsite reserved nearby - ourLæs mere
Another try at crabbing
4. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
We left the car wash in good spirits and drove up to the public pier in Newport. We set our trap and then went over to the very cool Marine Science Center.
There was an excellent movie aboutLæs mere
The beast!
4. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
When we got back to the pier there were no crabs in our trap 😞
However, we'd been chatting with a nice family who was having success with turkey legs and they gave us one to add to our trap. WeLæs mere
The feast!
4. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We drove up to Fort Stevens at the mouth of the Columbia River on the Oregon side. It was a huge campground with lots of families and kids running around.
But we had things to do - cook George! (WeLæs mere
Minnesota 1st
5. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
After the usual breakfast chores we drove over to see Fort Stevens itself. While we waited for the truck tour to begin, we got to spend some time with Civil War reenactors from the Minnesota 1st.Læs mere
Fort Stevens tour
5. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
We had a tour on the back of a 5 ton truck to learn all about the fort. It was the one place in the lower 48 that the Japanese fired on in WWII. A submarine fired several shells at the fort. The fortLæs mere
Maritime Museum
5. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Over in the town of Astoria we had a quick lunch at the aptly named Pig 'n' Pancakes and then headed over to the excellent Maritime Museum.
The lifeboat pitching on the waves was one of the bestLæs mere
Cape Disappointment
5. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
We finally crossed the bridge into Washington - our last state! Oregon did go by in a bit of a blur - more so than California - but looking back we did get to see a bunch of things... and we caughtLæs mere
Dead Man's Cove
5. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
On the way to the lighthouse we found the beautiful dead man's cove. A fun scramble down revealed a pretty little cove which would have been a pirate's paradise!
Cape Dissapointment Lighthouse
5. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 14 °C
We finished the walk up to the lighthouse. We debated which was taller, the Cape Hatteras lighthouse on the outer banks which we climbed last summer or Cape Disappointment (including the bluff). TurnsLæs mere
Another RV Park hit!
5. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 14 °C
We needed to keep moving north to make it to the Olympic Peninsula so I called a couple camping places but everything was full - if being Saturday night and the interior in the midst of the heat wave.Læs mere
Arrival at Hoh Rainforest
6. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We got up early and made our way north to the Hoh Rainforest in hopes of finding a good campsite at the first-come first-served campground at the end of a 20 mile road.
Turns out we got a great,Læs mere
An afternoon of gaming and relaxing
6. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Having spent so many days driving and pushing ourselves it felt great to just spend the day relaxing and playing games.
Samantha said of Netrunner, one our current favorite games "We have to playLæs mere
We meet Bob
6. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 20 °C
Towards dinner we were relaxing and still playing games when a huge Elk came by and started browsing on the ferns between us and the river. He was very calm and didn't seem to mind the small crowd heLæs mere
Bob comes through
6. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 18 °C
Not content to just forage by the river, Bob decided to walk right up the path to our campsite and nibble some of the tasty plants next to our van. He was so big he seemed to dwarf the van itself!
HeLæs mere
A GoT Miracle
6. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 15 °C
Conspiracy theorists will insist there is a pattern here but nothing could be further from the truth! Here are the facts:
After the first night in Dinuba, we have only skipped sleeping in the van 3Læs mere
Rainforest Walk
7. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
We took a lovely walk in the Rainforest that started near the visitor's center. We learned that the ferns we were seeing can grow to 14 feet but none were higher that about 4 feet because of what weLæs mere
Building the grand canal
7. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 24 °C
We decided to play in the river after lunch. The main river current was pretty strong and seemed to dangerous for the kids. But we found a little side channel fed by a trickle. We thought we couldLæs mere
Bob comes by again and dinner
7. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 23 °C
I was standing at the kitchen at the back of the van when our neighbor called over "Look to your left" - I closed the door, and not 5 feet away - Bob! I backed off before taking pics. So much for myLæs mere
Another rainforest loop
8. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 20 °C
We walked the short "Hall of Moss" trail after breakfast. Lush and pretty. We really liked the nurse logs where a fallen tree becomes an opportunity for new plants.
The Sitka Spruce were huge! ButLæs mere
More loop, then lunch and games
8. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌫 21 °C
We finished the loop, including walking on a fallen 210 foot tall Sitka Spruce. Lest all the smiling pictures give the wrong impression - there are plenty of petty annoyances and grievances by all ofLæs mere
Ruby Beach walk down
8. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
We left around 3:30 for the 45 minute drive out to Ruby Beach. We went so late in the day to get there as the tide was going out and thus have a better chance at tide pool exploration. I also thoughtLæs mere
Ruby Beach driftwood
8. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
A neighbor at our campsite suggested we turn left at the bottom of the trail for a better beach experience. We never found out what was to the right - but left was magical!
Ruby Beach tidepools
8. august 2017, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
The tide wasn't quite all the way out and it wasn't a particularly low low tide (if it had been we would have been digging for geoduck- an item still on my bucket list).
But the kids had fun playingLæs mere



















































































































































































































