Travelogue

Herman, the 70 Year Old SturgeonWe woke up to our first rainy day of the trip. Not bad, considering we had been out on the west coast for over 5 weeks (counting this trip and last) and had not had one drop of rain the entire time.

Our plan for the day was to drive down to Portland and then east along the scenic Columbia River Gorge. It was a bit challenging at first to actually figure out our route, because both Washington and Oregon have competing Columbia River scenic drives. We decided to split the difference and do a little of both.

The Oregon scenic drive started in the town of Troutdale, about l6 miles east of Portland, right off I84. Before beginning the drive, we stopped in a Camping World so Herb could pick up some needed RV paraphernalia, and hopefully wait for the rain to stop. While Herb was shopping, I struck up a conversation with a store employee and told him that we were planning to drive the Historic Columbia River Highway in our motorhome. Luckily I did, because he told me that we would have to be crazy to do that road on a rainy day in a motorhome. Thank goodness for local knowledge, because there was nothing in the guide books that indicated that. Instead we would have to take I84 which parallels it instead. I was a bit disappointed that we would be on an interstate rather than a scenic drive, but the highway still traced the river and was scenic as well.

Rainy Day at the Fish HatcheryOur first stop was the Bonneville Lock and Dam, the nation’s largest hydroelectric plant, where there was a visitor center with exhibits on the history of the dam. What I really wanted to see, however, was Herman the Sturgeon, a somewhat famous 70-year-old, 10-foot long, 450 pound sturgeon that lived in the nearby Bonneville Fish Hatchery. Herman did not disappoint—he was huge. Funny how everything is relative. On a rainy day like this, Herman was a highlight.

The Hatchery, however, was so much more than just Herman. It’s really about the salmon, 80,000 of which return here each late summer/early fall to spawn. Once they arrive, they are sorted before the spawning begins. The hatchery raises 8 million Fall Chinook, 1.2 million Coho, 200 thousand Summer Steelhead, and 60 thousand Winter Steelhead each year. Unfortunately, for the salmon that is, it is a one-way trip, as they die soon after spawning.

At this point, we crossed the Bridge of the Gods over to the Washington State side and continued our drive along Washington Route 14. The drive truly was beautiful, regardless of which side of the river you were on.

Columbia Hills State ParkFortunately, the rain had stopped and the skies were starting to clear. The next planned stop along the drive was the Maryhill Museum of Art, but since it was already mid-afternoon, we decided to find a place to camp for the night so that we could visit the museum in the morning.

Once again, our handy new Moon West Coast RV Camping guide pointed us to Columbia Hills State Park, with a scenic rating of 10. It was a little confusing at first because the GPS showed it as Horsethief Lake State Park, its previous name. The campground was quite small, just 12 RV sites, and empty except for one camper van. Although it was very pretty, I am not sure I would have ranked it a 10—maybe more like an 8 or a 9. However, it was conveniently located, right off Route 14, and 13 miles west of the Maryhill Museum.

Description

Lolo Observing Fish at Bonneville HatcheryColumbia Hills State Park is a 338-acre park with Horsethief Lake and 7,500 feet of Columbia River shoreline. The campground has eight sites with partial hookups, four sites with no hookups, and six primitive tent sites.

Travelogue

Lolo Climbing the Overhang at Stone GardensAlthough Tommy had to return to work Monday morning, we were not quite ready to leave him yet. Rather than starting our southward journey right away, we decided to camp in the Seattle/Tacoma KOA so that we could meet Tommy after work at his rock climbing gym in Bellevue. Also, we needed a little downtime to do laundry, so slowing down a bit and staying at the KOA for 2 nights would help us get recharged for the next leg of our journey.

Driving up I5 to Seattle during rush hour is not a pleasant event, so we left a bit earlier than we needed to and went to the Crossroads Bellevue Mall, where Tommy’s gym was, to kill some time. It was a very nice mall, and the comfy leather chairs between a Starbucks and a bookstore were just what we were looking for. I settled in happily with a decadent Iced Caffe Mocha and my Kindle to pass the time before Tommy’s arrival.

Ever since we purchased our Kindles, we have sadly moved away from real live books—that is, except for travel books. Electronic versions of travel books just don’t cut it for me. So, after awhile, we wandered into the nearby Barnes & Noble to check out their travel section.

Tom and Herb at Stone GardensTo our surprise and delight we found a book that we always thought should have been written, but didn’t know existed—a campground guide with ratings based on scenic beauty rather than how many playgrounds or laundries it has. Not that there is anything wrong with the Woodall type of rating of campground facilities, but it just isn’t our main priority in finding a campground. The book (as you will see on the right under “Recommended Books”) is called Moon West Coast RV Camping. It contains more than 2,300 campgrounds (both privately-owned and state and national parks) and ranks them from 1 to 10 on scenic beauty. It also lists the 10 best campgrounds in certain categories, such as Best Fishing, Best Coastal sites, etc.). I am telling you, this book has been transformational for us. Ever since we bought it, we have referenced it for every campground we have stayed in.

About a half hour before Tommy was scheduled to arrive, we headed over to Stone Gardens (his rock climbing gym) to get certified for climbing. Every climbing gym, as it should, has a test you must pass before climbing to prove you know how to use the equipment. Having recently passed just such a test at Andrew’s gym in San Francisco, I was feeling pretty cocky that this would go just as smoothly. I quickly showed off my ability to make a figure eight knot and tie it into my harness, to the nodding approval of the staff member testing me. But then he pulled out a device that I had never before seen in my life and placed it in my hand. This was not the same belaying device used in Andrew’s gym. After fondling it for a bit, I glanced helplessly over at Herb. “Ah… Could I phone a friend?” I felt like asking. But no, the rules were strict. There was no getting help from anyone else. I had flunked. I was so disappointed, because I really wanted to climb with Tommy and Herb. But alas all was not lost. Although I had failed the belaying portion of the test, and therefore deemed to be a hazard at one end of the rope, I had passed the climbing part and was free to have someone belay me when I climbed. This was perfect. Herb and Tommy could belay each other and me.

Herb Belaying Tom at Stone GardensWe spent the next few hours climbing. Like Andrew’s gym, this one also had a lot more climbs that I could do than our gym back home in New Jersey. Tommy’s frequent trips here were paying off. Herb was really impressed with how good he had gotten.

We stopped for a quick bite to eat afterwards at a nearby Thai restaurant. Before we went back to the campground, I really wanted to see Tommy’s new apartment in Seattle, which he had recently moved into with some friends from college that were now going to the University of Washington for their PhDs. He suggested that we just follow him and that it was only about 20 minutes away. Well, it was dark and we soon realized that the car we were following was not his, and we soon found ourselves going south on I405. We didn’t even have Tommy's address, so we called him and then put it into our GPS. By then, we were way off course and it probably took us about an hour, and one cop inquiring as to why we were pulled over on the side of the road looking confused, before we finally found his place. It was very nice, and I felt better for having seen it.

After thanking Tommy for showing us a great time in Leavenworth and Seattle, we headed back to our KOA in Kent. I hate goodbyes, but with this new spreading out of the family, I was going to have to get used to it.

Description

Popular urban 134-site campground located 17 miles south of Seattle in the town of Kent, Washington. During the summer times, tours of Seattle are offered from the campground.

Travelogue

Lolo and Tom on route to Colchuk LakeAfter Astoria, it was pretty much a straight drive up I5 to Seattle and over to Microsoft Building 35, where we would pick Tommy up from work at 5:00 before heading out to Leavenworth in the Cascades for the weekend. The Microsoft Campus was huge and very impressive. There are more than 30,000 employees at this location alone. When he walked out of his office, I barely recognized him. He looked so professional and grownup. I wanted to cry.

I originally planned to take scenic Route 2 through the Cascades to get to Leavenworth, but the traffic on I405 North just to get to Route 2 was reportedly practically standing still, as it often is on Fridays after work. Instead we decided it was worth adding some extra miles to avoid traffic, so we headed a short distance south to get on I90 East, where we would then take Route 97 north into Leavenworth.

The drive was beautiful—and to think this wasn’t even considered the scenic route. By the time we got to the Pine Village KOA in Leavenworth it was dark and late. Thank goodness I had made reservations, because this place was hopping.

Viewpoint on Colchuk Lake HikeThe next morning we arose to sunny skies and the promise of an outstanding hiking day. Tommy and I had each done research on hiking trails in the area, but we thought it would be a good idea to stop at the Forest Ranger Station right in town to gain some local knowledge. When we told the ranger we were looking for a physically challenging 6 to 9 mile hike with excellent views, she immediately suggested the 8.4 mile round trip hike to Colchuk Lake along Icicle Ridge.

Getting to the trailhead was a bit of an adventure in itself – 8.4 miles along Icicle Creek Road, left on Eightmile Road, and then another 3.8 miles on a washboard dirt road to the trailhead. We were far, however, from being the only ones in the parking lot for this very popular hike.

Final Approach to Colchuk LakeThe trail began easily enough, tracing Mountaineer Creek through a cool, dark forest before transitioning into an open lodgepole pine forest. After about 1 ¾ miles, we crossed a log bridge over the tumbling waters of the Creek to what appeared to be a giant boulder field with no trail in sight. However, the trail did go on and much more steeply now as we climbed up, around, and over this boulder field and around granite ledges before being getting our first view of the beautiful, snow-covered Enchantment peaks.

At about 2 ½ miles we came to a trail junction, and went left towards Colchuk Lake, continuing our steep ascent through more boulder fields and forests, crisscrossing the creek several times. I was getting a bit tired by now, but was spurred on by Tommy’s enthusiasm and the increasingly tremendous views of the surrounding peaks and valley below.

Lolo and Tom at Colchuck LakeFinally, we caught our first glimpse of the lake through the trees and descended the short 0.1 mile spur trail down to a rocky ledge above what had to be one of the most beautiful alpine lakes I have ever seen. Its glacial waters were the bluest of blues, and also probably the coldest of colds, as its name implies—“Colchuk” is Chinook for “cold water.” It was easy to see why this lake is considered to be one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in all of Washington, which is saying quite a lot.

Equally stunning is the lake’s surroundings. Along the northern shore, the Colchuk Glacier sits nestled between a pair of rocky spires, known as Dragontail and Colchuk peaks, gradually feeding this lake with its frigid ice melt.

We ate lunch out on the ledge enjoying the views, before retracing out steps through forests, across creeks, and over boulders back to the parking lot.

Tom and Lolo Enjoying Munchen Haus BeersWhat I was really looking forward to after the hike was spending time in the town of Leavenworth itself, which we had gotten a brief glimpse on our drive to the hike. The town was adorable. It was as if a Bavarian Village had been lifted out of the Alps and transported to the Cascades. Everything about the town was German, even down to the fonts on every building in town. We were especially amused by the giant Bavarian “M” rising above a McDonalds. There were nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks, and beer gardens as far as the eye could see. Ahhh…the beer gardens. The perfect place to relax after a long hike in the Alps—or Cascades I mean.

For all our traveling experiences, I am embarrassed to say that I have never been to Europe. So far I have pretended to be in France when visiting Quebec City, and now, as far as I was concerned, I was in Bavaria and it was Octoberfest. Bring on the oompah band.

Visconti's at DuskWe found the perfect spot to enhance our Bavarian experience—the Munchen Haus Bavarian Grill and Beer Garden, where we sat on the outdoor patio overlooking the mountains. Herb and Tom ordered the largest mugs of beer I have ever seen in my life, while I ordered a more respectable mug. After we were done with them, we were even more convinced that we were in the Alps. It was wonderful—a definite trip highlight. I even bought a mug to keep in the RV. To this day, I smile every time I look at it.

After a brief stop at the campground to shower, we headed back to town to find a place to eat. I was still in full Bavarian mode—in fact, if I had a dirndl I would have worn it—so I was pushing for a place with live accordion music. Herb and Tom, however, were not interested in seeing someone in lederhosen playing oompah music. They won and we found ourselves back at the Munchen Haus outdoor patio, this time to try some of their mouthwatering sausages.

Peshastin Pinnacles State ParkAfter dinner, we strolled around the town and were drawn to the sound of live music (not of the accordion variety) coming from the patio of the Leavenworth Sausage Garden. I had definitely had enough beer, so I got a coffee, and Herb and Tom got a token beer as we sat and listened to the music for awhile. I was practically glowing. It had been such an absolutely incredible day.

The next morning, before heading back to Seattle, we drove east on Route 2 for about 4 miles to Peshastin Pinnacles State Park, a park that is primarily a rock climbing destination. Although we had no time or intention of climbing that day, we thought it would be good to check out for the future, as Herb and the boys are very avid rock climbers.

Hiking at Peshastin Pinnacles State ParkThe park was beautiful, with 34 acres of sandstone slabs and spires that could be climbed, some of them rising as high as 200 feet. We hiked for a bit along the trails at the base of the pinnacles, admiring the views of the surrounding fruit orchards below and the Enchantment Mountain Range in the distance.

Our visit to Leavenworth had been amazing, and it is definitely a place we will return to on our future visits to the Pacific Northwest. It has so much of what we look for in a destination – beautiful scenery, great hikes, rock climbing, and of course the sausage and beer gardens.

Description

Leavenworth StorefrontsLeavenworth is a lovely Bavarian-themed village located along scenic Route 2, about 2 ½ hours east of Seattle.

Back in the 60s when this town was facing economic difficulties, someone got the idea of taking advantage of its beautiful mountain setting and transforming it into an imitation of a Bavarian Village in the Alps. Everything about the town is German. Nearly every commercial building has alpine architecture with their names displayed in Bavarian fonts. There are Bavarian souvenir shops where one can buy cuckoo clocks, Hummel figurines, and nutcrackers, as well as numerous Bavarian sausage and beer gardens.

And those beautiful mountains are not just for gazing at over a beer. The nearby Alpine Lakes Wilderness has some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the state to hike and backpack through.

Leavenworth did it right and today it has become one of Washington State’s most popular tourist destinations.

Travelogue

Wreck of the Peter IredaleOur chosen destination for the evening was Fort Stevens State Park, the northernmost of the State Parks along the Oregon Coast. Unfortunately, our stops at Oregon Dunes and Heceta Lighthouse had pushed our arrival back a bit more than planned, so we barely had time to see the park before sunset.

We went first to the Wreck of the Peter Iredale, the remains of an old steel sailing vessel that ran ashore in 1906 en route to the Columbia River. Since it was low tide, the wreck was completely stranded on the beach.

Even more interesting than the shipwreck, was a wreck of a different sort in the parking lot, in the form of a truck converted into what I guess you could call an RV. It made Cousin Eddie’s RV in Christmas Vacation look like a Prevost. It was totally painted over with Peace signs, and the words Love and JESUS in bubble letters across its entire length.

Fort Stevens State Park RVWe soon met its occupants, a very happy, but a bit dazed fellow that looked like he was still in the 60s, and his dog. Every time the dog walked away from the RV, its owner would yell, “Hey, get back up” and the dog would obediently jump up on the front bumper and pose like a hood ornament. This bizarre interaction between dog and owner went on and on at least 4 times while we were there.

We toyed with the idea of staying at this lovely beach to watch the sunset, but decided to try to get to the Observation Deck near the mouth of the Columbia River in time. I am glad we did. Not only because we were getting a little tired of the dog and hippy show, but because the observation deck provided a unique view of the Columbia River meeting the sea.

By the time we got back to our campsite, it was already quite dark, but at least we did get a chance to see a bit of the park.

Sunset from Columbia River Observation DeckThe next morning I was very excited, because today we would see Tommy for the first time in 2 ½ months, the longest we have ever been apart.

We got on the road fairly early and made a quick stop at the nearby Astoria Column, a rather unique structure patterned after Trajan’s Column in Rome. Similar to the murals that spiral up the Roman column, this one’s exterior wall depicts the history of the area. Just as we pulled into the parking lot, several school buses unloaded dozens of children, who began to run noisily towards the column. Oh boy, we better hurry. We beat them to it, and were able to climb up to the top of the column, take photos of the wonderful view of the Columbia River, and get down just as they were starting up.

Now, no more stopping, but onto Seattle and Tommy!!

Description

Top of Astoria ColumnFort Stevens, the northernmost park along the Oregon coastline, is located 10 miles west of Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River. The Fort was in service for 84 years, from the Civil War through the end of World War today. Today its 4,200-acres of forests, wetlands, and beaches offers exploration of history, nature, and recreational opportunities, including:

• 9 miles of biking trails
• 6 miles of hiking trails,
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Wildlife viewing
• Sandy beaches for ocean swimming
• Freshwater swimming in Coffenbury Lake
• An historic military fort
• An historic shipwreck, the Peter Iredale

There is also a campground with 476 sites, 15 yurts, and 11 deluxe cabins.

Travelogue

Heceta Head LighthouseContinuing our drive up the coast, we made our second must-see stop for the day at Milepost 178.3, the Heceta Head Lighthouse. There is actually a viewpoint at Milepost 179, where the iconic shots of this lighthouse are taken, but we kind of missed that. Instead we pulled into the originally planned parking lot for the trail up to the lighthouse.

It was easy to see why this is the most photographed lighthouse on the Oregon Coast. The lighthouse sits 200 feet above the ocean, perched on the western end of beautiful 1,000-foot high Heceta Head.

We took the short trail up the western end of the headland towards the lighthouse. We first came to the Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters, a lovely white house, with a traditional red roof, and people happily mingling on the beautiful old porch that extended the length of the house. I love old houses and their porches and immediately wanted to figure out how I could be on it too. This was not to be, however, as I soon learned that the Keeper’s Quarters is a bed and breakfast, and these lucky people were paying customers. Mental note: add staying at Heceta Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast to Bucket List.

After gazing enviously over the white picket fence a little longer, Herb nudged me along to the lighthouse, where we took many photos of it and the beautiful headlands.

A very lovely stop indeed.

Description

Lolo at Base of Heceta Head LighthouseHeceta Head Lighthouse is located at milepost 178.3, about 13 miles north of Florence. Perched on the western end of 1,000-foot high Heceta Head, 205 feet above the sea, this lighthouse is the most photographed one on the Oregon Coast. Its beacon can be seen 21 miles from land, making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast.

In 1978, the lighthouse and keepers quarters was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and engineering significance.

A short trail leads from the parking lot to the historic lighthouse and the assistant lighthouse keeper’s house. Today the lighthouse keeper’s house is a bed and breakfast operated by a concessionaire of the U.S. Forest Service.

Travelogue

Lolo Hiking the Oregon Dunes National Recreation AreaWe had two days and 440 miles to cover to get to Seattle to scoop up Tommy from work on Friday to begin our Washington State adventure. That didn’t exactly give us time to do justice to the Oregon Coast Highway, so we would have to be quite selective in our stops.

I had picked up a copy of the Oregon Coast Mile-by-Mile Guide at a visitor center and was finding it very useful in efficiently plotting our day. It gave an excessively detailed milepost by milepost breakdown of sights along the Highway. After quickly flipping through its pages, I selected two must sees: the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Heceta Head Lighthouse.

Figuring out how to visit Oregon Dunes NRA was not as easy as it seemed, as there were only a few places where the dunes were accessible. These were serious dunes. In fact, they are the largest expanse of coastal dunes in all of North America, extending for more than 40 miles along the coast. However, the Milepost guide helped me find the Oregon Dunes Overlook at Milepost 200.8 – this guide was great! Its mileposts even went down to the decimal point.

A short walk from the parking lot brought us to a platform that looked out over the dunes and to the Pacific. Usually we are not easily satisfied with just looking, so Herb and I decided to hike the down through the dunes and out to the ocean and back – 2.3 miles in total. It was very definitely worth the time and effort invested.

Description

Oregon Dunes National Recreation AreaThe Oregon Dunes Overlook is located at milepost 200.8, about 40 miles north of Coos Bay and 10 miles south of Florence. A short walk from the parking lot are viewing platforms high atop a forested sand dune that overlook a portion of the vast expanse of dunes that comprises the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

A 3 ½ mile loop trail leads from the Overlook through the dunes and out to the ocean.

These dunes, which were formed by millions of years of wind and rain erosion, are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America.

Travelogue

Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor Ocean ViewOregon is a state that we have neglected in our past travels – it was just too far to include in a 3 ½-week out and back trip from New Jersey. However, now that Tommy is living in Seattle, we will have many more opportunities to explore this beautiful state. On our last trip 2 months back, we visited Bend and Crater Lake, but this time we were going to drive the coastal route – all 363 breathtaking miles of it.

One great thing we have discovered about the Northern California and Oregon coast is that so much of it is publicly accessible through the state park systems. Along the Oregon Coast alone there are about 90 state parks, recreational areas, scenic viewpoints, etc., 18 of which have campgrounds. That is one for every four miles of road – not something you would find on the East Coast.

Arch RockKnowing the multitude of camping choices beforehand, I did my research and reserved Sunset Bay State Park, in Coos Bay (about 120 miles north of the California border) for two nights. We find that two nights is the minimum to really get to experience a place. There were so many good parks to choose from, but this one kept coming up in the guidebooks as pretty spectacular.

One of the most beautiful stretches of the coastline is the 12-mile Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a forested linear park with tremendous views of rugged cliffs, secluded cove beaches, and forested sea stacks. The park was named for the first Oregon Parks superintendent, and a monument in his honor told how it was mostly due to his foresight and efforts that so much of the Oregon coastline has been set aside for current and future generations to enjoy.

We stopped at the viewpoint for one more of the Corridor’s gems, Arch Rock, an offshore monolith carved into an arch by the relentless waves of the sea.

Shore Acres State Park Ocean ViewThere were so many beautiful viewpoints and parks along the Oregon Coast Highway, but we would never get to our campground if we stopped at all of them. You could literally spend days exploring this route. We would have to be discriminating in our choices.

Sunset Bay State Park certainly did not disappoint. The campground was located just across the road from a beautiful cove, surrounded by sandstone cliffs. I could already picture that evening's cocktail hour watching the sun dip below the horizon in this dramatic setting.

Lolo Running Through JungleBeing a bit too early for cocktailing, we decided to go for a run on the hiking trails that connect Sunset Bay with its sister parks, Shore Acres and Cape Arago. We figured we would take a nice 5-mile run first, and then get back to the campground to shower and prepare for sunset on the beach. We took a camera along on our run in anticipation of some pretty awesome views.

According to the trail map, the trail ran along the top of the bluffs through Shore Acres State Park (in 2 miles) and onto Cape Arago State Park (in 4 miles). Unfortunately, we probably didn’t have time to do the entire 8-mile run and still get back in time for sunset. We decided to just head out and play it by ear.

Cape Arago ViewpointThe trail left Sunset Beach and immediately climbed to the top of the bluffs, where the views were so good that we kept stopping to take pictures. At this rate, I figured we weren’t going to get in too much of a run. At about ¼ mile in, we must have made a wrong turn, because we wound up on a rocky cove beach that dead ended. A bit confused as to how we had missed the trail, we retraced our steps back up from the cove and continued on what we now thought to be the correct trail.

When we reached Shore Acres State Park, we began the negotiating phase of the run. I wanted to continue on and see Cape Arago, but Herb, seeing his sunset cocktail hour slipping away, wanted to turn back. I assured him that we could have it all, both the full run and making it back in time for sunset.

1st Night at Sunset Bay BeachA bit further on, we came to a trail junction and decided to follow the white chalked arrows pointing towards the left. These arrows must obviously be pointing us in the correct way, we thought. As we began an extremely steep descent through a jungle, followed by an equally steep ascent, we began questioning whether we were actually on the right trail. This was supposed to be a pleasant family stroll, not an eco-challenge. This ridiculous up and down went on for 2 ¼ miles. I admit I was getting very concerned that we might be lost, and it didn’t help that the thick jungle-like flora was making it very dark in here.

Finally, we came out on the road near South Cove in Cape Arago. We were both a bit cranky at this point, totally focused on figuring out who was to blame for this very dysfunctional trail run. We had already run 6 miles, so rather than attempt to find the trail that we should have taken to get here, we decided to take the most direct route back, which meant running on the road back to Sunset Bay State Park. We barely stopped to see the sea lions barking on Shell Island just offshore and continued on with the thought of returning here another day—by car.

Lolo in her Kayak at the South Slough National EstuaryI couldn’t believe how quickly we got from Cape Arago to Sunset Bay by road compared to what we had gone through in the other direction. Still, I didn’t regret it. It was an adventure, and we did get a much better workout in than originally planned.

Plus, we didn’t totally miss the sunset. With no time to shower, we hurried down to the beach just in time to chug down a glass of wine and take some photos. We would have to plan better for the next night.

The next day was our kayaking day, our first on the West Coast. When we moved the motorhome out west in June, we brought our kayaks, but had not as yet had the opportunity to use them. Now it was time for their maiden voyage into the Pacific—well not exactly the Pacific, but an estuary that connected to it.

South Cove Beach at Cape AragoWhen researching kayaking in the Coos Bay area, everything seemed to point to the South Slough National Estuary as a premier kayaking destination. We had also read that it was important to time our trip with the tides, in order to paddle the incoming tide south from the ocean and the outgoing tide back north, as the water receded back to the ocean. Also, if you stayed south too long, you could run out of water and get caught up in the mudflats. Fortunately for us, the tides allowed for a late morning launch and a mid-afternoon return.

We launched the kayaks at the Port of Coos Bay Industrial Annex Landing just south of the bridge and the fishing boat traffic. The water was extremely calm and we were able to leisurely paddle along with the current enjoying the wildlife, especially the herons and egrets.

Cape Arago LighthouseSince time and the tide were on our side, we decided to paddle into freshwater Elliot Creek where we ate out lunch. About this time, as always happens to us when kayaking, the wind began to pickup from the north, meaning that we would have to battle against it the whole way back, once again turning a leisurely event into a strenuous workout—just like yesterday’s run. The wind also made the water much rougher, very different from the glassy surface we cruised down in the morning.

After a total of 9 miles of paddling, we made it back to the boat launch, which I was very happy to see.

Back at the campground, we decided to drive the car to Shore Acre and Cape Arago State Parks to visit the places we didn’t have time to enjoy yesterday.

Boaters at Sunset BayOur first stop was the Botanical Gardens in Shore Acre State Park. This park was once the estate of a timber baron. Although the manor house is long gone, the gardener’s cottage and 5 acres of formal gardens remain for visitors to enjoy. We arrived too late for the visitor center, but we were able to enjoy a stroll through both an English garden and a Japanese garden with a lily pond.

Our next stop was the Simpson Reef Wildlife Viewpoint to watch and listen to the seals and sea lions that live on Shell Island, a short distance offshore. The day before on our run, I would occasionally hear the barking of seals and had no idea where the sound was coming from. Now we had discovered its source, and there was a whole colony of them.

Sunset Bay Beach AfterglowWhen we got to the end of the road in Cape Arago, we hiked down the South Cove Trail to the tide pools. Once again, the tides were in our favor, and we were able to see many starfish and anemones.

Satisfied with having seen what Shore Acre and Cape Arago State Parks had to offer, we headed back to Sunset Bay to enjoy a more leisurely sunset cocktail hour. It reminded me a bit of our sunset viewing on Caspar Beach in Mendocino, California on our earlier trip.

One thing the West Coast definitely has over the East is dramatic sunsets over the water. The East Coast does have its sunrises, but I sleep rather than cocktail through those—probably a good thing.

If this was just a taste of what the Oregon Coast has to offer, we would definitely be back to enjoy some of those 17 other state park campgrounds.

Description

Starfish at South Cove Beach, Cape AragoSunset Bay State Park, in Coos Bay, Oregon, is located in one of the most scenic areas on the Oregon Coast. Its campground is located just across the road from a beautiful cove surrounded by sandstone cliffs, an excellent place to watch a dramatic sunset. A network of hiking trails connects Sunset Bay with nearby Shore Acres and Cape Arago State Parks, which sit atop rugged sandstone cliffs and headlands.

Shore Acres State Park, once the estate of a timber baron, has a beautiful formal English garden and a Japanese garden with a lily pond.

Cape Arago State Park is located at the end of the Cape Arago Highway, just 2.5 miles south of Sunset Bay, is a scenic headland that juts out into the ocean. There are two main trails here. The North CoveTrail leads to a view of an off-shore colony of seals and sea lions on Shell Island. The South Cove Trail leads down to a sandy beach and tide pools.

Travelogue

Lolo on Klamath RiverOur next campground reservation was for a two night stay in Sunset Bay State Park along the Oregon Coast, about 10 hours from Petaluma. I had planned it so that we had an extra night in between, so we wouldn’t have to drive the whole way in one day. We toyed with driving the coastal route along Route 1 from Petaluma, but decided instead to make some time on US 101 to Eureka. I felt a little guilty just driving through Redwood National and State Parks without stopping, but we had just been there two months ago on our previous trip out West, so I didn’t feel too bad. Besides, we had a lot of driving to do.

At first I thought Crescent City might be a good stopping point, but then Herb reminded me that the town and the campground we stayed in last year were a bit sketchy, so perhaps it would be a better idea to find someplace new.

Klamath Riverside RV Park SunsetAs we drove along US 101 into the town of Klamath, about 20 miles south of Crescent City, we noticed several campgrounds right along the Klamath River that looked pretty nice. In fact, there were three right next to each other. We somewhat randomly chose Riverside RV Park, and selected a nice site along the river.

The owners of the campground told us that although the campground was quiet now, it had been hopping the week before during the steelhead salmon run up the river. That would have been exciting to see, but a bit of a Catch 22, because if they were running, we never would have been able to get a campsite . Now that we have a son living in the Pacific Northwest, we really have to learn more about where and when the salmon are running, because it really is a big deal out here.

We spent the remaining daylight enjoying a glass of wine and watching the sunset over the river.

Description

Lovely RV Park located near the mouth of the Klamath River on Highway 101 in Klamath, California.

Travelogue

Herb at Baker BeachThis flying stuff was great. After years of spending 5 grueling days crossing the country, it's still hard for us to get used to the novelty of waking up in New Jersey and going out to dinner in San Francisco that night.

Fortunately for us, Andrew was kind enough to take time off from work to pick us up from the airport, but the late afternoon traffic in the city was so bad that rather than go directly up to the Petaluma KOA to take the motorhome out of storage, we decided to go back to his apartment to visit while the traffic cleared. Also, he had plenty of chores for Herb to do, such as building an IKEA coffee table and TV stand. We (and by we, I mean Herb) were happy to do it. It was so fun seeing how nicely their apartment was coming along. Also, they live in a neighborhood with tons of really good and inexpensive Asian restaurants. They took us to one of their favorites.

Afterwards, Andrew drove us up to the Petaluma KOA to reunite with the motorhome and to move it out of storage and into a campsite. It felt good to be back.

Day 1 – Reorient and Errands

The next day was spent doing errands – food shopping, washing the car, etc. Petaluma was actually beginning to feel a little bit like home. The campground has a nice pool with lots of comfortable lounge chairs, so after getting resettled, we spent the greater part of the afternoon reading and swimming. Before dinner, however, we did go out on a run. Herb and I discovered a great 5-mile loop from the campground, along country roads through dairy farm country. Despite its proximity to US 101 and San Francisco (about 45 minutes), the Petaluma KOA is really quite rural. In fact, when the wind is right (or wrong, depending on your perspective), you can actually catch the occasional whiff of cattle from your campsite.

Day 2 – Coastal Trail, Planet Granite, and Toronados

Herb at Planet GraniteOn Friday, we drove down to San Francisco in the afternoon. We were planning to meet Andrew and Celeste at Planet Granite, their climbing gym, after work. Herb has been an avid rock climber for literally decades, and it was very exciting for him to have his sons take up a love for the sport as well. Not only have Andrew and Tommy become very competent climbers, but Andrew’s girlfriend Celeste is on track to surpass them all.

Since we were in the city a bit early, Herb and I took a walk along the Coastal Trail in the Presidio to Baker Beach. It was quite cold, and Herb did his fair share of complaining about freezing in California, but the views of the Golden Gate Bridge were stupendous.

Around 5:00 we headed over to Planet Granite to meet up with Andrew and Celeste. Before being allowed to climb in the gym, Herb and I had to pass a belay test to prove our competence – a good idea in view of the fact that when belaying someone you are really the only thing between them and the ground. Luckily, Herb had given me a brief refresher course before we entered, so I passed with flying colors.

Lolo and Herb Dining at Toronado PubPlanet Granite is an incredible climbing gym. Even if I wasn’t climbing, I would love it for its views alone. Floor to ceiling windows look out onto the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Mark di Suvero sculptures in Crissy Fields. It was hard to keep my eyes on the climbing wall.

I have spent time in our own climbing gym in New Jersey, but this gym has so many more climbs that I can do. It was the best climbing experience I had ever had. It was also fun to see how much Andrew and Celeste have improved.

After climbing, Andrew took us to Toronados, their favorite post-climbing sausage and beer place in the Haight section of San Francisco. The bar was really crowded and a bit noisy, but the sausages were delicious and the beer very refreshing after our climbing workout. Herb and I were stuffed, but Andrew and Celeste somehow still managed to fit in some ice cream at the Toy Boat Dessert Cafe, their favorite ice cream place. It’s great how they have really gotten to learn this city and have their favorite places for every type of food imaginable – eating is their second favorite sport after climbing.

Stuffed and content, Herb and I drove back up to Petaluma with the promise of returning early the next morning to explore the city with them by bike.

Day 3 – Bike Tour of San Francisco

Andrew, Celeste and Lolo at Arizmendi BakerySan Francisco is truly a very bicycle-friendly city, especially if you know your way around. Fortunately, Celeste did, so it was nice to not have to constantly stop and pull out a map and to let someone else be the tour guide for a change.

The first stop on what was to be a 26-mile hilly bike ride – after all it is San Francisco – was Arizmendi Bakery, Andrew and Celeste’s favorite bakery. I must say, they do know their food, because everywhere they take us is unbelievable. After a very large pastry and a cup of coffee, we remounted our bikes and rode into Golden Gate Park to see the buffalo herd that lives there. You could very easily spend an entire day in this amazing park, which is actually bigger than NYC’s Central Park. However, we had lots to see that day, so we kept on moving.

Andrew and Celeste in Pelting Sand at Ocean BeachOur next stop was Ocean Beach, where our walk was cut somewhat short by the sand pelting us in the face. It was a very windy day, which we really hadn’t noticed when we were inland in the park. This beach was definitely worth a revisit on a less windy day.

Continuing on, we began a very steep ascent up the Great Highway, past the Cliff House Restaurant and Sutro Baths. I think Andrew and Celeste were quite impressed that I made it all the way up without having to dismount and walk my bike. I wanted to die.

After a very brief rest, we continued up even more hills until we got to the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. This very impressive building is part of the San Francisco Museum of Fine Arts. It was to this very museum that Jimmy Stewart followed Kim Novak in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, where she was compulsively drawn each day to sit for hours staring at a painting of a woman named Carlotta. But I digress. Back on the bikes we go.

Sutro Baths OverlookFinally, our climbing was over and soon we were careening, probably much faster than I should have, down a steep hill to Crissy Field. I just love this part of San Francisco. The city of San Francisco is very progressive with their public space—a really good thing for residents, as there are so many beautiful places to enjoy on weekend day.

Crissy Field had undergone quite a transformation since the 1990s when it was taken over by the National Park Service. Prior to that, it had served as a U.S. Army airfield and was often used for the dumping of hazardous materials. In fact, when acquiring it, the NPS declared it to be, and I quote, “a derelict concrete wasteland.” Well, wasteland no more. As part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, it has been transformed into a very successful example of urban public space, with beaches, picnic areas, biking trails, historic buildings, and a restored tidal marsh. Today it is a premier recreation area for residents and visitors to San Francisco.

Biking to the Palace of Fine ArtsAlso, since May of this year, eight of Mark di Suvero’s giant modern art sculptures have been on display here. These were the sculptures that I had spent my time at the climbing gym gazing out at, with the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, and Alcatraz as a backdrop. It seemed almost too perfect to be real.

Crissy Field is also very bicycle friendly and has a trail leading all the way through it from Fort Point to Marina Green. I was definitely enjoying the reprieve from the hills, as well as the incredible views.

About this time, I was developing a strong craving for an Iced Caffe Mocha, as I have found myself doing since the boys first introduced me to them, so we stopped at the Beach Hut Café to take a break. Afterwards, we walked over to the beach to watch the America’s Cup trials, but unfortunately the wind was so strong that all the races for the day were canceled. We pretended for awhile to enjoy having our faces pelted once more with sand before Herb suggested that we move on to someplace a bit more inland and away from the wind.

Beers at the Velo Rouge CafeWe found just what he was looking for a short distance away at the Palace of Fine Arts, probably one of the most beautiful settings in a very beautiful city. This Greek-style rotunda and colonnades with its surrounding lagoon were originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. While most of the other buildings in the exposition were demolished when it ended, thanks to the efforts of William Randolph Hearst’s wife Phoebe, this iconic structure has been saved and lovingly restored. Its reflection in the lagoon is probably one of the most photographed spots in the city. We took our fair share of shots as well and enjoyed lying on the grass, not being covered with sand.

We ended our 26-mile bike tour of the city with another one of Andrew and Celeste’s “favorite” stops – beers at the Velo Rouge Café. I can’t describe how wonderful it was to just sit at an outdoor table, sipping a refreshing and well-earned beer.

It had been an extremely satisfying day in so many ways, and Herb and I really appreciated Andrew and Celeste’s very successful effort at showing us the city from a non-tourist point of view.

Day 4 – Hiking Marin Headlands

Herb on Matt Davis TrailThe next day, and our last before heading north up the coast to Seattle, was spent hiking in Marin, probably one of the most beautiful counties in the U.S. Celeste’s mom Hilda, met us at the campground and we drove down to Stinson Beach together where we met up with Andrew and Celeste. Knowing the area very well, Hilda took us the scenic route rather than along U.S. 101. I have to say that I was very glad that we were driving a car rather than the motorhome, because the roads were incredibly steep and winding.

Andrew had spent a lot of time researching hikes in the area, of which there are so many wonderful ones to choose from. His choice, and a very good one indeed, was to link the Dipsea, Steep Ravine, and Matt Davis trails together for a spectacular 7-mile loop past waterfalls, through a redwood canyon, and up to expansive views of the coast, before descending once again to Stinson Beach. The 1,600 foot elevation gain made for a challenging and extremely satisfying hike.

Coffee at Stinson BeachPost-hike, we bought coffee at a beach café and sat sunning ourselves on the beach, in the very same spot we had sat and froze last year. September is definitely the San Francisco Bay Area’s season – sunny skies and warm temps. May, June, and July are so much colder and foggier. We will have to time our visits to the boys accordingly because June and July are absolutely beautiful in Seattle.

That evening we met up with Celeste’s father in San Francisco, who had just finished a week-long, 500-mile Cycle Oregon event, and had dinner together at Troya Mediterranean Kitchen, a Turkish restaurant near Andrew and Celeste’s apartment. I had absolutely no idea what I was ordering, but whatever it was, it was delicious. They really are lucky to have such an ethnically-diverse selection of high-quality restaurants in walking distance from their home.

After dinner, it was goodbye for now, because tomorrow we would begin our drive north along the Northern California and Oregon coast to Seattle and our visit with Tommy.

Description

Andrew and Lolo at Ocean BeachThe Petaluma KOA is an award winning camping resort located within an hour’s drive of San Francisco, Napa and Sonoma Valley Wineries, giant redwoods, and Sonoma County and California Coastal Beaches. It is considered to be the RV resort in the San Francisco Bay area.

On its 70 acres, there are 312 spacious RV sites, 32 camping cabins, and 10 Wine Country lodges.

Other amenities include:
• Guided tours of San Francisco (from May through October)
• Huge heated pool and spa
• Inflatable waterslide
• Rock climbing wall
• Huge playground
• Petting zoo
• Karaoke
• Hayrides and live weekend entertainment

The campground is open all year.