Sunning Seals and Dungeness Crabs

On the way out of Bend we stopped at Sisters, a small western town with sweet shops and a Hops Festival.  That is a Beer Festival, with 10 kinds of local beers, food and music, but because we were on the road to a destination we just looked and didn't partake.

Well that had to be the longest, windiest, hilliest road we've ever been on and guess whose turn it was to drive!  And so we have no pictures! The road was so windie that it limited the length of trucks and RVs as they couldn't make the sharp turns.   Well our old girl handled very well.   The passes through the Cascade Mountain Range were very deep into the forest so not as much the distant views as the beauty of being enveloped by the tall, deep green trees.

It was about 7 PM when we went over the last mountain pass and there was the Pacific Ocean.  We made it from the East Coast to the West Coast in exactly one month.  We left Pennsylania during Hurrican Kate and arrived in Newport, Oregon torrential rain and 60 mile/hr gale winds.  We stayed right under the Yaquina Bay Bridge between the ocean and the bay and swayed with the wind all night long. This fabulous art deco jewel was the last bridge built in 1936 and final connection for the coastal highway 101.
This was the first real rain we had since the east coast except for a little rain in Wisconsin and Montana.  Not bad. 

Over the mtn and there was the Pacific just in time for sunset!

Caught up on some paper (computer) work in the morning and heard a knock at the door.  We don't know anyone in Newport and just got here so we really haven't met anyone???? It was Clay (Our RV campground Host) who wanted to take us for a tour of the area. So 10 minutes later we hopped in his car and off we went.  He is a retired gentleman and he and his wife live and work here for 5 months out of the year and travel the other months. We wandered up the coast line of the lake and he pointed out oyster beds and Alaskan fishing boats and gave us some history of the land as well as some of his personal history.  He served in the Navy during the Korean War for 2 years when he was only 16 yrs old.   He showed us how the dungeness crabs were caught and how to tell a male from female.  You can only keep the males.  And the big fat male sea lions were sunning themselves right by the pier.  They are kind of ugly cute and very noisy. They go down to California in the summer to mate with the ladies and bring any male offspring back up to colder waters of Oregon with them in early September. Guess this allows them to spend a hassle-free winter just with the guys.  Another of the Lord's special wonders.

Hurry before they escape!

Just lounging around.

Great seafood lunch and famous Newport Rogue beer

Just a few fishing boats!!!!

Clay dropped us off in town.  We were going to go on a whale watch boat but there was a storm out in the ocean so the boat wasn't going out for a few days. We had a great day wandering through the shops and had  a late lunch overlooking the fishing boats in a restaurant run by the fishermans' wives.   Local fish and chips and dungeness crabcakes, along with Rouge Dead Man Beer and Tangerine Wheat Beer.   Yumm!

Campsite was right under this bridge!

Thousands of crab traps waiting for Dec. 1 crab season

One side of street fish- Other side shops

Marcia Draper's twin at our lunch place

Uh Oh!!!!

Oh and the sun came out around noon and it was a beautiful day once again.

Happy Birthday

Could easily get comfortable in one spot but we must move on.  So much move to experience.  The road from Coeur d Alene was pretty bland (though I finally got Jeff to play "Going to California and gonna bring......) until we entered the Columbia River Gorge and The Dalles in Washington State.  Passed quite a few wind turbines, supposed to be about 3,000 of them.  Much better spot for them here on a butte with alot of wind instead of the Nantucket Sound.

Mt Hood

We arrived in Bend, Oregon early evening and had a great dinner by the Deschutes River where we ate outside in the Old Mill District. A four course meal of shrimp, dungeon crab, chowder, caesar salad, fried oysters, salmon, mousse, and peach ice cream.  This is becoming a food tour.  Love eating the local foods! 
Another beautiful day in Oregon!  In the 90's- can you believe it?  We drove about 1/2 hr out of town to the Dechutes National Forest and into the Newberry National Volcanic Monument  Forest to the Pauline Lake and East Lake, suggested to us by a fellow in an RV supply store in town.   These are two Volcano Crater Lakes which we found after traveling up, up, up, and around and around about 7,000 ft till we finally plateaued and found several State campsites. This is when you appreciate your camper and all its amenities including generators when it's cold in the morning. We selected Little Crater Campsite and it was a winner. Right on the lake and so we just relaxed and watched the sun set over the mountains and lake. Quiet Birthday for Jeff but what does one want at 65!  Beautiful sunset, lamb shishkabobs for dinner, some great white wine, and a wife that loves him!

Little Crate Lake Campsite

Painting My Toenails

Birthday Boy

Hikes, Hills and Farmer’s Markets

Wednesday Sept. 21, 2011

Well we loved Coeur d Alene, ID so much we stayed another night.  The campsite is right on the lake with lounge chairs along the shoreline to relax in the warm afternoon sun.  The weather here has been spectacular.  Cool at night and sunny and warm in high 70’s during the day. 

We walked into town, about a one and half mile hike.  I need it after eating that huckleberry cobbler!  They have the longest floating boardwalk in America.  That took us around to Tubbs Hill where there are lovely hiking paths that wander around a nature preserve that has gorgeous views of the lake.  The water line reminded me of Reijka, Yugoslavia (now Croatia) where the cliffs run straight down into the beautiful, colorful, clear water. 

Back in town we happened upon a Farmer’s Market (our 3rd so far).  My weakness!  Love em!  Well it didn’t start until 4PM so we had an hour to kill which we did at the Iron Horse Pub and sat outside talking to a couple moving to Colorado (Ft. Collins!!!!) and having what else,but a Fat Tire Beer brewed in Ft. Collins.

The Farmer’s Market was small, as it is the end of the season, but fun.  Having a full frig and freezer in the RV makes it very temping to buy.  Tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, pears and potato, cheese bread and rosemary, pesto rolls ( for our meatball sandwiches tomorrow!)  Oh and how about Dark Choc. Strawberry Topping!  So good. 

Back at camp we relaxed and read by the lake shore.

For those in Jan’s family------Called Kathy Heffron on the phone and talked to her.  She is living only about an hour away from where we are now.  Almost went to her town but bypassed it.  Should have known and we would have gone that way.  It was fun talking with her.  It’s been a long time.

Sad But Happy

 

Sunday September 18, 2011

Well, I hope we didn’t wear out our welcome.  We had such a great time with Diane and Bruce.  Learned a lot, talked a lot, ate a lot and laughed a lot.  We had such a great stay and they are such gracious hosts.  Even let us do our laundry!   Thanks.

But as they say “All good things must come to an end.”  But we know we will be in touch much more than a Christmas card now.  Thanks Lord for bringing us together. 

Well, we’re on the road again headed for Sandpoint, Idaho, eventually ending in Coeur de Alene, Idaho.  In Missoula, we just had to stop at a Fudrucker’s Burger joint for lunch.  (We split one!)  If you’ve never been to one, you must go there.  Our first one was in Nashville about 25 years ago and we still remember it. 

The road ran along the Flathead River which went into the Clarke Fork River.  Absolutely Beautiful.  Too bad it was overcast but it was still beautiful.  Stopped in Thompson Falls for the night.  Thought we were going to see some magnificent waterfalls, but found out they had been dammed up quite awhile back.  Stayed at a marginal campground but had a decent restaurant.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Changed our route and went straight to Coeur d’Alene (wrong word since nothing is straight out here).  First rainy day we could remember!  Got to town about 11AM thanks to change to Pacific Time.  Dropped camper off at RV dealer to check a few things out and spent the day checking things out.  It is truly place we could live. On a huge lake, university town, wonderful shops, year-round good weather similar to the VY.  Had a wonderful lunch at the Coeur d’Alene Resort with was so good.  The coup de grace was an unbelievably big and delicious warm, huckleberry cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and huckleberry sorbet.  Janice’s eyes were tearing with delight and almost finished the whole thing with a tiny bit of help from Jeff.  Actually met a realtor, Renice who showed us her 11^th floor condo overlooking the lake and mountains.  Just perfect for us if we were ever to move here.  

Picked up the camper and went to our campground in the Farragut State forest on Lake Pend Oreille.  It was by far the nicest campground we stayed in so far.  Quite clean, private, great sites.  Had perfect campfire that Jeff learned to build by a Park Ranger in Yellowstone,  cooked hotdogs and marveled at the night sky and stars.  There is a navy base on the Lake opened 1942 and continue to test submarines as this is the deepest lake in the US---1,100 feet.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

In the morning we got up at 7 for walk down to the lake.  Turned out to be a big laugh, we started with no map or bear protection (bear spray or hand gun) and walked for half hour and ended right back at our campsite!  Decided to take another try, but this time got all our bear protection gear and finally made it to the shoreline.  Ran into a ranger who made a point to tell us there was no worry about bears here as they were friendly and no danger.  So much for our Easterner Paranoia.  Spent the day again in Coeur d’Alene and found a great camp ground right on the lake.  Will explore some more Wednesday.  The weather has been perfect in the high 70's.

The Gun Show

Saturday Sept. 17, 2011

A beautiful Saturday morning at the Farmer’s Market in Helena.  Diane, Bruce, Baron (D&B’s Doberman) Jeff and I enjoyed snacks, jewelry (I have to stop buying Jewelry) and chatting with D & B’s acquaintances. 

About an hour’s drive south of Helena took us to their cabin in Clancy, MT.  Bruce just purchased a 15 passenger van to convert to a semi-camper, which was sooo long.   Bruce took the middle seat out for Baron. Diane and I christened it and named the van “Stretch”. The girls in the back with Baron and we couldn’t even hear the guys way up front talking about breaking and downshifting. Their cabin is a log cabin with propane power, an adorable outhouse and coal oil lamps and stove.  Beautiful secluded 60 or so acres part of their family’s original ranch.  Bruce built it in the 70’s.  You can see Diane’s design touch. It is absolutely precious.  I’d love a little cabin like that. So relaxing.  Check out the bathtub, Bill!!!! (Brother Bill that is!)  We had a relaxing couple of hours at the cabin, enjoying the sunshine, eating carmel, nut apples and pumpkin chocolate cookies before heading off to the Gun Show in Whiting, MT.  Bruce being a Gunsmith and collector was our tour guide.  Jeff ended up buying, at Bruce’s advice, a 12 gauge shotgun that was used as a riot gun at the Montana State Prison (has the engraving) in the 50’s or 60’s.  He’s thinking of getting into skeet shooting at the MV Rod and Gun club.   Diane is a great markswoman and really seems right at home in Montana.  

Next a stop at Brian MacAdoo’s place in the outskirts of Whiting.  Now this is funny and will show you how small this world is.  His aunt Janet was one of my best friends growing up in Pa.  Janet’s  sister, Sue and Diane are good friends and we never knew the connection until now.  Can’t wait to talk to Janet (Helmig) who I haven’t been in touch with for about 30 some years. 

On the way home we stopped at The Windsor Bar in Boulder, MT.  A small cowtown bar with live music, where we danced to oldies, and had the best steaks, texas toast and baked potatoes, grilled right at the bar.  Delicious and cheap too.  Of course we had to short stop at another saloon, Mr. Ting the original owner, was one of the many Chinese brought to work in the mines now long closed. This used to be Bruce and Diane’s wateringhole and grub bar when they lived in Clancy.

It was another fun packed, great day with Diane and Bruce.  We love you and Mr.Von Baron!   

A Day in Helena, Montana

 

Friday Sept. 16, 2011

2 of many of Bruce's antique trucks

Scrapple for breakfast, all the way from The Farmer’s Market in Pa.  Who has scrapple in Montana other than those from Pa.  Oh it was good!

Jeff and I wondered in town on the Walking Mall.  I took him to see the Upper Missouri Gallery, where we talked again with the sculptor, Lyle  for about an hour.  A very interesting individual.

We spent the afternoon exploring the Capitol Building where there is the largest C. M. Russell painting of Lewis and Clarke trading with the Indians.  They took Sacagewea with them on most trades to keep it friendly.  A legendary artist , depicting The Wild West, through oil as well as sculpture, and sketches; over 4,000 works of art in his 62 years.  

We wondered through the Historical Museum which had a large Russell collection and was one of the best museums I’ve ever seen.  It can certainly take 2 days to really see everything.  Just fascinating.  Everything from prehistoric, Indian culture, animal  history, Lewis & Clarke, mining, Old West Décor and more.

Early RV!  Bed in back of the wagon just like ours!

Had to try the lean chair in tee pee! Quite comfortable.

 

The evening brought lots of laughs over a great dinner at Diane and Bruce’s lovely home.