August 5, 2022 - Tillamook and Salem

 

Title: August 5, 2022 - Tillamook and Salem
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Car

Description:

I got up at 6:30, having slept through the night. I love sleeping in a tent, even though at times, the dawn may seem like it takes forever if one wakes up at 4am. But that was not the case this morning. When I got up, I walked around the Beverly Beach campground for about 30 minutes, making my way to the overpass again, mostly just to watch the waves. But my phone did catch a signal and downloaded some emails. I didn't even try to do a lightning report.

Rachel and Andrea in the Tillmook bus

We had our breakfast-granola for me, of course, and hot oatmeal for Sherri. We got packed up and ready to go. Last we heard, we are to meet Andrea and Rachel at Tillamook around 10:30, so we need to start soon. Sherri starts the engine at 9:15. It is an uneventful drive to the Creamery.

We arrived at 10:45 at Tillamook. Rachel texted and said they would be late. That is OK with us, so we just read, waited and analyzed the idiosyncrasies of various parking jobs. At 11:30, Rachel and Andrea said they were inside and wanted to do a photo-op with the Tillamook minibus. So we go in and meet them. 

 

 

 

 

After taking their bus pictured, we follow the interpretive signs. This is mostly going down one hallway, watching how cheese gets made into packages from the raw milk. There are less people now than there were in June when we went. A good thing about doing this stop is Tillamook gives you some free samples. 

 

  

 

 

Rachel on the phone with Jeopordy

By this time it is after 1 and I think we are all getting hungry. So we order from their cafeteria a pizza, hamburger and salad. As I was getting ready to pay for it, I discovered my wallet did not have any of my credit cards! I am hoping that they slipped out in the car. But our lunch got paid for through Sherri’s cards. Then we had ice cream afterwards. That is a way to soothe one’s soul. During all of this, Rachel was trying to straighten out her live audience Jeopardy! tickets. While not getting it settled then, she was able to get things set up later on. When she gets back to Los Angeles, she and Edrees will be part of one of the first live studio audiences. Exciting! When we get back to the car, I found the missing cards-they slipped out of the wallet, beside the seat.

Before we leave the area, Andrea wants to take us to Cape Meares. For a person who has been in Oregon about six months, she certainly knows her way around interesting places. She takes us out some backroads from Tillamook-still paved, but interesting. At the end is a parking area which is being well used-we still find good places to park. Signs by the parking area give background on the lighthouse and the area. It is about an eighth of a mile walk down to the lighthouse. The base is open, but we cannot go up to the top. But how the path descends to the base of the lookout, we can see right into the red lenses. Still just looking out from the area in front of the lighthouse has us gawking for awhile, particularly at the birds on a couple rock islands a ways off the coast.

After we had taken in the view from the lighthouse, Andrea led us up a trail towards the south. We passed by the parking lot and up the side of a hill. Then we came to a tree called the Octopus Tree. You can imagine why it got its name-it has eight limbs going straight up which look more like an octopus than a tree. Interesting. We go a few feet to another ocean overlook. The whole walk was about0.8 miles. Not long by hiking standards, still enjoyable and just what I needed

Octopus Tree

Dinner at Noble Wave

Then it is back to the cars and onward to Salem. It is roughly the same route we took in June. Except Andrea and I are driving-different cars. We arrive at Andrea and Lawrence’s place without incident. We unpack our car to get ready for tomorrow. And then it is off to dinner-with Lawrence.

 

 

 

 

Band playing on the Salem art night

This is a bit late. We start eating around 7:40pm at the Noble Wave in downtown Salem. I got a fried curd chicken sandwich. It was huge and good. Downtown Salem is having a regular first Friday of the month arts night, which includes music. There are groups playing on many a-corner including a variety of stringed instruments. It makes for a nice walking evening. We walked over to the river and through a park. In the park is a local band playing, which we listen to for a while.

We then returned to Andrea’s place. There was some talking about tomorrow, but we all were ready for bed. 

 

 

 

 


Extra Photo's

Octopus Tree

Morning at Beverly Beach

View from Cape Meares

Cape Meares Lighthouse

Cheese Making Factory with interpretive signs

More cheese making and packaging

Andrea and Rachel

Rock Islands with lots of birds

Rock island off of Cape Meares

Bridge across the Dechutes River

Rachel, Andrea, Sherri and Lawrence enjoying the night music

 
Flowers and Plants

August 4, 2022 - Driving the Oregon Coast

 

Title: August 4, 2022 - Driving the Oregon Coast
Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type:Car

Description:

Once again I got up before 6am. Today with good reason. Yesterday there were 441 lightning strikes in my area of the Sierra. It took me about two hours to produce the report. I try to identify areas of concern and with yesterday’s, the areas of concern just went on forever.

After I was done, I ate my breakfast and then got us packed up. But before we leave, Kevin comes by. Like Don yesterday, it is good to see Kevin while we are up here. Kevin has been a good friend to David. Also he is the reason why I can make trips to Hawaii. We talk for half an hour before we need to take off.

By the time we see the wheels of our Highlander move, it is 9:45. I start off driving. The highway is good and we quickly come to Redwood National Park. We could continue to go up the freeway, but why do that? We go up Drury Road, through the middle of the park. While we do not really stop, except for once when we saw some Roosevelt Elk. But the road slows us down. After all, why would we want to rush through all of this beauty.?

When we emerge, we are about half an hour from Crescent City. Sherri is ready to drive, but first wants to stop by a Starbucks. Sherri has us rolling at 11:30. We quickly cross over into Oregon, but that really is the last time we will use the word “quick.” That is not bad as when you are passing through an area, moving too quickly deprives you of being able to savour the scenery. The road takes us close to the ocean and then moves us away.

Andrea sent us a podcast on Oregon which we listen to along this stretch. We are on the lookout for the world’s shorted river, which is along this highway-even though this is in dispute-with a fifth grade class. But I cannot find the link which Andrea sent. This is a loss as it would be interesting hearing more about parts of Oregon.

On one of the inland ventures, our lookout senses start tingling. We smell smoke, but cannot identify a source. We do move out of the area. By now we are ready to have lunch. We are trying to make Bandon. Both Andrea and David have spoken highly of the selection of eats here, particularly a place called Face Rock Creamery. Even though it is around 2pm, there are still plenty of people eating. Both of us are attracted to having a Philly Cheesesteak. Pretty good. Then we topped it off with some Umpqua ice cream. I was a little bit disappointed that a creamery did not have their own ice cream brand.

It is back to me driving. The drive is pleasant and relaxed. We go through the various bays and around the coves which make up the Oregon coast. Then we see a rest stop at Cape Perpetua for a short break. Another area to explore. 

 

We buzz into Newport at 5:15, a bit late in the day. This is our gas stop-still not used to having a person come to our car and fill us up. Still the sun is still shining, so we are not too bad. Beverly Beach is not too far away now.Still it is an hour later, we drive up to campsite F30. A tent only site, quiet, and somewhat private. We set up camp and relaxed for a few minutes. We have a sandwich for dinner-our FaceRock sandwich covered our dinner needs

Sunset at Beverly Beach

 

When I pay a visit to the bathroom, I strike up a conversation with a couple. What attracted me to them was their trailer and a covering they had for it. They are from Utah. But it sounds like that is more of a home base rather than them spending their life there. Larry and Annette have a website with some of their adventures. Not sure if they are very social people or just jumped at the chance to talk with somebody other than each other.

As it grew later, we walked to the overpass to watch the sunset. And it was really nice, glowing like a sunset should. While the campground does not have cell service, out here at the bridge we can pick up Verizon. We enjoy the glowing sunset and watch the sun disappear into the ocean.

 

We walk back, and get ready for bed. I turn in at 9:15, reading for about 45 minutes. Sherri whiles away for time watching the TV series The Good Place-she downloaded that before we left.

 

 

 

August 3, 2022 - Eureka

 

Title: August 3, 2022 - Eureka

Hike Info : Description : Animals 

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: Headwaters Parking Lot

Trail: Headwaters Trail

Destination:  None

Distance:  3.2 miles ¹

Elevation Rise:  850'

Maximum Elevation: 215'

 ¹Approximate trail and turnaround location from Google Earth. No GPS.

Light through the web

Description:

Today’s entry will be rather sketchy. Usually I will put in at least a line describing each activity within a day of the event. When I got to writing up today’s blog entry, I saw it was blank. So it will be of rather limited verbiage and made up from my memory.

Like most days, I retrieve lightning information for our little area of the Sierra. There were 37 strikes. Then breakfast. Like the Dumbo cartoon, we played the game of “What Do You Want To Do?” When David mentioned the Headwaters, that sounded good to me. When we were in Eureka last January, David took us there. It was a magical place for us and one which I think it will take awhile for us to tire of.

Sherri on the trail

Even the eight mile drive to the parking lot is interesting, between the fields of hay with its sudden change to forested land has this writer enjoying being a passenger. David drives us to the Headwaters. Surprisingly, there are not a whole bunch of cars there. The first mile of the path is paved. Makes for pleasant walking and a chance to talk some more. Two big differences between January and now is that there is not the smell of decaying salmon from their run and the ground is not wet from recent rains.

The walking is pleasant and the conversation is free. There is a combination of enjoying the company and the forest. Even when we come to the end of the paved path, we continue on. There are not many people whom we meet along the way. So we enjoy the sunshine and the way. Butterflies and birds fly about and cobwebs have sunlight filtering through.

Calling Batman

Within a quarter mile away from our turn around point, we see a guy doing trail maintenance, weed-wacking the vines away from the trail. We had been seeing evidence of his work along the way. We decided rather than bother him, we will turn around, after all, we would be coming back through 15 minutes later.

Even though the trail is not steep, we make good time coming back down. We meet a young female and alert her to the trail maintenance up the way. About half an hour later she passes us by. She could not attract his attention, so she decided it was just as well to turn around. As we get closer to the parking lot, I recognize a need which can be met at the trailhead ao I speed up.I am surprised that I am able to walk at a pretty good pace for a third of a mile at the end of a hike.

We go back to David’s place, have lunch and rest for a little bit. Today I only relax unlike yesterday’s nap. I want to fill up with gas before we leave tomorrow. So off to Costco we go. Gas may be cheaper in Oregon, but I would like to get a little ways up the coast tomorrow before we need to fill up.

David asked if we were interested in doing a chocolate tasting? How many times do you think I needed to be asked? In downtown Eureka is a quality chocolate maker by the name of Dick Taylor. True to David’s promise, we have bits of chocolate to taste. This is heaven in Eureka. I do not think it was guilt from us doing the tasting, but we buy several bars of chocolate. We will enjoy those later.

And now back to David’s house. David has a pork dinner going for us. Like the other two dinners, it is worthwhile devouring. We talk and get ready to leave tomorrow. But we also have a visitor: Don. He lives close to David. I met him in Hawaii and have enjoyed his friendship and fellowship ever since. Glad to see him. He looks pretty good, even better than I was expecting considering all which he went through this year.

Animals

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Gartner Snake

August 2, 2022 - Eureka

 Title: August 2, 2022 - Eureka

Description : : Flowers and Plants

Description:

I guess location does not affect the time I wake up. Even David was not up when I moved into the kitchen at 5:45, where I did the lightning report-there were only three strikes. By the time I finished, David was chomping at the bit for a walk-so was I.

I was not feeling very strong, and I know that David is able to out walk me even if I am doing really well. So he chooses a route which allows me to cut out if I want to, without disgrace. But when I get to the various turning points, I am feeling good. So off we go down a steep road, followed by another steep climb out of the ravine. I made it up, huffing and puffing with only a single where I needed to stop.

 

 

Blackberry Picking

We get back and it is an hour beyond my normal breakfast time. I gobble down a bowl of granola, and feeling a lot better. And what else do you do when families get together? Talk, of course. And the three of us do that for the next hour or two. David suggests we go out blackberry picking. It is not my usual enjoyable pastime, but I am game and Sherri is excited. There is a park called Redwood Fields, only about a mile away This ia a sports park, but around the edges are some hiking paths and blackberry vines, complete with thorns. It is the vines which are the main attraction for David and Sherri. We circle the fields, pickling berries. David gives us some sage words of advice: the berries should be soft, but not fermenting. Also do not pick the low ones as dogs have been known to use the bushes to deposit their liquids. At the end of our harvesting times, we have a couple containers full of berries-enough so David can make a pie

 

When we get back to David’s place, it is time for lunch, maybe a bit after time for lunch. For me, it is my traditional sandwich: peanut butter and Nutella. After lunch, I laid down for a short nap. Two hours later, I woke up, very much refreshed. I guess yesterday's driving took more out of me than I thought.

David and his blackberry pie

David suggests a short walk at Sequoia Park. David has pity on us-I think he usually runs down to it and then around the park. We walk around the park for about an hour. The difference between this park and the ones in Fresno is that Eureka's definitely has more topography than the flatness of Fresno. Also, we get to walk through a forest, and close to a duck pond.

By 5:15, we are back at David’s. He has a prime steak dinner with corn and bread for dinner. Not too shabby. That guy does know how to cook. Then to top it off, he has the fresh blackberry pie and vanilla ice cream. Then for after dinner entertainment, we get to watch videos David made of our February Hawaii trip. He has edited and curated the photo’s and videos. Good memories. Even with my two hour nap, I only feel up to taking a shower, and then I am off to bed. Good Night.

 
Flowers and Plants

Sequoia Park Gardens

August 1, 2022 - Going to Eureka

 

Title: August 1, 2022 - Going to Eureka
Hike Info : Description :

Hike Info:

Type:Car

Mileage: 478 Miles

 

 

Description:

Normal morning for me. I did my lightning report-44 strikes. I was able to get off an abbreviated report and then get ready to leave.

By 9:30, we are leaving after eating breakfast and saying goodbye to Steven and Korra. We arrive at the Turlock rest stop by 10:45-good time. We will not be visiting anybody in Turlock this time around. I continue to drive until we hit Elk Grove. There we make what is fast becoming a tradition on our part: Leatherby’s. Since it is almost lunch time, we decide to have a sandwich before a sundae. We both get a chipotle chicken sandwich, which is pretty good. Then the reason to come in is a black and tan sundae.

By this time, it is 1:10 and Sherri drives. I take a nap and wake up just before we head off of I-5 onto Highway 20 at Williams. This cuts us across to Clear Lake. Sherri has had enough of driving for now and I take over. It is 3:15 now. But we do not travel very far until we reach Highway 101. And then a few miles up the road is a gas station on reservation land where we get gas. I am not sure if $5.20 a gallon is cheap or expensive. But they want only cash, so we fill up with $30 worth.

I find this part of the drive pretty nice. The road is wide for the most part. But we go through interesting territory. As we head north, redwoods come into view. Something calming about those forests. But by the time we hit Rio Dell I know we have only a half an hour more of driving. I am ready to see David’s place.

At 6:45, we pull up and bring in our stuff. David is preparing dinner which he has on the table by 7:15. One of the good things about stopping at David’s place is eating. He cooks really well and tonight is no exception. Dinner is chicken pasta with homemade noodles. Just to note, this is only one of the good things as David is an all around good brother. But who else do I have to compare him to as far as being a brother?

After dinner, we talk for a bit, enjoying each other’s company. David even stays up for us, past his normal bed time. But by 9:40, I am ready for bed. My eyes are closed at 10:00.