September 27, 2025 - Go to Roseburg, Moriah’s Wedding

 

Title: September 27, 2025 - Go to Roseburg, Moriah’s Wedding
Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type:Car

 

Description:

Today we went to Roseburg to attend my best man’s daughter’s wedding. But first I need to get up. We are hoping to leave at 8. So I get up around 6. David and I talk a bit, nothing earth-shaking, just a bit of brother to brother talking. I have granola for breakfast. Sherri gets up at 7.

We did not leave at 8. Kevin, David’s friend, comes by about 8:30 to pick him up to go to clean their church for the Sunday service. We leave a minute before they do, about 8:45. They manage to get ahead of us and we follow them until they turn off at one of their favorite stores not named Costco. We continue on past Arcata, going towards Redwood National Park. We have some choices and decide to spend an extra 15 minutes going up Drury Road. It is more scenic, but much slower than 101. We enjoyed the side trip and rejoined 101 about 10 miles up the road.

At Klamath we stop at the Pen-Mey gas station to put 8 gallons into the tank. Then off to Crescent City. I stopped at a Starbucks there. Sherri gets coffee and then we start off again with Sherri driving.

The Smith River is a beautiful drive. Being a passenger lets me view it with both eyes, which I am thankful for. These are redwood trees on a windy road. When we got to Cave Junction, we would usually stop at Taylor Sausage. But they do take a bit of time, so we go across the street and enjoy a meal at Dairy Queen.

Then I drove all the way to Roseburg. We go to our hotel, Sleep Inn, arriving about 2:25. We had asked for an early check in, but they were not quite ready for us. By 2:40, we got into our room. We spent a few minutes resting, then changing into the clothes for the wedding this evening.

Moriah’s wedding is at Delfino Winery in back of the ridge where Dennis and Bonnie live. It takes us about 20 minutes to drive there. We arrived there and then mingled. The first person whom we meet is Jeremy, Dennis’ son. He is directing parking. After signing the guest picture, we talked with Bonnie and Dennis. The wedding gets off a little late-one of the bride’s maids is sick so there is a substitute being set up.

But when all is said and done, Moriah and Alex do get married which is the point of the whole thing. We enjoy this as we have watched Moriah grow up over the many years. We meet friends of Dennis and Bonnie and talk with them a lot of the evening. There is dancing on a platform which Dennis has made. By 9, we are ready to go back to our hotel and sleep, which we do. We have a long drive tomorrow.

September 27, 2024 - Go to Salem

 

Title: September 27, 2024 - Go to Salem
Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type: Car

Car Mileage:  370 miles
Drive Time:  8½  hours

Description:

Today’s blog entry will be pretty short as it is mostly driving. I wake up around 6 and get up shortly afterwards. David and I go for a short walk around his neighborhood. Maybe half an hour. Sherri is up when we get back. We have our cereal breakfast and then pack up our stuff. We have learned to bring in only what we need when we have a short stay. So this packing is quick.

At 8:30, we say goodbye to David. He is appreciative that we stopped by, even if it was only for about 36 hours. After checking on our gas situation, I think we could make it to Costco in Roseburg, but we would be coming in on fumes. David has warned me that the gas in Eureka is expensive, so I do not bother to get filled up there.

We are supposed to be retired, free and easy. So we should act that way. Instead of taking the faster Highway 101 straight through, we get off and stop at the Visitor Center at Redwood National Park’s Prairie Creek Visitor Center, mostly to take care of business, but also to stretch our legs for a few. Then we go up the Newton B Drury Scenic Parkway. It is scenic, and a little slower than 101. It is a drive I enjoy.

When we cross the Klamath River I start looking for the gas station David told me about. We found the Pem-Mey store and put about 5 gallons in. Turns out when we reached Roseburg, I would have needed about half a gallon, so this was a wise stop. We continued on through Crescent City with me missing the Starbucks stop Sherri wanted. I had just passed by there and noticed it. Sherri indicated we could continue on.

When we passed through Crescent City, we left Highway 101 and went onto 199. It is a good road, but has a lot of curves. It also is scenic as we pass through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The Smith River cuts a gorge through these mountains as we climb towards to Oregon border.

Then in Oregon, we stop at Cave Junction and Taylor Sausage. It is time for lunch. I enjoyed a French Dip and fries while Sherri enjoyed bratwurst with sauerkraut. This is a good place to stop both in terms of the good food and a good time to rest for a few minutes.

Sherri takes over driving. We continue on 199 until it gets to Grants Pass. One of these days we need to not be in such a rush and visit my cousin. But today, we are heading for Salem so no chance to start. Sherri travels up to Roseberg and the Costco there. Why? To get gas, of course!

We also switch drivers and I drive all the way to Salem. There was some heavy traffic starting about a half an hour outside of Salem. I want to say it is because of 5 o’clock traffic, but the traffic is going into Salem, not out of it. We were delayed long enough that we stopped at a rest stop just outside of Salem.

When we got to Andrea and Lawrence’s house, we greeted them. Then unload the back of our Highlander. All of a sudden, the back looks pretty vacant. Good. Then we rest a few minutes before Lawrence fixes us dinner. After dinner a bit more talking followed a game. This keeps us busy until I am about to fall asleep.

March 22, 2024 - Go to Salem

 

Title: March 22, 2024 - Go to Salem
Hike Info : Description : Background 

Hike Info:

Type: Car

Mileage: 367 miles
Time: 9:50 with a couple of breaks

Description:

Last night was a pleasant surprise-no alarm for low blood sugar. I did wake up at 3am, but slept until 6:45 when I got up. We are scheduled to leave for Andrea and Lawrence’s at 8 this morning. I got the car mostly loaded last night, but this morning I need about ten minutes to load the last minute odds and ends.

Movies shot at Redwood

Well the odds and ends were not ready for me until after 8, so we did not start moving until 8:25. We then stopped at Dutch Brothers in Eureka for a caramel latte for Sherri. I do not think we will make it to Roseburg at 1 like Sherri told Bonnie and Dennis. We actually stop a couple of more times to take care of some personal business. And then there was a pretty good rain going on all morning.

When we got to Redwood NP/SP, we decided to go down Drury Road. But first we stopped at the Visitor Center and looked around the gift shop, without actually buying anything. We were under the impression that going down Drury was only three minutes slower than the highway. Somebody must have been speeding to make it that fast.We took it more speed limit wise and enjoyed the redwoods, ferns, road and rain.

We continued down Highway 101/1 until Crescent City, then took Highway 199 along the Smith River. It is a beautiful ride. But with all of the windy, curvy road and the rain, there was no zooming-that is going fast, not online video. We made it into Oregon and to Cave Junction. There we stopped at Taylor Sausage. David bought a half a pound of their Trailblazer jerky. It definitely was not dry; it was tasty.

At Lilly's

At this point, David drove and I relaxed. He drove the rest of the way along 199 until we reached Grants Pass and I-5. There we turn north to Roseburg. We get into Roseburg around 2pm and head to Lilly’s Mexican Restaurant. We met Bonnie and Dennis there. Dennis was my best man and my last roommate before Sherri and I married.

It was a nice lunch/dinner. Both because the food was surprising good Mexican food and because the company was unsurprisingly warm and enjoyable. We talked about our children, travels and things in general. Then after our meal was over-David paid our bill-thank you David, we went over to the airport. Dennis is into the very final part of putting his new plane together-it has been certified, he just has a few things he wants to do before taking off. The plane looks impressive, all in a light blue. Looks like they will have many hours of enjoyment. Note: While we were on our trip, Dennis made his first flight.

Bonnie in passenger seat

After leaving them, we stop and get gas at Costco and then it is off on our final leg to Salem. I am driving this again. We arrive at 6:15. Lawrence and Andrea are at Costco when we arrive. We are able to unload, finishing up right when they arrive.

We talk and relax the rest of the night. I am reluctant to make our bed as Sherri has high standards. Andrea gives me a new phrase: weaponized incompetence. I like that. She comes up and we make the bed together. Now it is time for bed, about 10:30.

 

 

 

 

 

Background

Lilly’s Mexican Restaurant. I am surprised!We are from out of town and it has been our experience that Mexican restaurants anyplace north of Sacramento are suspect in how they make their Mexican food. At Lilly’s, the servings are hearty and the food is tasty. Close to what I would expect at my favorite Mexican restaurant at home. Those I ate with agreed. I had their enchiladas with rice and beans-it was pretty good and more than I could eat. I saved half for another day’s meal. While the eating situation is basic, when you have friends and family, that is sufficient. The staff took care of our needs.

Places: CA-Smith River

 

 

Smith River-3' (Smith River) (41.9362235, -124.2034189)
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__

Middle Fork Smith River-315' (Gasquet) (41.8478908, -123.9689640)
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__

North Fork Smith River-315' (Gasquet) (41.8478908, -123.9689640)
Legal: T17S, R2E, Sec20 Humboldt Meridian

South Fork Smith River-131' (Hiouchi) (41.7953914, -124.0570214)
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__

 

Description : Trips : References : Pictures 


Description:

From GNIS:

• North Fork Smith River also called North Fork and Red Mountain Creek
• Smith River 
• Named for Jedediah Strong Smith, adventurer and trapper, who explored the region in 1828. Decision approved September 14, 1950, but did not appear in a decision list until 1954.
• 25 miles long. Heads at the confluence of North Fork Smith River and Middle Fork Smith River in sec. 20,T17N,R2E, Humboldt Meridian, flows southwest then north-northwest to the Pacific Ocean 20.8 km (13 mi) north of Crescent City. 
• Also called:
• Smith's River from California’s Geographic Names by Durham, David L.
• Smiths River
  

Trips:

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References:

• National Wild and Scenic Rivers
• Wikipedia
• Visit Del Norte
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Pictures:

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