Last Stop in Oregon

I let my hair down and did some fishing.
Spring Creek
The Museum Entrance

Blacksmith shop with oxen yokes and other equipment.

The tug used to move the logs to the sawmills.

Part of the Pioneer Village

The yellow poles are part of the loader that was damaged when Mt. St. Helens erupted.

We only traveled 50 miles from Crater Lake to Collier Memorial State Park near Chiloquin, OR where we decided to just kick back and spend a week. It is a nice park with paved roads and sites which is a good thing since it has not rained here in two months and it is so dry the many chipmunks running around put up a cloud of dust like a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. The weather here has been great but different from what we are used to with highs in the mid 80's but lows in the 30's, a 50 degree difference each day. A couple of days have been a little smokey from forest fires in the area including one that just started at Diamond Lake where we stayed to visit Crater Lake last week. The park is on a river and stream and I have done some fishing, but no catching. The camp host told me he has fished here for seven years and has only caught two fish, so we may have to stay here awhile if I expect to catch anything. Although, fishing is not always about catching.

Part of the park is an outdoor logging museum with a collection of antique equipment and a pioneer village with nine log cabins from points around southern Oregon. The logging equipment ranges from ox drawn wagons to a loader that was damaged when Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980. There is even a tug that was used to move logs across Klamath Lake to the sawmills. The land for the park and the artifacts in the museum are a gift to the state from Alfred and Andrew Collier who donated them in 1945 as a memorial to their parents.

We learned this week that our Crater Lake post is going to be published on Road Trip Journal. We are getting paid $10 for that article but will also be in a Readers Choice Contest in November for a $100 gas card. One voter will also win a prize so we will be asking all friends and family members to vote early and vote often :) :)

Crater Lake Yoi, Double Yoi!!!

We have moved on and are staying at the Diamond Lake Campground in the Umpqua National Forest near Crater Lake National Park. We are dry camping and it is the first time we have used my government senior pass so the cost is only $6.00 a night for a site overlooking the lake which we can see as we sit at our kitchen table. The weather has been good with clear warm days that lead to clear "cold" nights. It was in the 30's on two mornings. I did do a little fishing with no luck but the reason we stayed here was to go to Crater Lake which is only about six miles away.Crater Lake is the result of the eruption and collapse of Mount Mazama, a 12,000 foot volcano, 7,700 years ago. All the water in the six mile long, four mile wide, 1943 foot deep caldera is from snow melt and rain. There are no streams flowing into the lake so the water is so clean you can drink it, which we did. Because of its depth, the deepest in the US, and water purity the color is unbelievable. There are deep, deep blues and shades of green in the shallower areas. One day was nothing but blue skies which really highlights the color of the water. The second day was a little cloudy but it was still beautiful.

The park service web site says Crater Lake - Like No Place On Earth. We have to agree.

The sky in the west is generally a unique blue until it is seen next to the water of this lake. This one and the next couple pictures are from the rim that is accessible on a 33 mile drive with numerous pullouts. This allows for easy access and gives you a large variety of views.

The orange rock is Pumice Castle, a column of rock that is different than the surrounding rock because of the way it interacted with the air during an eruption.
This is Wizard Island the cone of an extinct volcano within a dormant volcano that rises 700 feet above the lake. We took a boat tour that dropped us on the island for three hours so we could climb to the top and then down 90 feet to the bottom of the crater. The island is totally covered with rocks from ancient eruptions. It was fantastic to spend the day on the water and island that is inside the dormant volcano of Mount Mazama. The high point in the background is Mount Scott that was named for Nanc's ancestors:-):-)
Here are some of the things we saw from the boat. Bottom left: Phantom Ship, the second largest island. Top left: The old man of the lake is a 35 foot long log that has been floating upright in the lake for over 100 years. Center: The Devils Backbone, a column of magma that is stronger than the surrounding rock that has eroded away. Top right: A waterfall from snow melt and beautiful green water. Bottom left: A patch of snow from last winter. It will soon be covered with fresh snow.
Can you tell we loved this place? Top left: At the bottom of Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only access to the water. Top right: On the rim of the crater on Wizard Island. Bottom: Inside the crater on Wizard Island

This is looking down into the crater on Wizard Island and up to the rim of Crater Lake in the background. Nanc wanted to sacrifice me to the volcano gods but decided against it.

Some of the vast array of color we saw here.

The trees on the island are dying from a parasite, which could be a good thing since the view of the entire Crater Lake rim is not blocked. One of several forest fires we could see in the distance. When we got up on Saturday morning we could smell smoke in the campground, but by Sunday afternoon it appeared as if this fire was out

Spruce Goose

Looking down the wing that was high enough for a man to stand in.

The Spruce Goose and a replica of the Wright Flier.

The wingspan of this WWII B-17 was less than the span of the tail wing of the Goose.

The interior of the Spruce Goose.

We stayed at the Sleepy Hollow Campground in Lafayette, OR for two days so we could visit the Evergreen Aviation Museum. The museum is the home of the Spruce Goose, the largest wooden plane ever built. Because of the shortage of metal the plane was constructed out of birch. It was given the name Spruce Goose as a criticism of the cost of a wooden plane that most people did not think would fly. It was built by Howard Hughes at the end of WW II and was featured in the movie about him starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The plane was designed to fly troops to Europe and avoid the German u-boats but became obsolete before it was completed because the war ended. As with many other things, Hughes became obsessed with its completion and spent several million of his own money to finish the project. It was completed and was cleared to practice taxiing in 1945, but with Hughes at the controls he put the plane in the air for a one mile flight. It was the only time it flew and Hughes spent a million dollars a year to store it in a hanger for 33 years until his death. It was then opened to the public in a specially constructed dome in California. When the company that owned it was bought by Disney, who had no interest in the plane, it was purchased by the Evergreen Company in McMinnville. OR. It was disassembled, put on barges and shipped to Oregon where it was restored and reassembled to be displayed in their new museum. I have always been interested in this plane and we had seen the movie so we both enjoyed seeing it up close. It towers over all the other aircraft with its 320 foot wingspan filling much of the building. You can also go inside to see the cargo bay, but a tour of the flight deck was an extra $20 each so we passed. The museum has a extensive collection of restored military, commercial, and private aircraft with about 65% being flight certified. They have big plans for the museum including a hotel and a water park where you will be able to slide out of a 747. We have been to several aviation museums and we enjoyed this one, but if you have been to others and have no interest in the Spruce Goose you can pass.

Portland, OR

Portland Brewpubs -- Great Beer
M.C. Escher

Nanc stopping to smell the roses. A few of the roses.

Upper Pond

Sand and Stone Garden

Mt. Hood and the city from the Japanese Garden.

Dragon Boat Races

We spent a week at Jantzen Beach RV Park in Portland, OR, a park with a reasonable weekly rate for an urban setting. This is a good place to stay when visiting the city but the down side is it is in the flight path of the airport and there are always planes coming or going during the day. It was not bad at night and the nearby million dollar homes get the same noise as a trade off for living near the river with a view of Mt. Hood. One reason I wanted to stay here was to try some of the many brewpubs. Portland is to beer what Seattle is to coffee with more breweries per capita than any city in the USA. We ate out six of the seven nights we were here and the reward was some decent food and some GREAT beers. Nanc is willing to agree to the brewpubs because they all have an excellent selection of wine. We got to watch the Steelers get off to a great start on the road to a repeat with a win over the Terrible Towel stomping Titans.

On Saturday morning we went to a big farmers' market in the city and then to the Portland Art Museum where they had a special exhibit, Virtual Worlds M. C. Escher and Paradox. We have always been fascinated by his work and it was interesting seeing how he progressed through the years to finally get to the style of drawing the impossible structures for which he became most famous. You could spend hours looking at his work and constantly finding some new fascinating detail.

One afternoon we went to Washington Park to stroll through the Rose Garden and Japanese Garden. Portland is known as the rose city and the garden is a tribute to that status. There are hundreds of plots with past winners, the queen's walk honors the Rose Festival Queens, and many different experimental hybrids. It was really beautiful and the smell was wonderful. The Japanese Garden is several acres of landscaped grounds in the ancient tradition of Japan. It is dedicated to Portland's Japanese population and its Sister City, Sapporo. There is a mix of water, plants, buildings and sculptures along the meandering path. There are several little alcoves with benches that were quiet and cool on the hot day we were there. The garden has a great overlook of the city and Mt. Hood. What a great place to go to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was like stepping into another world.

On the day we marched in the health care protest (previous post) we watched dragon boat races on the Willamette River. There were teams from all over the US and Canada racing in several different categories. Each boat had twenty rowers, a helmsmen at the stern and a drummer up front setting the pace. The races we watched were very competitive and looked like everyone was having a great time. Even though we don't often stay in big cities we enjoyed our time in Portland and as always we plan on returning in the future.

One Nation, Under Insured

We participated in a protest for health care reform in Portland. Who do you think inspired this sign?
This is a sign of the times. Since retiring, we have paid for our health care which we planned for. We are now having to absorb the outrageous increases each year. WE NEED TO REDUCE COSTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over 100 people joined the march after finding out about it on line. This was a real grassroots protest not an astroturf affair. There were people from all walks of life from older medicare recipients, to healthy young adults, to a woman with a child in a wheelchair.The organizer being interviewed by local TV.

Some of the signs.

This is what will happen to US if we don't join the rest of the free world economies and make affordable health care available to ALL.

WHY WE DO THIS

People often ask why we do this and what we do with our time. After talking about it we thought a list might be the best way to show what we do and why we love this lifestyle. These are all from 2009.

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
Fishing
Port Aransas
Mike and Loretta
Fulton Mansion
Christmas with new friends
Big Tree
Kayaking
Lighthouses
Skimmer tour and Whooping Cranes
Mark and Renita
USS Lexington
Center for the Art
New Years Eve with friends
Watersedge Happy Hour Gang
Georgie and Tom
South Padre Island, TX
Meeting Class of 07 mates at Pepe's
Stu and Donna
Port Isabel Lighthouse
Sabal Palms Audubon
Boca Chia
Sunrises
Birding
Steeler's Super Bowl Party
Joe and Jin
Progresso, Mexico
World Birding Center
Smitty's Jukebox Museum
Bentsen Rio Grande State Park
Los Fresnos Rodeo
Austin bats
Jill, John and Dave
Chicken Sh_t Bingo
Little Longhorn Saloon
Texas Capitol
Blues
6th Street
Class of 07 Reunion and Mates
Dave and Kathy
Bill and Leslie
Jim and Bobbie
John and Sue
Greg and Jean
Howie and Norah
Joe and Marcia
John
Hank and Patty
Tom and Paula
Bob and Molly
John and Mary Nan
Jim and Faye
Amistad National Recreation Area
Seminole Canyon State Park
Judge Roy Bean -- Law West of the Pecos
Big Bend National Park
Santa Elena Canyon
Soaking in a hot springs
Lost Mine Trail
Victor singing in Boquilla Canyon
Pinnacle Trail
Aussies Joe and Deb
Hiking
Ft. Davis National Historical Site
McDonald Observatory Star Party
Marfa Lights
Paisano Hotel
White Sands National Monument
Cloudcroft, NM
New Restaurants
New Mexico Museum of Space History
Matilda the Camel
Lincoln National Forest
Sunspot, NM
National Solar Observatory
Jim and Chris -- Geeks on Tour
Easter potluck with SKPs
Ted and Lois
Rockhound State Park
Poncha Villa State Park
Columbus, NM Museum
Tombstone, AZ shootout
Rick and Terry
Saguaro National Park
Taliesen West
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Linda Rocks
Sedona and Red Rocks
Montezuma Castle National Memorial
Jerome, AZ
Grand Canyon National Park
Bright Angel Trail
South Kaibab Trail
Rim Trail
Condors
Marie and Lolita
Las Vegas, NV
Mirage
Treasure Island
Samstown
Flamingo
Caesars Palace
Luxor
Bellagio
Wynn
Paris
New York New York
MGM Grand
Venetian
Fremont Street Experience
Mike and Sherri
Grand Canyon Skywalk
Hoover Dam
Death Valley National Park
Scotty's Castle
Rhyolite, NV
Goldwell Open Air Museum
Reno, NV
Empire Mine State Park
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park
Sutter's Mill
Wineries
Healdburg, CA
Sonoma Valley, CA
GTO Restaurant
Bodega Bay, CA
Avenue of the Giants
Redwood National Park
Lost Coast and Shelter Cove, CA
Pacific Coast Scenic Highway
Trees of Mystery
Humbug Mountain Trail
Seals and sea lions
Chainsaw carvings
Penguins win the Stanley Cup
Oregon Dunes National Park
Cape Arago Lighthouse
Umpqua River Lighthouse
John Dellenback Dunes Trail
Sunsets
Shore Acres State Park
Allan and Sharon
Free mussels
"D" River
Rouge Brewery
Kitefest
Yaquina Head Lighthouse
Depoe Bay, OR
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Spouting horns
Cape Kiwanda Dune
Brewpubs
Newport, OR
Sea Lion Cave
Tillimook and Blue Heron Cheeses
3 Capes Scenic Loop
Munson Creek Falls
Ft. Vancouver National Historical Site
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Dave and Kazuko
Allan and Breadon
Mt. Rainer National Park
Meeting Class of 07 mates in the Pacific Northwest
Steve and Sandy
Marty
Trisha
John and Lori
Navy jets
Vancouver, BC
Rick and Denise
Stanley Park
Granville Island
Bicycling
Chinatown
Gastown
Museum of Anthropology
Tojo's
Sun Yat-Sun Garden
Los Pinguos
Guemes Island Ferry
Farmer's markets
Anacortes Arts Festival
Anacortes Mural Project
Fort Casey State Park
Keystone - Port Townsend Ferry
Fort Flagler State Park
Port Townsend, WA
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge
The Dungeness Spit
New Dungeness Light Station
Olympic National Park
Hurricane Ridge
Dungeness River Audubon bird walk
Fort Worden State Park
Olympic Discovery Trail

The Sun Sets on Our Stay Along the Oregon Coast

The campground's Independence Day parade.
Enjoying Tillimook and Blue Heron.

The Cape Meares Lighthouse

The trail, beach and Octopus Tree at Cape Meares.

In the background is cloudy Cape Lookout as seen from Cape Kiwanda then hiking through those clouds.

Cape Kiwanda

Munson Creek Falls

Watching the sunset over Three Arch Rocks.

We spent our last week on the Oregon coast at Netarts Bay Marina and RV Park near Tillimook. The park is on the bay which is known for its clean waters. This is because the tide almost completely empties then refills the bay twice a day. We had one of our quietest 4th of Julys ever as we just stayed in the park that day. Our highlight was the parade pictured in its entirety above. We did not even hear or see any fireworks. The weather was dreary, overcast and foggy so we just chilled. We learned later this was not a bad decision since the fireworks were hard to see because of the fog.

The surrounding area is known for its dairy farms and cheese processing and we enjoyed visiting the Blue Heron French Cheese Company and Tillimook Cheese. The Blue Heron has a country store atmosphere with a wonderful selection of products and offers meals, wine tasting, clothing and, of course, their famous brie. We took advantage and indulged ourselves. At Tillimook Cheese they have all the above and offer tours of the factory. Being dairy country, they also have great ice cream which we both really enjoyed.

The RV park is on the Three Capes Scenic Drive and each cape is unique. At Cape Meares there is a lighthouse that is, at 38 feet, the shortest on the coast. As with most Oregon lights, it sits 217 feet above the sea on a cliff so it can be seen for 20 miles out to sea. This light is no longer operating but the Fresnel lens is still in place and allows for a really up close view. When it was in operation the light flashed red and white. It is strange to walk down the hill to the lighthouse and be able to look directly into the lantern room. Just off shore is the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge that, like all of Oregon's sea coast rocks, are protected habitat for birds and other wildlife. In the same area is a very unusual Sitka spruce known as the Octopus Tree. Rather than having one central trunk, it has several growing out of a large base. From the cape we hiked through the forest down to a secluded rocky beach. Even though it was the holiday weekend we had the trail and the beach to ourselves.

The second cape on the drive is Cape Lookout which includes the forest covered headland of the cape and a long sandy spit that separates Netarts Bay from the Pacific. We hiked five miles to the tip of the cape through the forest where low hanging clouds were clinging to the trees. It was windy and eerie as the trail meandered for one side of the cape to the other. We went from the calm quiet on the lee side into fierce winds which blow up the sides of the cliffs that plunged into the ocean below. At different spots along the trail we could see Cape Mears and Three Arch Rocks to the north but Cape Kiwanda was hidden by the clouds.

At Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City the overcast skies were not nearly as bad as at Cape Lookout. This cape is very different from the other two with a mix of solid rock and a huge sand dune with only a few trees growing on top but no forest and a huge haystack rock just off shore. Climbing the dune seemed to be the thing to do as it was covered with people walking up and then sliding, running or rolling down so, of course, we had to join the fun. We did not get out to the tip of this cape because a wedding, which we did not want to disturb, was being held along the trail. Another wonderful thing in Pacific City is the Pelican Brew Pub where we enjoyed a great meal and a couple of their beverages.

On Tuesday we drove to the Tillimook Forest Center and discovered it was open Wednesday to Sunday. Oh well, we always say we can't do it all and need a reason to return to places in the future. We did go to Munson Creek Falls, which at 319 feet, is the highest on the Oregon coast. It was a small but impressive falls at the end of a box canyon. We also realized our stay along the coast was coming to an end and we had not seen a sunset. With a favorable mix of clouds and sun we drove to Oceanside and were rewarded with the spectacular view of the sun going down behind the Three Arch Rocks. AWESOME!!!!!

The Oregon Coast is "COOL"

Bridges of the Oregon Coast
Lincoln City Kite Festival

The world's smallest harbor and the world's shortest river.

Spouting Horns

Heceta Head and Yaquina Head Lighthouse with Fresnel lens background.

A rogue with a Rogue.

Sea Lion Cave and Rookery.

We continue our drive up the Oregon coast and, as if they want you to have a real time Oregon experience, it began to rain as we passed Cape Foulweather. We are at the Chinook Bend RV Resort near Lincoln City, a campground on the bank of the Siletz River, a tidal river where the water flows "upstream" when the tide is coming in and then reverses as the tide goes out. As the title states, the Oregon coast is a cool place with temps being in the sixties with a lot of wind. This has been okay on the days when the sun is out, which has been most, but it can be bone chilling when it is overcast. It is strange to walk on the beach and see people bundled up in winter coats. I don't even have to wear my glasses because there are no cute little bikinis to see. The other half of cool is the neat and different things we continue to see and do as we travel the coastal highway. Even the bridges over the many streams and rivers flowing to the Pacific are unique. Most of them were designed by Conde B. McCollough in the 1930's and each one is different, unlike the cookie cutter bridges on today's interstate roads.

In Lincoln City they take advantage of the ideal winds and have a kite festival that is similar to the one we went to on South Padre Island in February. There were huge kites anchored in the sand and several choreographed performances with individual and team kiting. One group, iQuad, was at the Texas festival. We have included a short video of one of their routines. Lincoin City is also the home to one of several local attractions that are described by a superlative. Here, it is the "D" River which holds the Guinness Book record for being the shortest river in the world. It is only 120 feet from fresh water Devils Lake to the Pacific Ocean. Kayaking the entire length of the river is a cool thing to do.

In nearby Depoe Bay we saw the Pacific with some of the largest waves we have ever seen. The area is known for its spouting horns that channel the waves into holes that blow the spray and mist high into the air. We were there at high tide on a day with strong winds coming off the water and it was quite a show with the water coming over the high seawall. One local told us that during winter storms the spray blows across the highway. This is one of the best places to get an up close look at the waves crashing onto the rocky shore, but many other spots allow for interesting but less specular waves. It is so cool watching the waves crashing on to the rocky shoreline. Also located here is the world's smallest navigable harbor.

We visited two nearby lighthouses and both offered tours. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse is the tallest in Oregon at 93 feet and stands 217 feet above the ocean. The area around the lighthouse is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and has several hiking trails and wildlife viewpoints. There is an excellent Interpretive Center with many exhibits on the lighthouse including a full-scale replica of the lantern. The Heceta Head Lighthouse tower is 54 feet high and stands 205 feet above the water. It is the only one we have ever visited where you get to see the gears working as they rotate the lens. Both of these lights can be seen over twenty miles out to sea with their first order Fresnel lenses that have elaborate prisms designed to focus and project the oil lamp flame used when they were built in the 1800's. The lighthouse keeper's house at Heceta Head has been turned into a bed and breakfast and I'm sure the rooms would have cool views.

Newport is the biggest city in the area with many attractions including an aquarium that we did not visit. We did enjoy the historic Bayfront with its mix of working fish processing plants, shops, bars and restaurants. A big attraction for me was the Rogue Brewery which brews some of my favorite beverages. We were there as workers were finishing their shift and many of them came into the bar to enjoy some of their own handiwork. WOW what a cool job!!!

The last of the superlative attractions in the area is Sea Lion Caves which is advertised as the largest sea cave in the world. What they don't tell, but what you quickly discover when you step into the elevator to descend 200 feet, is that it is also (in our opinion) the smelliest attraction you will ever visit. The aroma of years of sea lion sh_t assault your nose the entire time you are underground. That said it was cool to be in a sea cave with the waves coming in and seeing the sea lions. Outside you can also look down on the only mainland rookery on the coast.

1Quad Video