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What a way to celebrate 100 days on the road.  Went into the RV dealer today to get some warranty work completed, and hope beyond hope that the parts for the Durango would show up.  Got most of the RV work completed but no joy on the parts.  I have to take the RV into a Chevy dealer to get a temperature gauge repaired, otherwise the RV and I are ready to go.  We are just waiting on those parts for my little blue pusher.  Apparently, the parts went to packaging and shipping today.

More laundry today, but all caught up now.  Good for two or three weeks.  Karen and Laura picked me up for what I thought was a shopping trip to Costco, but instead they took me east, up into the mountains and run up the canyon.  Very picturesque and scenic.  Winding roads, lots of pines and maples.  Pull off camping spots adjacent to the road that were a little close for my taste.

The unfortunate part about this park was seeing some of the worse camping habits you will see, all concentrated in one area.  Almost looked like a homeless village.  Apparently they either do not have rules or they are not applying them.  Campers parked every which way, vehicles parked in the weeds and trees, gear scattered about everywhere, clothes lines tied to trees, smoldering fires left behind, and piles and piles of trash.  It is really not a stretch to pack out your garbage and leave it by the curb on your weekly pickup.  It was really a shame that such a gorgeous natural resource has been trashed by so many inconsiderate people.

The Cougar Girls even took a short break to stretch and allow me to hike down the valley to get a few shots of the river.  A quick scramble back up the hillside and back we went.  Stopping for dinner at a very nice roadside diner, and the food was fabulous.  A short drive back to camp and a quick goodbye to my new friends from Oregon.  They both have been most helpful in guiding in and about the state, and I do appreciate their hospitality.

Happy birthday, baby!  Margaritas all around.

More organizing and some housekeeping today as I am getting some company.  Spent the morning cleaning and doing laundry, and friends Karen and Laura, or the Cougar Girls as I call them picked me up to go find some dinner.

They had planned a barbecue, but it was quite hot.  When we got to Albertson’s they were selling ribs, burgers, hot dogs and sausages already cooked up so they bought some ribs and chicken.  We popped into Albertson’s for some side dishes and headed back to camp for dinner at Karen’s.

Margarita’s and ribs on a hot summer day in camp.  Doesn’t really get much better, does it?!?

The Durango is just about ready for pickup.  Only thing missing are a couple of brackets for the tow bar, and those should be arriving soon.  Decided to pull out and head back towards Salem and Albany, hoping that the Durango will be ready to go this weekend or Monday at the latest.  Also, I have some online connections I call the Cougar Girls (Laura and Karen) who live in the area and we are planning an impromptu together for the weekend.  Laura is the one who recommended the RV dealer and they both helped my find things to do while in Oregon.

On the way back, I stopped at Multnomah Falls for some photos and a little exercise.  The climb to the top is a little over a mile and you gain about 750 feet in the process.  It was a good cardio workout.  I saw several folks quit before reaching the top.  I followed a trail of cigarette butts most of the way, but those ran out about 3/4 of the way up.  Hope you enjoy the view.

Camped here without alternate transportation so spent the day just hanging out, taking a couple of walks and catching up on e-mail and work.  This RV park is nestled between I-81, the train tracks and the Columbia River.

On my walk this morning, I found some blackberries in bloom.  Of course, as I circled back I happened to have a baggie in my pocket and took my fill for breakfast.  Talk about fresh!

Left Cape Disappointment to circle back towards Salem OR.  The Durango is not quite ready, so I am going to meander along the Columbia River in both Washington and Oregon to see what there is to see.

Spotted the only working covered bridge in Washington.  Took the cutoff back and got myself trapped with my new rig on a one lane road and a low clearance bridge.  Got her turned around, but there was no room to pull off and take pictures.  I was lucky I did not have the Durango.

Passed through Portland and struggled with their idea of highway signs.  Missed several turns and had to turn around each time.  On one occasion I had to double back and was intently watching for signs along the way.  One sign, right at the turn, that could not be seen behind the large tree completely covering it.  You literally had to be right next to it to see it.

Continued east along I-84 up the Columbia River valley.  This drive is extremely scenic.  There are several parks along the way along with several small towns along the river.  I chose to drive a little way east just to see what there was to see.  Worked my way up the canyon to the high desert area and found a state park campground right beside the interstate and overlooking the river.  Railroad tracks on either side of the river adding a little haunted whistle blowing in the distance.

I received some very good news today.  Tamara is coming to see me.  She is flying out to Seattle in September to spend 10 days with me.  Can’t wait.  Having someone along to share my adventures with make that portion of the trip just that much more special.  We are both very excited.

Took advantage of a non-travel day and did a bit of organizing.  Had an early lunch then went off for a walk about.  Wandered down to the boat launch and watched the salmon fisherman load and unload.  One was there cleaning up his catch with a very interested party of seagulls nearby.

Walked back out through camp, then on up the 250+ foot climb out to the cape.  Came first to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and walked through the museum.  It is laid out in chronological order documenting their travels, trials and tribulations across the west.

After the Interpretive Center, and a brief interlude for a snack while looking out on the mouth of the Columbia, I headed out to the Cape to see the lighthouse.  A good looking facility, but the view steals the show here.  From the top of the hill you can see well north along the coast of Washington, west you view the Columbia opening up into the Pacific, south is a view of the south jetty, Fort Stewart and Oregon beyond, then east up the Columbia towards Astoria and the Cascades.  Quite breathtaking.

Pulled out of Fort Stewart late in the morning and made the short drive into Astoria OR.  Grabbed some lunch and did a little grocery shopping then made a visit to the Maritime Museum right on the shores of the Columbia River.

This museum is very well done, with several full-sized boats (and smaller ships) as well as dozens of displays and lots of very good models.  They cover everything here from the history of the river, Lewis and Clark, types of industry, and extensive coverage of the Coast Guard and the service they provide to their country.

Adjacent to the museum is a Lightship you can tour which is a floating lighthouse that lights the channel for days at a time.

Left the museum and run a quick errand to the hardware store and the bike shop.  Then made a beeline for the bridge and crossed over into Washington.  My 42nd state lifetime.

Once over the Columbia, I turned out towards the coast once again, running up US-101.  Stayed the course heading due north when US-101 broke off to the east and ran all the way up the peninsula to Leadbetter Point State Park.  I took a very brief stroll, and this looks to be a fantastic place to hike.  Not planning on coming this way again, but it looks to be very promising.  Once I entered the park, the road narrowed to a single lane and the trees crowded down quite low.  Not enough room for the motor coach, so I made a quick U-turn at the earliest opportunity and circled back.  Drove directly to Cape Disappointment State Park and put into camp for the night.

Decided to spend the day today touring the park on my bicycle as they have about 12 miles of biking trails, plus the roads throughout the park.  Went through the process of pulling the bike down off of the RV, so I could jump on, ride up to the Ranger Station to see if I could extend my stay, then head out to the beach to see the ocean, a shipwreck, the levee, the Columbia River, and Washington state on just the other side of the river.

Not to be.  Front tire was flat, so inflated it.  Would not hold air.  No problem, I fish out my spare tube from the basement of the rig.  Changed the tire, inflated and put the tire back on.  Checked the pressure on the back tire and of course it needed some air.  Topped it off at 90 lbs, and then put the pump away.  Locked the cargo door and POP, the back tire blew.  Since I had no more tubes, bike riding was no longer an option.  Back onto the bike rack she goes.

So, I buttoned up the RV, and headed out on a day tour.  There is a visible shipwreck of the Peter Iredale right on the beach.  Walked about there for a while, then headed further out onto the point.  Walked around by the shores of the Columbia River which is quite scenic with the mountains of Washington state to the north.  Circled back and rode out to the North Jetty for a view of the ocean to the west, Oregon to the east, and to the north the Columbia River and Washington.

Moved further inland and stopped for a short walking tour around Battery Russell, then moved over to the Fort itself for the full tour of the Museum and the main part of the army base including several batteries, barracks locations and some of the support facilities.  It’s important to know that for the most part, only the concrete portions of the fort are all that is left.  When the army pulled out, the tore down the majority of the structures and took most of the steel work out.

I also got to briefly walk about the original earthworks that were constructed for the original fort during the civil war.

I pretty much walked the entire fort and took in the vast majority of the highlights.  Probably walked about 7 or 8 miles total today.  Drove a short way into town and found a Mexican restaurant for dinner, then circled back to the state park for another night.

Wreck of the Peter Iredale

Beachfront Driftwood, View of the Columbia and a Lone Sentry at Fort Stewart

Moving further north today, with no reservations and no predetermination about a destination.  within just an hour or so of getting into the road I come to Cannon Beach which is one of those ‘can’t miss’ destinations recommended by my friend Tracey.

I cruise about the local streets a bit and find the beach.  Stop for a quick walk to see the ocean and enjoy this huge wide and flat stretch of beach.  Then moved the rig closer to town but still had to park a little under a mile from town and then walk downtown.  Spent the balance of the morning and a good part of the afternoon walking about, stopping in a gallery or gift shop on occasion.  Grabbed a little lunch, an ice cream (because I was a good boy) and a coffee just before I get back in the motor coach to move further on down the highway.  This is a beautiful little town, a bit touristy, but with all of the amenities.  I did enjoy my walk and the numerous galleries.

Weather was a bit iffy and finally started raining as I moved on out of town.

Kept on driving until it started getting a bit late to be on the road, and was nearly running out of Oregon as well, when I came upon Fort Stewart State Park.  Pulled into the park, even though the CG sign said ‘FULL’.  Inquired at the front desk and got one of only a couple of sites remaining.  Got back to the truck just in time as the rain begin to descend in earnest.  Pulled into my site and was instantly gratified to have my new rig as I was able to setup camp without leaving the comfort of my rig.  Then waited for the rain to let up and popped out quick enough to hook up the shore power.  Stayed nice and dry and comfy.