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Garibaldi is a small little fishing village, right on the edge of Tillamook Bay.  Not your picturesque cute little fishing village.  I mean a real live authentic fishing village.  There is a museum in town and a couple of very small gift shops and galleries, but this town is a working town.  There is a small lumber mill on the north side of town, otherwise the town is dominated by the harbor, with a couple of rows of commercial fishing boats, a row of charter boats and a small gaggle of private fishing boats.

Being on the coast of Oregon, the weather in this area is fairly temperate this time of year.  Never hotter than 70 degrees, not colder than 50 overnight, and perpetual low lying clouds, fog and a cool breeze.  While inland they are suffering through 90+ degree days, I am walking about town and the harbor wearing long pants and m fleece jacket.

The town watering holes are dominated by locals, and everybody knows everybody.  There is an old steam locomotive (a switcher) that you can take for a ride and they love to blow that old steam whistle.  The lumber mill runs all night, but rather than being obtrusive it adds to the character of this little fishing hamlet.

Lots of sport fisherman find this town very accommodating.  They have a four boat launch space, a huge trailer parking area.  Two different restaurants right in the dock area, bait shops, fresh fish shops, crab pot rentals, and even a huge fish cleaning station with disposal bins.  Obviously, this town knows what side of the bread is buttered.

Continued moving north today and was able to take in another Oregon lighthouse.  Number eight was the Cape Meares Lighthouse just outside of Tillamook Bay.  This is on a very scenic point of land with large old growth trees.  This lighthouse was unique in that the path out to the point is ABOVE the lighthouse, so as you approach you get a great view of the top of the beacon.  When you step out into the opening, you can look directly into the light room as it is only about 25 feet from the edge.

The park also has a very unusual tree that they have named the Octopus Tree.

The road leading into this park was very hard to travel, especially in the new rig.  Shook things up pretty good and gave my packing skills a true test.  The final couple of miles were so bad that the speed limit was 10 miles an hour.

Headed north a bit more and came to Garibaldi where I spotted a CG right next to the road and just on the edge of town.  Several restaurants and sites within close walking distance so I checked in.  Got a cheap site with just electric and water.  It was out in the open a bit but since the coastline weather is pretty temperate,  I was perfectly happy with that.

Cape Meares Lighthouse and Fresnal Lense

Octopus Tree, Diesel Locomotive and Garibaldi Railroad Shack

My first day on the road with the new rig.  Of course, because it is a large truck chassis, it drives like a large truck.  Very comfortable for the most part, and of course has all of the amenities in the cab for driver and passenger.  The great part about the RV is that I was able to pull off into a rest area, use the bathroom, made some lunch, watched a little TV and took a nap and never even opened the door to step outside.

Drove back the route I used to get to Salem last Saturday and then continued north on US-101 along the coast.  As I had gotten a late start, I needed to find a place to stay fairly quick.  Slid off the highway just after crossing the Siletz River as there were three CG’s back in the valley.  The first one was a gem.  Right on the river, in lots of old growth trees.  Sites were sufficient and they had a boat launch and rentals.  The fliers for the park were updated with photos of fish caught on the river the last two days.

My first night on the road was uneventful.  I only opened the bedroom slide as I was planning to move out early the next morning.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Signed the paperwork and made out the big check today.  Moved all of my gear out of the Fleetwood and had my training session with Charlie, so now I am some kind of expert.  Not really.  I will have a lot to learn.

I will spend the night tonight in front of the RV Dealer and hopefully get everything stowed if not organized.  What a mess I have.  The Fleetwood was basically busting at the seams, with gear crammed in every nook and cranny.  The Greyhawk has ample space, but because I did not have a lot of organization before, things are kind of a mess.  The only area lacking enough storage space is the kitchen.

Now for the details.

The chassis is a Chevy 5500 with an 8.1 (454) engine and an Allison tranny.  It’s a truck and it drives like one.  But that’s okay because I know it will get me over the hill.  She has an 80-gallon gasoline tank and gets 9 – 10 miles per gallon.  I know, that sounds bad, but that is what I was getting with the Durango.  The key difference is that the range on the Durango was about 200 miles, whereas the Greyhawk will go about 600.  Won’t have to spend my time focusing on finding a station.  I will be spending more (time and money) at the pump, but the overall cost to travel is the same.

The cockpit consists of two bucket seats that recline and the usual dashboard amenities.  There is also an AM/FM CD and Weather Band.

Above the driver’s compartment, where you would normally have a bunk, is an entertainment center serving the living area.  There is a 14″ Flat screen TV with a DVD player and tons of storage.  The entertainment package includes surround sound stereo with a woofer buried underneath one of the sofas.  This system serves the entire entertainment system as well as the in-dash stereo.

Immediately behind the driver’s compartment is the living area with two leather foldout sleeper sofas.  The one on the driver’s side  is part of the slide out on that side of the coach along with the refrigerator.  There are a pair of overhead cabinets.  The entry door is on this side of the coach as well which means the sofa is a bit shorter than the one on the driver’s side.  There are also large windows that open on either side of the coach allowing a tremendous amount of airflow.  Unlike many of the RV’s I have seen.

Moving further back into the coach is the kitchen or galley.  This is a small L shaped area on the passenger side of the coach with a 3-burner gas stove, a microwave/convection oven and a double bowl porcelain sink.  The sink has a goose neck faucet, lever type water control and a dish sprayer.  There is a small pantry with pull out drawers which make access nice.  As I mentioned the refrigerator is on the driver’s side of the coach and is part of the slide out.  I am just a little short on storage, but on shorter trips, that should not be an issue.

Moving further back along the driver’s side is a hallway towards the sleeping area.  There is another large window here which throws a lot of light and air.  As you pass through on your left is the bathroom.  This is about a 6’x6′ room with the usual facilities including a full-sized shower with glass enclosure and a message shower head.  The linen closet in this space is more than ample.

At the rear of the coach is the master bedroom.  There is a queen-sized bed with the head positioned on the passenger side and this also slides out to make a tad more floor space.  On the opposite side of the room is a large wardrobe/dresser with lots of drawers and hanging space.  There is also a TV and DVD cubby where I put my other TV from the Fleetwood.  There are also a couple of nice storage cabinets above the bed.

Systems wise, the rig has 63 gallon fresh water capacity, 41 grey water and 51 black water.  It also has an Onan 5000-watt, 50 amp generator, 56 lb chassis mounted propane tank, two air conditioning units, and a 31,000 BTU heater.

Exterior features include a hot/cold shower, a roof ladder, an electric awning and an outside entertainment system with an AM/FM CD changer.  The neat part of this system is that I can pick up my XM Satellite both inside and out and completely annoy my camping neighbors.

Basically, if I go anywhere with a full tank of gas, water and LP, the unit is self contained to the point that it will run on it’s own for several days.

So as dad would say, “I am crapping in high cotton!”

This will be my very last night sleeping in the trailer . . . .

Tomorrow night I will be the proud owner of a new 2007 Jayco Greyhawk 33DS Class C Motorcoach.  Tomorrow morning I run the trailer over and finish the paperwork.  I then have most of the day to transfer my gear, and have a training session at 3p.  Spending the night in the parking lot of the dealer getting things stowed and moving out first thing Wed morning.

The Durango has to have some work done on before I can tow it behind the coach, so I will be leaving it behind for a week or so.  The parts are expected in about a week, then they will need a day to get it rigged.  I will take a circle tour of NW Oregon and swing back this way at the end of the week to pick it up and resolve any punch list issues I find during the shakedown cruise.

So, here are a couple of photos I took quick like last Saturday.  I should have some better stuff in a day or so.

Rained this morning which allowed me to get caught up on some paperwork, phone calls and photo editing.  A couple of old friends stopped by whom I have never met, and we visited for about an hour.  Huh?!?

When I bought my trailer three years ago, I joined an online camping club that offered advice and mentors for those who travel in RV’s alone.  They (and now me) offer members a place to go with questions that are unique to solo camping.  Like, how to back up without a guide (slowly and deliberate) or how to get lined up to the hitch.  Besides the usual bulletin boards and photo album there is also a chat room that meets nightly.

There are two ladies who live nearby, who have been providing me with some travel tips regarding northern California and the Oregon coast.  So, they took the opportunity to stop by and introduce themselves, and that gave me a chance to thank them for their guidance.

Spent the afternoon catching up on todo tasks, so went down to Newport to walk the harbor, see the sights (and smell the fish houses) and grab a little dinner.  There was no shortage of photo opportunities.

Crab Pots, Sea Lion Debate and Newport Marina

Summer Breeze II, Newport Marina and Yaquima Bay Bridge

Moved a little further north today into another area of the coast and to get a tad closer to Salem OR, where I am headed on Saturday.  I was able to visit three (3) different lighthouses today.  One of these on my way north, and the other two within ten minutes of my camp at South Beach SP.  Could not get a two-night stay, so I am here for at least one night, and may have to move within the park, or to someplace else tomorrow.

The Heceta Head Lighthouse was on my way north, so took the opportunity to stop in on my way through.  The first view you get as you come north is as you come around the side of the mountain overlooking the ocean.  The view is spectacular and there is a turn off on the other side of the road.   Unfortunately it was a pretty popular place to be, and I was dragging the trailer, so there just was not enough room.  Right after this turnoff, you drop down a little elevation and come to a short tunnel through the side of the hill which immediately drops you on to a beautiful steel bridge.  Then once you have crossed the bridge you make an immediate exit to get to the lighthouse park.

The parking area was not very busy when I arrived, so I parked at the far end.  By the time I was ready to leave, the lot was at capacity and folks were turning around and leaving without taking the walk up the bluff.  That is unfortunate because this is one of the most picturesque of all of the lighthouse locations that I have seen thus far.

The walk to the lighthouse is about a 1/2 mile, all uphill, but not at all difficult.  And the view was well worth the walk as you can see by the photos.

I dropped the camper off at South Beach SP, and immediately left for a little lunch and a tour of two more lighthouses that are both within about 5 miles of the campground.

First stop was at the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport OR.  This lighthouse was in use for a very short period when it was replaced by a taller, and brighter lighthouse just a few miles to the north.  They have photos of the structure in total disrepair and the resurrection is just amazing.  Due to the location of this lighthouse, and the amount of foliage immediately adjacent to the building, it was tough to get some good photos.  I had to stand on my head a couple of times, but the results were worth it.

The bridge is of course the Yaquina Bay Bridge.  Due to the rugged nature of the Oregon coast, there are several bridges of similar design along the way. Had I known before I had gotten this far; I would have been stopping to take ‘Bridge’ pictures as well as lighthouses.  Each one is quite unique, stunning to see and in some of the most spectacular scenic areas of the coast.  Would have made an excellent photo essay.

Note the flag on the right in the photo below.  I managed to find another unusual US Flag.  This one with 37 stars.  This flag is being displayed as it was the US Flag in use at the time that the lighthouse went into operation for the very first time.

The final stop for today was the Yaquina Head lighthouse, which is located in a park managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  This lighthouse made the Yaquina Bay lighthouse obsolete.  It is also the tallest and among the brightest of Oregon’s nine lighthouses.  Thanks to the First Order Fresnel Lens it could beam out about 22 miles into the Pacific Ocean.  What’s a Fresnel Lens?!?  I am glad you asked . . . .

“invented by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel. Originally developed for lighthouses, the design enables the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the weight and volume of material which would be required in conventional lens design.”

A first order lens is the most powerful, largest and most expensive of the Fresnel Lenses.

Lots of open land on the ‘Head’, so lots of good opportunities for pictures.  Enjoy!!!

Did the driving tour to see three (3) different lighthouses.  I was a bit disappointed as they were not all as scenic as the first couple that I have seen.  However, I did manage to squeeze out a couple of nice shots.  The Cape Arago Lighthouse is very remote.  Sorry for the small visual, but that was as close as my 200mm lens would reach.  I was glad I was touring without the trailer because they were not as easy to get to as the first two that I visited.

The Coquille River lighthouse was the most accessible as you can see by the number of shots I got off.  Toured the Lens Room upstairs.  The lens is long gone, but they are looking to acquire a similar one.

At the Umpqua Lighthouse, you will notice that there is a red lens.  Each lighthouse has its own unique light, and timing of that light, as well as its own unique foghorn.  This information was provided to the boat captains on what was called a Lighthouse List.  They could tell where they were by looking at the light and timing the sequence between light and dark, or between white and red light.  Same with the sounding of the horn, duration, etc.

Oregon has nine (9) lighthouses and I have now visited just less than half of those as well as the one in Crescent City CA.

Coquille River Lighthouse

Couquille River Lighthouse, Drawbridge and Crabbers

Umpqua Lighthouse, Keeper’s Residence and Rescue Boat

Cape Arago Lighthouse

Oregon. That’s state #42 lifetime!

Drove up from California, and immediately saw gas prices drop 25 cents a gallon.  It might even be fun to go for a tank of gas again.  Although when I filled up in Crescent City, I actually got full service.  Attendant pumped the gas, cleaned the windows and checked the oil.  Second time I had gotten full service on this trip and third time I got analog pumps.  I thought those days had been long gone by.

The coast drive up US-101 is just phenomenal.   Every bend in the road (and there are a lot of them), brings a new vista, another turnout to stop for the view, and parks to stroll the redwoods, the forests or the beaches.  So far, I have managed to find three lighthouses.  Going back tomorrow for photos of the third one as I was on my bike earlier and did not drag along the camera.

Nice ride too by the way.  About ten miles altogether.  Good to stretch the legs out a bit after riding around in the Durango most of the day.  My little Giant bicycle was happy to be cranking along too.  After all the service issues of late, there is a slight bump in my new back tire, but maybe we can wear that down with a few more miles.  I do need to oiler her up a bit after spending a week hanging off the back of the trailer on the bluff overlooking the ocean and catching all of that spray.

An interesting feature of the coast lands especially in Oregon as that there are Tsunami warning signs whenever you get down to the lower elevations.  Which if of course typically where the towns are as they are all harbors.  I have been through Tornadoes, Hurricanes, and even mild Earthquakes.  Can’t say that I have seen a Tsunami yet.  Maybe that is not something I want to mark off as been there, done that, don’t need another t-shirt.

Cape Blanco Lighthouse, View from the Cape and a self-portrait.  (how about that outfit, eh?!?)

An electronic postcard for you all.  Thanks to Roger for the graphics work.

Weather is here, wish you were beautiful!
photo by Michael, graphics from Images by Benson