San Diego or Bust, August 2017 Part 2

Friday –Day 5

Destination: Wyatt’s house, Trinity Center, CA

Miles: 136

Word of the Day: Food

Critter Count: small herd of deer

The rain held off and we had a great night. We decided that we could sleep in as we only had 100 miles to get to Wyatt’s place and he didn’t expect us until noon.  Yeah, right.  Even sleeping in we were on the road by 8:10.  LOL

We started the day on some really narrow twisty roads as we followed the North Fork of the Salmon River to the Forks of the Salmon.  On the way Dave, who was leading almost hit a deer. The herd was standing in a field with the rancher who was tending his horses.  Three of them decided to bolt, 2 in front of Dave and 1 behind Wayne.  I watched those other deer very closely, I didn’t want one to jump on me!!!

Time to strip that first layer 

We continued down the paved mountain trail (Cecilville Rd) to Callahan on Hwy 3. We needed to pick up food for dinner at Wyatt’s so we turned left and went back north to Etna to get food as Trinity Center does not have a market. Then we took the Callahan road back down to where we had come in from the west. Now it is south on Hwy 3 to Wyatts place. Here we had a great visit and showers!!

Wyatt and his mom Lou were the best hosts you could ask for. I think all we did was eat, from fresh bread (that Wyatt made) for lunch to the massive spread for dinner, we also had cake for dessert.  Awesome!

Loretta, Lou and Wayne

So much food! With Wyatt, Cindy, Dave and Loretta

Saturday—Day 6

Destination: Fort Bragg, California

Miles:  310

Word of the Day: separation

Critter Count: 3 deer, 3 turkeys

We started out with a great breakfast at Wyatt and Lou's. Then it was on the road for us. This is our last day as a group of 8.  We started going south on SR 3, past Trinity Lake. We turned off onto Rush Creek Rd and down to Lewiston.  We should have stopped here for gas, but because we had topped off in Etna yesterday I forgot that we had a really long section with no gas available. Opps!  We took a right on SR 299 and went 10 miles to rejoin SR 3.  We turned off again on the Wildwood Road .

 Time to strip off a layer

 And to say good bye to Bob and Cindy.  They are leaving us at the next intersection, to go visit family.

The 6 of us turned right on SR 36 and followed it to the Mad River Road. I was starting to get worried, as we hadn't seen gas since Lewiston.  I was so happy to see the sign indicating that camping and GAS were available on our route along Ruth Reservoir, even if it was only regular not premium gas.  We went around the lake and part way up the other side before the road headed west. The road started out in good shape, be started to deteriorate.  It continued to get more pot holes and broken concrete and lumps and bumps. I don't know how Dave and Loretta do this stuff 2-up on his bike! I mean, really. Wayne was jumping some of those lumps!  But eventually we got down to Highway 101, and good gas!  We followed the 101 down to Leggett where we stayed right and took SR 1 to the coast. Once again the marine fog and cold made us glad to turn inland on Branscomb Rd.  This tiny, windy road was so much fun, right up until we caught up with that little class C motor home with an idiot at the wheel.  Eventually we got by him and got back to the 101. Then it was south to SR 20 where we went west, back towards the coast.  We stayed at the Wildwood campground.  What a dump!  Plugged toilets, lakes in the showers and a horrible location for the tent sites.  The good news? --

-- Only 5 miles to the North Coast Brewery

We were disappointed at the Tap Room. First, they don't fill growlers. Second, they served Wayne's favorite beer, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, in a 7 ounce glass, charged him $7 and it was at least 1/3 foam.  Third, it took forever to get a table, but once we did... the service was quick and the food was great.  Still, I'd only give them 3 stars.

As the sun was setting over the Pacific, we headed back to camp, arriving just before dark.

Considering how bad the camp was, all the tent sites were full when we returned from dinner. And the group next to us was loud until late in the night.

Sunday-Day 7

Destination:  Petaluma, California

Miles:  231

Word of the Day:  Grapes

Critter Count:  2 deer

We got up at 6:30 and packed up camp, not really caring how loud we were.  After all, the neighbors had been loud until 2 in the morning. The campground did keep one promise, no coastal fog, although there wasn't any in Fort Bragg either.  We headed into town for gas and breakfast.  Today Dave, Loretta and Darryl are headed north as they have to be home in time for company to come.

The cafe was very popular with the motorcycle crowd

Our group getting ready to hit the road

The view from the bridge at Fort Bragg

Lyon, Wayne and I headed south to Mendocino where we turned inland right after the Big River. The Comptche-Ukiah Rd was very tight and so fun. In one corner I was leaned so far over that I felt my left boot drag on the pavement!! Go me!  I really am using all my tire!

At Comptche we turned right on the Flynn Creek Rd and headed south again until we hit SR 128 when we turned west and twisted our way back down to the coast through the giant redwood trees. We stayed on the coast for a short time before heading back inland near the town of Elk on the Philo-Greenwood road.  This took us back up to SR 128 which we followed to Cloverdale. It was here that we really began to see miles and miles of vineyard.  Grapes, grapes, miles and miles of grapes. It would be never ending for most of the time we were in Southern California.  How much wine do we really need in the world?

From Cloverdale we headed back west past Lake Sonoma, and down to SR 1.

We stopped for lunch at Salt Point State Park. This 6,000 acre park includes one of California's first underwater park.

It has breathtaking views of offshore rocks, and a thundering, boisterous surf 

Lyon checking it all out

A great memorial to lost friends

Beautiful sounds as we ate lunch

Our trusty mounts

We stayed on the coast for almost 30 miles, the most miles on the coast so far.  At this point we were in the back-up for a stoplight at a construction zone. I bet they have a flagger on the weekdays, but not on Sundays. We waited through 3 or 4 rotations before we were moving again.  We detoured to get gas then took the Bohemian Highway from Monte Rio to the Bodega Highway. We then took a combination of county roads until we got to the KOA in Petaluma.  It was a nice park, good showers, nice laundry and close to Lagunita's Brew Pub and Beer Sanctuary. Stop 3 on the Brew Tour.  Lyon's brother Robert and his wife Franchesca came from Napa to have dinner with us there.  5 stars--The food was great and they filled growlers, Wayne was happy.

Next stop will be the Joseph Grant Park east of San Jose.

San Diego or Bust, August 2017 Part 1

It’s finally here, VACATION! San Diego here we come! Wayne and I are on our way to San Diego to attend our niece’s wedding reception on August 19^th. When we told our travel group, they all volunteered to come along.  You know, to keep us out of trouble.

Monday Day 1

Destination: Hillsboro, OR

Word of the day:  SMOKEY  

Miles: 256

The fires are burning in British Columbia and flooding the area with smoke.  All the way south it was…smokey!

We kept to the foothills before going west at Snoqualmie, via SR 18 to Hobart.  Then it was south to Enumclaw, Eatonville and down Highway 7 to Morton. We went west on Highway 12, crossed under I-5 and ran parallel to the freeway to Longview.  Then once we crossed the Columbia we took 2 lane roads over the little mountains and into Forest Grove to gas up.  We ended our day at Lyon’s house in Hillsboro.  Bob and Cindy arrived in time for pizza, and Lyon’s cool new neighbors brought us cookies!!  Life is good.

Ready to go!!!

Tuesday-Day 2

Destination:  Whittaker Creek CG, OR

Word of the day:  FOG

Critter count:     Tiny buck (spike), Eagle, Turkeys, Coyote and the typical kamikaze chipmunks 

Miles: 260

On the road by 8am, it seems to still be the normal leave time.  We headed down to Carlton in the smoke, then out to the coast on little mountain roads; Meadow Lake, Camp Cooper, Bald Mountain and Nestucca River roads.  So fun, narrow little twisty, moss covered roads!

Cindy, Bob, Wayne and Lyon

Then on to US 101 where we headed south. The lower we got, the colder and foggier it was.

 Coastal fog on the 101

 South of Lincoln City

Fog

Then it was left on the Siletz Hwy. Wow!!! 25 miles of hoots and hollers, and Wayne’s favorite “Yeah, baby!” Then Hwy 180 down to Blodgett for lunch

Nice of them to put out a table for us 

After lunch we took Hwy’s 20 & 34 to Alsea where we took off on another Paved Mountain Trail. That is what the Butler Map folks call them. 1-1.5 lane roads, mostly paved, totally fun! Then down to Mapleton for gas and to pick up dinner before heading to Whittaker Creek Campground for the night.

Parked at camp

Tents ready to go

 Water front property 

Wednesday-Day 3

Destination:  Powers, OR

Words of the Day:  Road Closed Ahead

Miles:  232

We had a nice night, although a little humid. We were all up by 6:30 and on the road by 7:45. We headed off down the Siuslaw road, despite the Road Closed Ahead sign we had passed. Good thing we turned off on the Esmond road before the closure! Then it was down to the Smith River Road which we followed to Highway 101.

 Pit stop along the Smith River. Bob looks ready for Alaska

 Lyon and Wayne at the boat launch

Interesting place

We took a quick trip into Reedsport to the Ace Hardware. Then we went east on Highway 38 until we turned right on Loon Lake Road.  I had an alternate route planned but when we got 8 miles in we found another Road Closed Ahead sign. Oh brother! So, we turned around and headed back to the original route on Hwy 38. At Elkton we headed south on Hwy 138. Then we cut over to Umpqua for lunch. We pulled into a bakery cafe for lunch. The food was really good, even Lyon liked it even if it was a vegetarian restaurant.  We got gas in Melrose and headed to the Coos Bay Wagon road.  This turned into gravel and we had more on-coming traffic that we have seen on any of the little Paved Mountain Trails. 

 Falls along today's dirt section

Wayne, Lyon, Cindy and Bob

We went through Myrtle Point and on to Hwy 542 down to Powers County Park for the night. We got behind an RV and a pick-up and they were going sooo slow. Once the RV pulled over the truck took off like a rocket and Wayne swears the truck was begging him to give chase! So, it was a quick trip down into camp!!! Once we set up camp the rest of our group arrived. Dave with his very patient wife Loretta riding 2 up on his bike and their friend Darryl. So now the gang is all here!

Camp at Powers

Thursday--Day 4

Destination: Idlewild CG, California

Word of the day: Detour

Miles: 256

Critter Count: 3 deer, some turkeys

It rained last night! Two times! Well I must admit it was about 16 drops on our tent each time, but still, it was rain. As a group, we sure moved fast breaking camp.  We were on the road by 7:30. We thought we were going to have a gasoline issue as 5 of us expected to get gas in Powers, only to find the only station in town didn’t open until 9am.  Opps! We decided to go forward and try to find some along the way.  We headed south on the Rogue-Coquille Backcountry Scenic Byway. Nice twisty road that we knew was going to turn to gravel. Which it did and lasted about 12 miles.  It was paved again once we got to the Rogue River. We were planning on taking Forest Road 23, a skinny little paved road that the rafters use to ferry their trailers over to the take out to collect their rafts. When we got there, Road Closed.  Period. We pulled over and figured out a route that would take us down to Highway 101 to another Highway that would go west. So, off we go, only to find official Detour signs about 1 mile down the road. Yippee!! We took a left on the Agness Road which started as paved, but turned to gravel and changed its name to County Road 425. It was a 20 mile long, well signed Detour!  They even had “confidence arrows”, signs where there wasn’t an intersection. Just so you’d know you were still on the correct route. We then joined FR 23 for the run down to Bear Camp road and eventually to the Rogue River again.

We darted into Merlin to get gas.  Being 3 miles from I-5, it was too close so we turned back west and headed towards lunch in Cave Junction. Then it was a left turn onto the Caves Highway where we turned off on an assortment of county roads on our way to Happy Camp CA. Then down Hwy 96 to the Scott River to Greenview and on to the Brewery in Etna CA. Wayne had a Russian Imperial Stout, big thumbs up.  

Then we continued on to Idlewild Campground for the night. While in town we had really big thunder booms.  The storm followed us to camp and of course the sky opened up and we got rained on. Once the tents were set up the rain stopped and we had a pleasant night in camp, although we did 'tarp up'. 

 Ready for the rain!

Darryl, Loretta, Bob and Cindy

Next stop--Wyatt's house