We did laundry this morning at a laundromat just outside the park. It was then time for lunch so we headed to the wharf for one last fish-and-chips lunch before leaving Oregon. This time it was the Happy Clam restaurant, and once again, we had another great meal.
The weather today was outstanding - no marine layer, clear skies and mild temperature, so, we decided to take another beach walk. We headed south a few miles to Crissy Field State Park. It is just north of the CA border and has a wonderful Oregon Welcome center as well as several trails and beach access. After a short walk and a visit to the welcome center we drove back to the wharf for an ice cream cone for desert.
On the way back to the park we took a short detour to check out Alfred A. Loeb State Park on the north bank of the Chetco River that runs into the ocean at Brookings. It is a nice little park but is small. It does have river access,48 sites with electric and water, and a very nice day use area.
We then drove back to the RV for a lite late dinner. We leave in the morning, breaking up the trip to Olema with an overnight stop in Garberville, CA tomorrow night.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Monday, August 29, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 21
After breakfast this morning we traveled back north on 101 and stopped at a number of view points along the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor. The corridor is about 12 miles long and runs from just north of Brookings to south of Gold Beach. It is managed by Oregon State Parks and is named after the founder of the state parks system. The view points, overlooks, and beach access roads in the corridor all offer excellent views of the spectacular Oregon Coast. We had visited all these spots during our last trip here in 2009, but they were all worth another visit.
The weather was mostly cloudy today with patches of sun here and there. The clouds never did burn off, but there wasn't much wind and the temperature was in the low 60's. - a good beach day nevertheless.
We were planning on having lunch at the Whaleshead Beach Resort along the road but the restaurant was closed. So, we headed back into Brookings for another late lunch/early dinner at a Mexican restaurant.
We then drove back to the RV to relax after another good day.
.
The weather was mostly cloudy today with patches of sun here and there. The clouds never did burn off, but there wasn't much wind and the temperature was in the low 60's. - a good beach day nevertheless.
We were planning on having lunch at the Whaleshead Beach Resort along the road but the restaurant was closed. So, we headed back into Brookings for another late lunch/early dinner at a Mexican restaurant.
We then drove back to the RV to relax after another good day.
.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 20
We slept in till 8:30 am - almost unheard of at home. After breakfast I cooked enough bacon outside to get us through the rest of the trip. We then drove down to the park day use area for a short beach walk. The marine layer was high this morning and quickly burnt off.so it was great beach weather with little wind and temperature in the mid 60's.
After the walk, we headed into town for lunch at another waterfront seafood restaurant. For a change of pace I had grilled fresh Blackfish fish and chips with a cup of chowder and Judy had coconut shrimp and chowder.
We had an ice cream cone for dessert, stopped at the store for a few groceries then returned to the RV. For dinner, we ate in - barbecued pork ribs, mac and cheese and fresh green beans.
After the walk, we headed into town for lunch at another waterfront seafood restaurant. For a change of pace I had grilled fresh Blackfish fish and chips with a cup of chowder and Judy had coconut shrimp and chowder.
We had an ice cream cone for dessert, stopped at the store for a few groceries then returned to the RV. For dinner, we ate in - barbecued pork ribs, mac and cheese and fresh green beans.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 19
We continued our trip down the coast with an 80 mile drive to Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, our last stop in Oregon. We will be here 4 nights. On the way down the coast, along with seeing many beautiful vistas, we happened to get some pictures of the Rotary Salmon Derby on the lower Rogue River, sponsored by the Gold Beach, OR Rotary Club.
It was a wet and misty marine layer morning when we left Bandon. As the day progressed, the ceiling lifted a little and by the time we got to Brookings it was just mostly cloudy with patches of sunshine here and there.
After checking into the park around 1:00 pm and getting set up, we went into town for a late lunch/early dinner once again. We went down to the harbor and had an excellent meal at a seafood restaurant on the water. It was halibut fish and chips and a cup of chowder for me and Judy had a cup of chowder and shrimp taco's. After eating, we walked around the wharf area for awhile then attended a Veterans appreciation event in a nearby park. We got there towards the end but they had various booths offering veterans services, food and entertainment. We saw Loretta Lynn's granddaughter singing, and a loud local blues band. The event was sponsored by the local Vietnam Veterans Association chapter supported by the local Lions club.
When we arrived back at the park we stopped for a few minutes at the park day use area to admire the Oregon coast for awhile before retiring for the night.
The plan for tomorrow is for Pat to cook a couple of pounds of bacon in his new outside kitchen (Galley) and then we want to take a walk on the beach if the weather is warm and sunny,.
It was a wet and misty marine layer morning when we left Bandon. As the day progressed, the ceiling lifted a little and by the time we got to Brookings it was just mostly cloudy with patches of sunshine here and there.
After checking into the park around 1:00 pm and getting set up, we went into town for a late lunch/early dinner once again. We went down to the harbor and had an excellent meal at a seafood restaurant on the water. It was halibut fish and chips and a cup of chowder for me and Judy had a cup of chowder and shrimp taco's. After eating, we walked around the wharf area for awhile then attended a Veterans appreciation event in a nearby park. We got there towards the end but they had various booths offering veterans services, food and entertainment. We saw Loretta Lynn's granddaughter singing, and a loud local blues band. The event was sponsored by the local Vietnam Veterans Association chapter supported by the local Lions club.
When we arrived back at the park we stopped for a few minutes at the park day use area to admire the Oregon coast for awhile before retiring for the night.
The plan for tomorrow is for Pat to cook a couple of pounds of bacon in his new outside kitchen (Galley) and then we want to take a walk on the beach if the weather is warm and sunny,.
Friday, August 26, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 18
The marine layer came in last night and it was overcast and cool when we got up this morning.
After breakfast, we drove down the beach in the park to the Coquille River Lighthouse. It was commissioned in 1896 and decommissioned in 1939 following improvements to the river channel and navigational aids. It was restored as an interpretive center in 1979 by the Oregon State Park system and is open for tours and information from May to October. The lighthouse's fourth order Fresnel lens disappeared after the lighthouse was decommissioned and no one is sure what happened to it. Many locals however, believe it is hidden in somebody's basement and may show up someday.
The marine layer never did burn of and it was a little too chilly for a beach walk so we headed back into town to visit yet another farmers' and artisans' market - at least our third one on the trip. We found a few things to take back with us as mementos of the trip then had lunch at one of the chowder shacks along the waterfront.
We came back to the RV after a very enjoyable visit to Bandon. We are off to Brookings, OR tomorrow where we will be staying at Harris Beach State Park for 4 nights.
After breakfast, we drove down the beach in the park to the Coquille River Lighthouse. It was commissioned in 1896 and decommissioned in 1939 following improvements to the river channel and navigational aids. It was restored as an interpretive center in 1979 by the Oregon State Park system and is open for tours and information from May to October. The lighthouse's fourth order Fresnel lens disappeared after the lighthouse was decommissioned and no one is sure what happened to it. Many locals however, believe it is hidden in somebody's basement and may show up someday.
The marine layer never did burn of and it was a little too chilly for a beach walk so we headed back into town to visit yet another farmers' and artisans' market - at least our third one on the trip. We found a few things to take back with us as mementos of the trip then had lunch at one of the chowder shacks along the waterfront.
We came back to the RV after a very enjoyable visit to Bandon. We are off to Brookings, OR tomorrow where we will be staying at Harris Beach State Park for 4 nights.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 17
It was a short 70 mile drive from Florence to Bandon today. We are staying at Bullards Beach State Park two miles north of town along the coast and the north shore of the Coquille River.
This is another great Oregon State Park. It has 103 full hook-ups as well as 82 water and electric sites. It also has 13 yurts (small cabins), a horse camp, day use picnic area, and swimming and boat launching facilities. It is also home to the historic Coquille River lighthouse at the mouth of the river inlet. We stayed here several years ago and are enjoying our return visit. We will be here two nights then on to Brookings for four nights before heading south to Olema,
After getting settled we went into Bandon for lunch at a restaurant at the harbor. After lunch, we walked around the harbor, browsed in a few of the shoppes, and returned to the RV to relax before dinner. We are eating in tonight.
The weather has been perfect - clear skies, temperature in the low 70's and a light wind. Tomorrow we are planning on touring the lighthouse and walking on the beach.
This is another great Oregon State Park. It has 103 full hook-ups as well as 82 water and electric sites. It also has 13 yurts (small cabins), a horse camp, day use picnic area, and swimming and boat launching facilities. It is also home to the historic Coquille River lighthouse at the mouth of the river inlet. We stayed here several years ago and are enjoying our return visit. We will be here two nights then on to Brookings for four nights before heading south to Olema,
After getting settled we went into Bandon for lunch at a restaurant at the harbor. After lunch, we walked around the harbor, browsed in a few of the shoppes, and returned to the RV to relax before dinner. We are eating in tonight.
The weather has been perfect - clear skies, temperature in the low 70's and a light wind. Tomorrow we are planning on touring the lighthouse and walking on the beach.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 16
We slept in a little this morning and did some paperwork before traveling a mile up the road to Sandland Adventures for our dune buggy ride this afternoon.
It was a wild ride. When we signed up the lady asked we wanted the "bus ride" or the "sports car ride". Not wanting to be confused with stoddgy old people we opted for the "sports car ride". The dune buggy had seats for 7 people plus the driver, was low and sleek and looked like something out of a Mad Max movie. We were all tightly buckled in with shoulder and lap harnesses and the other people in the vehicle were return customers, mostly middle aged, with one teenager.
The ride started slowly enough as we accessed the high dunes. From there, the driver accelerated and we were "off to the races" - lots of twists and turns, up and downs, and straight away speed. At points we were going up to 60 mph in soft sand. We eventually made our way to the beach and drove near the water before heading back inland and through the dunes back to where we started, The ride lasted an hour and by the time we got back we were thoroughly " folded, spindled and mutilated". Despite wearing goggles we still got sand in our mouths and felt like we had been through a wind tunnel. One saving grace was that the weather was almost perfect - no wind and clear skies as the marine layer remained off shore. Well, we scratched that experience off of our bucket list and if we do it again it will be on the "bus ride".
After decompressing a bit took a short ride out to the South Jetty where the Siuslaw River runs into the sea then looked around the rest of Honeyman State Park. They have a series of day use areas that access several lakes within the park. The main one accesses a swimming beach and a canoe/paddle boat concession. One on the other side of the lake accesses the dunes as well as a fishing pier and another swimming area.. There are also several lakes across Highway 101 with boat ramps, day use picnic areas, and group campsites. This is a very nice state park and offers a lot of different outdoor recreation options.
We then went back into Old Town Florence for an early dinner at another waterfront restaurant Halibut fish and chips and grilled salmon on a bed of Caesar salad were the specials. Both were excellent. We finished the meal with another ice cream cone before heading back to the RV after a busy, but enjoyable day.
It was a wild ride. When we signed up the lady asked we wanted the "bus ride" or the "sports car ride". Not wanting to be confused with stoddgy old people we opted for the "sports car ride". The dune buggy had seats for 7 people plus the driver, was low and sleek and looked like something out of a Mad Max movie. We were all tightly buckled in with shoulder and lap harnesses and the other people in the vehicle were return customers, mostly middle aged, with one teenager.
The ride started slowly enough as we accessed the high dunes. From there, the driver accelerated and we were "off to the races" - lots of twists and turns, up and downs, and straight away speed. At points we were going up to 60 mph in soft sand. We eventually made our way to the beach and drove near the water before heading back inland and through the dunes back to where we started, The ride lasted an hour and by the time we got back we were thoroughly " folded, spindled and mutilated". Despite wearing goggles we still got sand in our mouths and felt like we had been through a wind tunnel. One saving grace was that the weather was almost perfect - no wind and clear skies as the marine layer remained off shore. Well, we scratched that experience off of our bucket list and if we do it again it will be on the "bus ride".
After decompressing a bit took a short ride out to the South Jetty where the Siuslaw River runs into the sea then looked around the rest of Honeyman State Park. They have a series of day use areas that access several lakes within the park. The main one accesses a swimming beach and a canoe/paddle boat concession. One on the other side of the lake accesses the dunes as well as a fishing pier and another swimming area.. There are also several lakes across Highway 101 with boat ramps, day use picnic areas, and group campsites. This is a very nice state park and offers a lot of different outdoor recreation options.
We then went back into Old Town Florence for an early dinner at another waterfront restaurant Halibut fish and chips and grilled salmon on a bed of Caesar salad were the specials. Both were excellent. We finished the meal with another ice cream cone before heading back to the RV after a busy, but enjoyable day.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 15
We slept in today, had a late breakfast and traveled to the local laundromat to do the laundry. As noted yesterday, the laundromat also offers individual showers for $3.00 for an eight minute shower (towels included). We haven't seen this anywhere else except for perhaps a truck stop and never associated showers with a laundromat. We did see a bar and laundromat in New Orleans, so the concept of individual showers for sale may not be that uncommon. Anyway, the laundromat was O.K., no one was using the showers and our laundry was done for another week.
After the laundry was done it was time for another late lunch/early dinner. Since we were in the north end of town we went north looking for a restaurant. We found one at a seaside resort in Heceta Beach, a couple of miles off of US 101 on the ocean. We had a nice lunch but couldn't really see the nearby ocean due to the afternoon marine layer moving on-shore.
On the way back to the RV park we stopped at the local Fred Meyer store, very similar to a super Walmart or Target for a few supplies. We skipped dinner again and relaxed in the RV before going to bed.
We are going on a dune and beach ride on the Oregon Dunes tomorrow. We chose the smaller "rail" vehicle with driver instead of the larger bus vehicle. The tour company said the "rail" is more like a sports car ride compared to the other which was described as a "bus ride". We did a dunes ride in our trip here in 2009, so we'll see how we do this time.
After the laundry was done it was time for another late lunch/early dinner. Since we were in the north end of town we went north looking for a restaurant. We found one at a seaside resort in Heceta Beach, a couple of miles off of US 101 on the ocean. We had a nice lunch but couldn't really see the nearby ocean due to the afternoon marine layer moving on-shore.
On the way back to the RV park we stopped at the local Fred Meyer store, very similar to a super Walmart or Target for a few supplies. We skipped dinner again and relaxed in the RV before going to bed.
We are going on a dune and beach ride on the Oregon Dunes tomorrow. We chose the smaller "rail" vehicle with driver instead of the larger bus vehicle. The tour company said the "rail" is more like a sports car ride compared to the other which was described as a "bus ride". We did a dunes ride in our trip here in 2009, so we'll see how we do this time.
Monday, August 22, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 14
We got on the road about 10:30 am for the short 80 mile trip down the coast to Florence where we will stay for the next three nights. The weather was clear, a bit windy, with the temperature in the mid-60s.
We are staying at the Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, just south of Florence and near the north end of the Oregon Dunes. We have a nice wooded site with full hook-ups. The park is large with about 180 sites. Not all are equipped for full hook-ups but Oregon has gone out of their way to make their parks accessible to all categories of campers.
After we got set up we went into Florence's Old Town for a late lunch/early dinner. The old town is along the waterfront near the mouth of the Siuslaw River. It is now a collection of shoppes, restaurants and a riverfront dock and promenade. We decided to continue our fish and chips quest and ate lunch at Mo's a waterfront seafood restaurant. Again, the chowder and halibut were outstanding. After walking around after lunch/dinner we had an ice cream cone and began our search for a laundromat to do laundry tomorrow. We found one down the road with a unique business model. You can do your laundry and take a shower while you are waiting. We assume anyone taking a shower has clothes other than those that are drying to put on after the shower. We'll see tomorrow.
We are staying at the Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, just south of Florence and near the north end of the Oregon Dunes. We have a nice wooded site with full hook-ups. The park is large with about 180 sites. Not all are equipped for full hook-ups but Oregon has gone out of their way to make their parks accessible to all categories of campers.
After we got set up we went into Florence's Old Town for a late lunch/early dinner. The old town is along the waterfront near the mouth of the Siuslaw River. It is now a collection of shoppes, restaurants and a riverfront dock and promenade. We decided to continue our fish and chips quest and ate lunch at Mo's a waterfront seafood restaurant. Again, the chowder and halibut were outstanding. After walking around after lunch/dinner we had an ice cream cone and began our search for a laundromat to do laundry tomorrow. We found one down the road with a unique business model. You can do your laundry and take a shower while you are waiting. We assume anyone taking a shower has clothes other than those that are drying to put on after the shower. We'll see tomorrow.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 13
We got up early this morning to go to the local farmers' and crafters' market, opening at 9:00 am. We decided to stop first at the local Starbucks for a mocha and after a long wait at a very busy coffee shop we arrived at the market around 9:45 am.
The market was held on the grounds of a former school that has been converted into a community cultural center. They have done a very good job converting the old school building into an impressive community resource hosting a tourist information center, art gallery, dance studio, meeting rooms and gift shop.
The market was a mix of local farmers and craftsmen and included a food court and a musician playing Native American/South American music on a flute and guitar. We bought a few things and then stopped at the nearby outlet mall to check out the Eddie Bauer store.
It was then time for lunch so we began our quest to discover excellent fish and chip restaurants along the coast. On the advice of RV park staff we went down the road a bit to a locals place called 'Shuckers". It was a good recommendation. Judy and I split an order of halibut fish and chips and we each had a bowl of clam chowder. If you come to Lincoln City we recommend you eat there - not fancy but very good.
After resting back at the RV after lunch, we went across the street to the Inn at Spanish Head, to access the beach, talk a walk along the beach and have a drink and dinner in their lounge while watching the sunset. We had a great short walk and drink and dinner off of the bar food menu. The marine layer didn't come in this evening so it was a pretty sunset - no "Green Flash" but nevertheless impressive. It was a good day.
We are travelling down the coast to Florence tomorrow and staying at a State Park for three nights. It looks like we may take another dune buggy excursion while we are there as Florence is at the northern end of the Oregon coastal dunes area.
The market was held on the grounds of a former school that has been converted into a community cultural center. They have done a very good job converting the old school building into an impressive community resource hosting a tourist information center, art gallery, dance studio, meeting rooms and gift shop.
The market was a mix of local farmers and craftsmen and included a food court and a musician playing Native American/South American music on a flute and guitar. We bought a few things and then stopped at the nearby outlet mall to check out the Eddie Bauer store.
It was then time for lunch so we began our quest to discover excellent fish and chip restaurants along the coast. On the advice of RV park staff we went down the road a bit to a locals place called 'Shuckers". It was a good recommendation. Judy and I split an order of halibut fish and chips and we each had a bowl of clam chowder. If you come to Lincoln City we recommend you eat there - not fancy but very good.
After resting back at the RV after lunch, we went across the street to the Inn at Spanish Head, to access the beach, talk a walk along the beach and have a drink and dinner in their lounge while watching the sunset. We had a great short walk and drink and dinner off of the bar food menu. The marine layer didn't come in this evening so it was a pretty sunset - no "Green Flash" but nevertheless impressive. It was a good day.
We are travelling down the coast to Florence tomorrow and staying at a State Park for three nights. It looks like we may take another dune buggy excursion while we are there as Florence is at the northern end of the Oregon coastal dunes area.
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 12
It was only a 120 miles from Eugene to Lincoln City but it took a lot longer than it should have due to heavy weekend traffic from the Portland area escaping the heat inland and looking for cooler weather at the coast. That, along with the normal summer visitor travelers caused a lot of delay and bumper-to-bumper traffic most of the way to the coast after we turned west at Salem, OR.
It is a lot cooler here and the Marine layer came in this evening lowering the temperature into the 50's. It's great to be cool again!
We are staying at another Premier RV Resort, owned by the same company that owns the one in Eugene where we stayed Thursday and Friday night. They are both very nice parks and the Lincoln City park has all paved sites and lots of landscaping. After resting in the afternoon, we attended happy hour behind the clubhouse. The park provided appetizers, raffled off some prizes while guests brought their own beverages. They also had a very good band, the J.R.Sims Texas Special Blues Band, playing acoustic music in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughn.
The appetizers at Happy Hour were more than enough to account for dinner so we went to bed early after a long day.
It is a lot cooler here and the Marine layer came in this evening lowering the temperature into the 50's. It's great to be cool again!
We are staying at another Premier RV Resort, owned by the same company that owns the one in Eugene where we stayed Thursday and Friday night. They are both very nice parks and the Lincoln City park has all paved sites and lots of landscaping. After resting in the afternoon, we attended happy hour behind the clubhouse. The park provided appetizers, raffled off some prizes while guests brought their own beverages. They also had a very good band, the J.R.Sims Texas Special Blues Band, playing acoustic music in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughn.
The appetizers at Happy Hour were more than enough to account for dinner so we went to bed early after a long day.
Friday, August 19, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 11
We slept in this morning, did a few things around the RV, went shopping at Camping World and had a great lunch at a Mexican restaurant nearby. It was too hot to do anything else, so we returned to the RV and took it easy for the rest of the afternoon. The temperature hit 104 today and if you are not used to dry heat like this, it can really get to you.
We did go to happy hour at the RV club house this evening. The park supplied snacks and everyone brought their own drinks. It was by the pool but we sat in the shade. It was still hot however and is still 91 degrees at 8:00 pm.
We drive to the coast tomorrow (Lincoln City, OR) and cooler temperatures.
We did go to happy hour at the RV club house this evening. The park supplied snacks and everyone brought their own drinks. It was by the pool but we sat in the shade. It was still hot however and is still 91 degrees at 8:00 pm.
We drive to the coast tomorrow (Lincoln City, OR) and cooler temperatures.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 10
We had an easy drive today from the Diamond Lake RV Park to Roseburg and then north on I-5 to Eugene where we will spend the next two nights.
The ride was a pretty drive along the western side of the Oregon Rogue/Umpqua Scenic Byway following the Umpqua River downstream into Roseburg where it continues on its way to the coast..
We arrived in Eugene after lunch and were welcomed into 100 degrees + heat. We are staying at an excellent RV park with all the amenities we would ever need. We don't have anything particular to do in Eugene (actually Cosburg, four miles north) so we are just relaxing and enjoying our new RV shakedown cruise.
We will probably sleep in tomorrow, maybe do a little shopping and catch-up on some paperwork, including getting the blog current . It is going to be another hot day here so we will try and get an early start.
The ride was a pretty drive along the western side of the Oregon Rogue/Umpqua Scenic Byway following the Umpqua River downstream into Roseburg where it continues on its way to the coast..
We arrived in Eugene after lunch and were welcomed into 100 degrees + heat. We are staying at an excellent RV park with all the amenities we would ever need. We don't have anything particular to do in Eugene (actually Cosburg, four miles north) so we are just relaxing and enjoying our new RV shakedown cruise.
We will probably sleep in tomorrow, maybe do a little shopping and catch-up on some paperwork, including getting the blog current . It is going to be another hot day here so we will try and get an early start.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 9
It was a fantastic day today visiting Crater Lake National Park.
We got an early start and arrived at the north entry station about 9:30 am. The RV park is about 4 miles north of the entry station and it as about 5 more miles before you get to the lake.
The lake was formed about 8,000 years ago when Mount Mazama, a 12,000 ft volcano in the Cascade Range, erupted. After the initial eruption through the top of the volcano, the internal pressure of the magma blew out the sides of the mountain in an almost circular pattern, causing the mountain above to collapse upon itself to create the caldera that was to become Crater Lake. It is estimated the eruption was the largest in North America in at least the last 650,000 years.
Over the centuries the lake gradually filled with melted snow and rainwater. Later eruptions also created Wizard Island, a cinder cone near the SW shore. Today the lake maintains a constant water level through a balance of precipitation, evaporation and environmental conditions. There are no inlets or outlets to the lake and the deep blue water is of unmatched purity and clarity. The average visibility into the depth of the water is around 160 ft. compared to Tahoe's 17 ft average depth visibility. The lake is considered to be the cleanest large body of water in the world.
The lake is about 6 miles in diameter at its widest point and 4.5 miles at the shortest point. The deepest point in the lake is 1,943 ft. It holds 4.9 trillion gallons of water; the tallest point along the rim is 1,978 ft., the lowest 507 ft. The annual average snowfall for the area is 43 ft and the last recorded time the lake froze was in 1949.
The lake has been a mystical place for indigenous Native American tribes for centuries. The first recorded visit by a European American was in 1853 gold miner and several companions. A prominent local resident,William Gladstone Steel, campaigned to protect the lake after his visit in 1885. His campaign was successful and the lake and surrounding area was made a national park in 1902.
Today, there is a 33 mile drive around the rim with numerous vista points and pull outs. The only to access the water is by a steep 1/2 mile trail with a 750 elevation grade. A concession offers seasonal boat tours, but you have to hike the trail down and back to reach the boat ramp. There appears to be a conscious effort by the National Park Service to keep access to lake water to a minimum.
We spent most of the day driving around the lake eating lunch at the park village and enjoying the marvelous scenery. There is truly nothing else like it in the world. If you haven't ever been here you should add it to your "bucket list".
After returning to the RV park we ate take out pizza from the resort restaurant nearby and went to bed early.
We got an early start and arrived at the north entry station about 9:30 am. The RV park is about 4 miles north of the entry station and it as about 5 more miles before you get to the lake.
The lake was formed about 8,000 years ago when Mount Mazama, a 12,000 ft volcano in the Cascade Range, erupted. After the initial eruption through the top of the volcano, the internal pressure of the magma blew out the sides of the mountain in an almost circular pattern, causing the mountain above to collapse upon itself to create the caldera that was to become Crater Lake. It is estimated the eruption was the largest in North America in at least the last 650,000 years.
Over the centuries the lake gradually filled with melted snow and rainwater. Later eruptions also created Wizard Island, a cinder cone near the SW shore. Today the lake maintains a constant water level through a balance of precipitation, evaporation and environmental conditions. There are no inlets or outlets to the lake and the deep blue water is of unmatched purity and clarity. The average visibility into the depth of the water is around 160 ft. compared to Tahoe's 17 ft average depth visibility. The lake is considered to be the cleanest large body of water in the world.
The lake is about 6 miles in diameter at its widest point and 4.5 miles at the shortest point. The deepest point in the lake is 1,943 ft. It holds 4.9 trillion gallons of water; the tallest point along the rim is 1,978 ft., the lowest 507 ft. The annual average snowfall for the area is 43 ft and the last recorded time the lake froze was in 1949.
The lake has been a mystical place for indigenous Native American tribes for centuries. The first recorded visit by a European American was in 1853 gold miner and several companions. A prominent local resident,William Gladstone Steel, campaigned to protect the lake after his visit in 1885. His campaign was successful and the lake and surrounding area was made a national park in 1902.
Today, there is a 33 mile drive around the rim with numerous vista points and pull outs. The only to access the water is by a steep 1/2 mile trail with a 750 elevation grade. A concession offers seasonal boat tours, but you have to hike the trail down and back to reach the boat ramp. There appears to be a conscious effort by the National Park Service to keep access to lake water to a minimum.
We spent most of the day driving around the lake eating lunch at the park village and enjoying the marvelous scenery. There is truly nothing else like it in the world. If you haven't ever been here you should add it to your "bucket list".
After returning to the RV park we ate take out pizza from the resort restaurant nearby and went to bed early.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 8
We only had about a 98 mile trip today so we didn't get on the road until around 10:00 am.
After getting gas we headed north on I-5 to Medford then turned inland towards Crater Lake. We steadily climbed into the mountains and arrived at the Diamond Lake RV Park in the Umpqua National Forest after lunch. Diamond Lake is just north of Crater Lake and near the northern entrance to Crater Lake National Park. The RV park is quite nice, has full hook ups and drive-through sites. It appears to be a concession in the National Forest and can accommodate even the big diesel pusher RVs.
Diamond Lake is large and was formed as part of the volcanic activity that created Crater Lake 8,000 years ago. It is now a busy resort with cabins, a marina, a hotel and conference center, general sore and a bar and restaurant.. After doing laundry today, we went to the resort restaurant for dinner tonight then back to the RV.
The plan tomorrow is to tour Crater Lake National Park. You cannot easily get down to the water but there is a 33 mile loop drive with vista point turnouts.
After getting gas we headed north on I-5 to Medford then turned inland towards Crater Lake. We steadily climbed into the mountains and arrived at the Diamond Lake RV Park in the Umpqua National Forest after lunch. Diamond Lake is just north of Crater Lake and near the northern entrance to Crater Lake National Park. The RV park is quite nice, has full hook ups and drive-through sites. It appears to be a concession in the National Forest and can accommodate even the big diesel pusher RVs.
Diamond Lake is large and was formed as part of the volcanic activity that created Crater Lake 8,000 years ago. It is now a busy resort with cabins, a marina, a hotel and conference center, general sore and a bar and restaurant.. After doing laundry today, we went to the resort restaurant for dinner tonight then back to the RV.
The plan tomorrow is to tour Crater Lake National Park. You cannot easily get down to the water but there is a 33 mile loop drive with vista point turnouts.
SF/Napa/Oregon/Olema Trip 2016 - Day 1-7
Well, we are getting a late start
on the blog this trip. The first week on the road was very busy getting
settled in to our new RV. So far, everything is working fine and we are
just about finished getting our stuff sorted out and put away.
We left home on Tuesday, August 9th
for a short trip to the Marin RV Park just across the GG Bridge in Larkspur.
We ate out at a favorite BBQ place nearby. The last time we were
there in June, we arrived late and they were out of ribs. This trip as we
walked in the door, again towards closing, the manager recognized us and said
they were out of ribs again. Then he said," just kidding" and gave us
a free order of ribs. It's incredible that he would remember us from June, but
the food is great there and we'll be back.
On Wednesday, Judy had her
bi-monthly medical appointments at UCSF. Everything went fine, with no
changes in her status. "No changes" is good. Kevin took
us out to dinner Wednesday night at Angelino's, our favorite Sausalito restaurant.
Since it was Judy's birthday, she even got a free dessert.
Thursday, we shopped for RV stuff and went into SF to have dinner at The Grove restaurant and see a jazz concert at SF Jazz,
a great jazz venue nearby. The performance was by a Cuban born piano player,
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, with a great percussionist accompanist.
Friday, we traveled to Calistoga
and stayed at the fairgrounds RV park and relaxed, eating in and going to bed
early.
Saturday morning we went to the
farmers market in town, did a little more shopping and rested for our big
dinner Saturday night at the Frank Family Winery. it was a really great
dinner in a style we cannot ever recall experiencing. The dinner was a
Chardonnay and Lobster Feed. The meal was served on the back lawn on the
winery, family style on long tables. Seats were assigned by ticket number
and we sat next to people from Oregon, Southern California, the bay area and a
party of 15 celebrating a birthday for a guy from Wisconsin with a second home
in Napa. All five of his sisters and brothers and their families were
there.
Before the meal, Frank Family reserve wines were served in an open bar format
and fresh oysters were prepared as appetizers. There was also a very good
band. The meals were all cooked in a number of special pots that drained
when taken out of the boiling water. In each pot were whole Maine
lobsters, shrimp, bratwursts, corn on the cob, onions, artichokes, whole small red potatoes and
garlic bulbs. When the meal was ready one of the caterers dumped one whole pot on each table and people took what they wanted (only one lobster per
person). There were no knives or forks, only tools to crack the lobster,
lots of napkins, salt, pepper and various hot sauces and seasonings and cups of
melted butter. They also placed baguettes on the table and bottles of
wine with more on request as they ran out. It was certainly a “hands on”
dinner. Everything tasted great and it was truly a special treat for
Judy’s birthday.
We travelled over the mountain to
Clear Lake on Sunday on our way to Ashland, OR. We narrowly dodged the
fire in Lower Lake, traveled east on Highway 20 to I-5 at Winters then headed
north. It was a long 300 mile day with lots of mountain driving. We
stayed at a small, somewhat older RV park but it was quiet and in a nice
setting. We ate dinner in the RV and went to bed early.
After sleeping in Monday morning
and resting in the RV we went into Ashland to look around and have lunch.
Ashland is a neat town famous for its Shakespeare Festival every year as well
as a variety of other theater and musical productions. We had a nice
lunch, took a walk in their large city park along a creek running through town
then returned to the RV for another dinner in and early to bed.
Day 7 Pictures.
That’s about it until we left for
Crater Lake on Tuesday morning. We’ll do another post for that leg of the
trip and try to keep the blog current as we continue the trip. We also
have a few pictures to post and will try and do so as Internet connectivity
will allow.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 23
We arrived at the Marin RV Park just north of San Francisco yesterday afternoon after an uneventful drive from Fallon NAS.
Judy has her regular medical appointments in the City today and we will travel to Napa tomorrow for a few days before heading home on Sunday.
It has been a good trip and we are now back to local activities, so I'll close the blog for our latest adventure.
Thanks for following along.
Pat and Judy
Judy has her regular medical appointments in the City today and we will travel to Napa tomorrow for a few days before heading home on Sunday.
It has been a good trip and we are now back to local activities, so I'll close the blog for our latest adventure.
Thanks for following along.
Pat and Judy
Monday, June 6, 2016
Nebraska/Utah 2016 Trip - Day 22
We got another early start today, leaving the Ely KOA about 8:15 AM. US Highway 50 gets my vote for "The Loneliest Highway in America". The road was virtually empty as we headed west over long stretches of straight and level high desert roads between hills and over and around mountain ridges including 8 or 9 summits ranging from 4,500 ft to 7,900 ft.. It was an interesting ride and not the terrain you might imagine to be representative of Nevada. We made good time however and passed through a couple of just-barely-hanging-on towns, national forest and BLM lands, two people riding horses, a few cows along the way, but other than that, only a lot of empty space.
We arrived at Fallon Naval Air Station, near Fallon, NV around 1:00 PM and are staying at the base RV park. The RV park is pretty basic. There are concrete pads with full hook-ups and that is about it. The park is in an open field with no trees, but there is a laundromat in the park that is convenient, as Judy is doing laundry this afternoon.
The base is a naval aviation training base and home to the Navy's "Top Gun" fighter pilot training school. The base appears small and the facilities look a little dated. Apparently the base is scheduled to expand to accommodate some joint service training functions, and there appears to be substantial construction here.
We will be traveling to Marin tomorrow for Judy's medical appointments in San Francisco on Wednesday. We usually get to meet Kevin for dinner at a Sausalito restaurant on at least one of the evenings we spend in the SF area. After that, we will head home by way of the Napa and Alexander Valleys where we will spend a few days before arriving home on Sunday, June 12th.
We arrived at Fallon Naval Air Station, near Fallon, NV around 1:00 PM and are staying at the base RV park. The RV park is pretty basic. There are concrete pads with full hook-ups and that is about it. The park is in an open field with no trees, but there is a laundromat in the park that is convenient, as Judy is doing laundry this afternoon.
The base is a naval aviation training base and home to the Navy's "Top Gun" fighter pilot training school. The base appears small and the facilities look a little dated. Apparently the base is scheduled to expand to accommodate some joint service training functions, and there appears to be substantial construction here.
We will be traveling to Marin tomorrow for Judy's medical appointments in San Francisco on Wednesday. We usually get to meet Kevin for dinner at a Sausalito restaurant on at least one of the evenings we spend in the SF area. After that, we will head home by way of the Napa and Alexander Valleys where we will spend a few days before arriving home on Sunday, June 12th.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 21
We left Bryce Canyon RV Park around 8:30 AM and headed North then West towards our destination today, Ely NV. As we exited the park we got our last look at some of the red cliffs and rock formations along the road.
The drive was mostly over two lane roads with only a short stretch on I-15 N. There was very little to see except a few cows and horses and an occasional antelope. We also passed through a few hard-scrabble small towns that had not yet been officially designated as ghost towns. The road varied from flat and straight to up and down curves over several 7,000 ft+ mountain ridges and passes. There was some agricultural activity near water sources, but the majority of the drive was through dry open range land.
We joined U.S Highway 50 just east of the Nevada border and about 60 miles from Ely. The highway bills its self as "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S". I can believe it and we haven't even gotten to the good parts yet. It was also good that we got an early start as the wind came up just as we arrived in Ely about 12:00 PM local, gaining an hour as we crossed into Nevada. We are staying at the KOA in Ely. It is a nice park with level gravel sites, full hook-ups and trees and is a good place to stay overnight if you are travelling somewhere else. The town has a heritage of copper mining and as a railroad transportation hub. It is also a gateway of sorts to recreation access points in the Great Basin National Heritage Area.
After we got set up, we went out to lunch in downtown Ely at the historic Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall. We had a nice lunch in a smoke-free dining room, saw a Buffalo Nickle buffalo with silver dollar eyes on the wall, then returned to the RV after buying a few groceries at Ridley's, the local supermarket.
We will eat dinner in the RV tonight and try and get another early start tomorrow on the next leg of our trip on Highway 50, "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S" , to Fallon Naval Air Station, NV.
The drive was mostly over two lane roads with only a short stretch on I-15 N. There was very little to see except a few cows and horses and an occasional antelope. We also passed through a few hard-scrabble small towns that had not yet been officially designated as ghost towns. The road varied from flat and straight to up and down curves over several 7,000 ft+ mountain ridges and passes. There was some agricultural activity near water sources, but the majority of the drive was through dry open range land.
We joined U.S Highway 50 just east of the Nevada border and about 60 miles from Ely. The highway bills its self as "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S". I can believe it and we haven't even gotten to the good parts yet. It was also good that we got an early start as the wind came up just as we arrived in Ely about 12:00 PM local, gaining an hour as we crossed into Nevada. We are staying at the KOA in Ely. It is a nice park with level gravel sites, full hook-ups and trees and is a good place to stay overnight if you are travelling somewhere else. The town has a heritage of copper mining and as a railroad transportation hub. It is also a gateway of sorts to recreation access points in the Great Basin National Heritage Area.
After we got set up, we went out to lunch in downtown Ely at the historic Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall. We had a nice lunch in a smoke-free dining room, saw a Buffalo Nickle buffalo with silver dollar eyes on the wall, then returned to the RV after buying a few groceries at Ridley's, the local supermarket.
We will eat dinner in the RV tonight and try and get another early start tomorrow on the next leg of our trip on Highway 50, "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S" , to Fallon Naval Air Station, NV.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 20
We slept in today then decided to take a short hike on the Mossy Cave Trail, a .8 mile out-and-back hike with a 200 ft elevation gain. The trail is inside the park boundaries but outside the park entrance area. It is right off of State Route 12, designated an "American Scenic Route" through Utah. The stream running through the canyon carries water from the East Fork of the Sevier River to the Mormon settlers in the small town of Tropic. A canal was completed in 1892, connecting the Sevier River to the Paria River, which brought much needed water to the semi-arid Bryce Valley adjacent to what is now Bryce Canyon National Park. The canal follows natural water courses and has flowed more-or-less continuously year-round ever since.
The trail continues uphill along the stream then branches off to a small waterfall in one direction and a mossy cave on the side of the hill in the other. It was a a very pretty short walk and despite the slightly warmer temperatures today, we enjoyed it and didn't have any problems.
After the walk, we drove another mile or so into the town of Tropic, so named by the early homesteaders because it was usually warmer than the surrounding area. The town is small and appears to support some agricultural and ranching activities. There are also a few of the roadside amenities you might expect to find along a fairly well-traveled road.
After that, we returned to Bryce Canyon City, the commercial area just prior to the park entrance. The area is apparently all owned by one family and just about everything is named after the nickname of the founder of the original Bryce Canyon Inn in 1906, "Ruby" Styert. Everything in the "town" is named Ruby's this-or-that (e.g. Ruby's Campground, Ruby's Best Western Inn, Ruby's Auto repair, etc.) We ate lunch at Ruby's restaurant and afterwards toured the extensive attached gift shop. The area, just outside the park entrance, is geared to the tourist trade and offers a lot of of activities visitors may want to do..
We then went back to an overlook in the park we missed yesterday, Fairyland Point. It is easy to miss because it is outside the park entrance and the sign pointing to the overlook is only visible as you leave the park. The overlook was equally as impressive as the ones we visited yesterday. Very few people were there, apparently as it is outside the park entrance - a hidden gem.
We also went back to the nearby Sunset Point overlook, hoping to catch a picture of people returning along a trail on horseback. I took the picture yesterday but inadvertently deleted it. Alas, there were no horses to take pictures of today, but I did get a picture of hikers on a high ridge trail in the canyon. On the way back to the RV park we picked up a few groceries at a nearby grocery/convenience store. After a late lunch, we had dinner in the RV and went to bed early.
We are heading NW to Ely, Nevada tomorrow as we continue our journey hone.
The trail continues uphill along the stream then branches off to a small waterfall in one direction and a mossy cave on the side of the hill in the other. It was a a very pretty short walk and despite the slightly warmer temperatures today, we enjoyed it and didn't have any problems.
After the walk, we drove another mile or so into the town of Tropic, so named by the early homesteaders because it was usually warmer than the surrounding area. The town is small and appears to support some agricultural and ranching activities. There are also a few of the roadside amenities you might expect to find along a fairly well-traveled road.
After that, we returned to Bryce Canyon City, the commercial area just prior to the park entrance. The area is apparently all owned by one family and just about everything is named after the nickname of the founder of the original Bryce Canyon Inn in 1906, "Ruby" Styert. Everything in the "town" is named Ruby's this-or-that (e.g. Ruby's Campground, Ruby's Best Western Inn, Ruby's Auto repair, etc.) We ate lunch at Ruby's restaurant and afterwards toured the extensive attached gift shop. The area, just outside the park entrance, is geared to the tourist trade and offers a lot of of activities visitors may want to do..
We then went back to an overlook in the park we missed yesterday, Fairyland Point. It is easy to miss because it is outside the park entrance and the sign pointing to the overlook is only visible as you leave the park. The overlook was equally as impressive as the ones we visited yesterday. Very few people were there, apparently as it is outside the park entrance - a hidden gem.
We also went back to the nearby Sunset Point overlook, hoping to catch a picture of people returning along a trail on horseback. I took the picture yesterday but inadvertently deleted it. Alas, there were no horses to take pictures of today, but I did get a picture of hikers on a high ridge trail in the canyon. On the way back to the RV park we picked up a few groceries at a nearby grocery/convenience store. After a late lunch, we had dinner in the RV and went to bed early.
We are heading NW to Ely, Nevada tomorrow as we continue our journey hone.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 19
We toured Bryce Canyon National Park Today, starting off at the Visitors Center where we watched a 15 minute orientation video and toured the exhibits. Then, after a short visit to the gift shop we began our driving tour.
The park is basically long and narrow with a series of "amphitheaters" or canyons on the east side of the park. There are numerous overlooks along the 18 mile drive from one end of the park to the other where you can stop and enjoy the views and take pictures. There also numerous trails where you can hike down into and around the canyons, and in some cases take guided tours on mules or on horseback.
The spectacular rock formations in the canyons are called "hoodoos", crimson-colored spire-shaped rock formations. These tall sandstone columns were formed by erosion and geological lifting over millions of years. Here is the link to more information about the hoodoos and the geology of the park:
The National Antique Motorcycle Association was holding a national ride through three national parks in Utah and they happened to pass through Bryce Canyon today. There were lots of old guys (and gals) on old motorcycles lovingly restored. One couple I talked to was riding a 1942 Harley Davidson restored to its WW II colors.
The park is basically long and narrow with a series of "amphitheaters" or canyons on the east side of the park. There are numerous overlooks along the 18 mile drive from one end of the park to the other where you can stop and enjoy the views and take pictures. There also numerous trails where you can hike down into and around the canyons, and in some cases take guided tours on mules or on horseback.
The spectacular rock formations in the canyons are called "hoodoos", crimson-colored spire-shaped rock formations. These tall sandstone columns were formed by erosion and geological lifting over millions of years. Here is the link to more information about the hoodoos and the geology of the park:
The elevation of the park varies mostly between 8,000-9,000 ft and the rock formations are mixed with an alpine forest setting of pine, birch fir and spruce trees along with mixed underbrush vegetation.
The park is very popular with tourists and a shuttle bus service is provided to encourage visitors to use it to reduce traffic congestion. There are also two campgrounds, a general store and a hotel lodge and restaurant in the park. As in Arches National Park, there were also a lot of tour buses and visitors from other countries.
We drove to the end of the park, stopped at all the overlooks on the way back and had lunch at the hotel lodge restaurant. The weather was perfect again, sunny and temperatures in the low 80s' although it did seem hotter by the end of the day. It was another great national park visit that we thoroughly enjoyed.
The National Antique Motorcycle Association was holding a national ride through three national parks in Utah and they happened to pass through Bryce Canyon today. There were lots of old guys (and gals) on old motorcycles lovingly restored. One couple I talked to was riding a 1942 Harley Davidson restored to its WW II colors.
The park is also hosting the "16th Annual Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival" from June 1-4. The festival includes daytime and evening programs as well as stargazing after dark at a viewing station within the park. Shuttles are provided to the site to view the evening sky through telescopes set-up by astronomers attending the festival. We went to the site and made our way in the dark (no white lights were allowed) along the line of over a dozen telescopes set-up by the amateur astronomers, viewing everything from planets and stars to galaxies. It was really impressive to see how many stars are out there when you look at the sky on a clear night at 8,000 ft with no other lights visible.
We decided to not go to Zion tomorrow. It is a long drive from here (83 miles) so we will save a visit there for our next trip to the area. The plan for tomorrow is to see a little more of the park and relax a bit before leaving on Sunday.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 18
We left Moab about 8:30 AM for Bryce Canyon National Park. We backtracked up to I-70 then headed west. The first part of the trip was pretty boring with lots of open spaces and nothing else. The ride was easy however,as there was no wind and and the road was pretty straight. About two hours or so into the trip the landscape began to change as we climbed across the San Rafael Reef (a small mountain range) and entered the Fishlake National Forest. We climbed over several passes well above 7,500 ft. The rock formations were very impressive as we continued to drive around 6,000 ft occasionally climbing above 7,000 ft and descending to 5,000 ft. We eventually turned south towards Bryce Canyon and traveled between two mountain ranges until turning east to Bryce Canyon National Park, arriving about 2:30 PM.
We are staying at Bryce Canyon Pines RV Park, about 10 miles from the Bryce park entrance. The RV park is at about 7,000 ft and reminds us of the Tahoe parks we used to go to in our earlier camping days. The sites are dirt and gravel (almost level) with lots of pine trees and shade. We have full hook-ups and Internet, but no TV. The weather is perfect - high 70's, sunny and a light breeze.
After resting at the RV for awhile we went to dinner at the Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant, a Cracker Barrel-style restaurant just down the road.
The plan for tomorrow is to explore Bryce Canyon National Park as we did at Arches National Park. We are here for three nights so we are not sure what will do Saturday. It could be more Bryce Canyon, maybe a drive to Zion National Park (80 miles south) or somewhere else, or perhaps just take a day off and relax around the RV.
We are staying at Bryce Canyon Pines RV Park, about 10 miles from the Bryce park entrance. The RV park is at about 7,000 ft and reminds us of the Tahoe parks we used to go to in our earlier camping days. The sites are dirt and gravel (almost level) with lots of pine trees and shade. We have full hook-ups and Internet, but no TV. The weather is perfect - high 70's, sunny and a light breeze.
After resting at the RV for awhile we went to dinner at the Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant, a Cracker Barrel-style restaurant just down the road.
The plan for tomorrow is to explore Bryce Canyon National Park as we did at Arches National Park. We are here for three nights so we are not sure what will do Saturday. It could be more Bryce Canyon, maybe a drive to Zion National Park (80 miles south) or somewhere else, or perhaps just take a day off and relax around the RV.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 17
We got an early start this morning and arrived at the Arches National Park Visitors Center just down the road at 8:00 am. We watched a 15 minute film about the park and its unique geological history and toured the exhibits in the center.
We then started our tour of the park, an 18 mile out-and-back trip along a payed road with numerous side roads, viewpoint stops and pull-outs where you can stop and take pictures of the spectacular rock formations. There is also a small campground at the turnaround point. There are also a variety of hiking trails rated accordingly as easy, moderate and difficult, some of which require permits and/or National Park tour guides.
The park is very popular. There were numerous tour buses with foreign tourists, mostly Asian as well a lot of rental RVs. We also heard a variety of other languages spoken during the day. Despite the crowd, we were able to find a parking spot whenever we stopped to take pictures. We were also able to get the pictures we wanted without a lot of other people in the way.
The arches and rock formations in the park are fantastic and after awhile, bordered on sensory overload. There are over 2,000 arches in the park, most of which you cannot see from the road. There are many you can see however, and even hike out to them if you wish to do so. We took one short "easy" hike which wasn't exactly easy for us in the bright sunshine and 90+ temperatures. The red rock arches are made of sandstone that is constantly eroding, creating a landscape that has changed over the centuries and will continue to do so in the future. Here is a link to more information about how the arches and rock formations were formed and continue to evolve:
We then started our tour of the park, an 18 mile out-and-back trip along a payed road with numerous side roads, viewpoint stops and pull-outs where you can stop and take pictures of the spectacular rock formations. There is also a small campground at the turnaround point. There are also a variety of hiking trails rated accordingly as easy, moderate and difficult, some of which require permits and/or National Park tour guides.
The park is very popular. There were numerous tour buses with foreign tourists, mostly Asian as well a lot of rental RVs. We also heard a variety of other languages spoken during the day. Despite the crowd, we were able to find a parking spot whenever we stopped to take pictures. We were also able to get the pictures we wanted without a lot of other people in the way.
The arches and rock formations in the park are fantastic and after awhile, bordered on sensory overload. There are over 2,000 arches in the park, most of which you cannot see from the road. There are many you can see however, and even hike out to them if you wish to do so. We took one short "easy" hike which wasn't exactly easy for us in the bright sunshine and 90+ temperatures. The red rock arches are made of sandstone that is constantly eroding, creating a landscape that has changed over the centuries and will continue to do so in the future. Here is a link to more information about how the arches and rock formations were formed and continue to evolve:
After finishing the driving tour and almost running out of digits in the camera, we traveled back into Moab for a light lunch. We found the Moab Brewery and we each had a bowl of soup and split an appetizer. I also had one of their craft beers which was very good.
The plan for tonight is dinner in Moab at a BBQ and Blues restaurant then maybe a free Bluegrass concert in town.
We travel to Bryce Canyon National Park tomorrow where we will stay for three nights. The weather forecast remains great with slightly cooler temperatures predicted in the Bryce Canyon area.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 16
The weather looked good this morning so we decided to continue our original plan and head west over the Rockies to Moab, Utah to visit Arches National Park. It was a good decision as we had an easy trip over the mountains. The weather was clear, the roads were dry and there was no wind. The RV struggled a little going over a couple of 11,000 ft + passes and through the Eisenhower Tunnel but it really wasn't a problem. We passed and went through several ski areas, the most impressive we could see was Vail, CO.
After we descended down the west slope we also passed through a number of scenic canyons, the most notable Glenwood canyon. After we passed Grand Junction, CO and drove into Utah, we were in the high plains with not a lot of scenery. After we turned south from I-70 to Moab, the terrain became more spectacular. The RV park where we are staying for the next two nights is nice and very close to Arches National Park that we will visit tomorrow. It is much warmer here right now - the temperature was in the 90's when we arrived. The forecast is to remain warm and sunny the rest of the week in Utah, so weather looks like it will not be an issue.
It was a long drive today but it worked out well.
After we descended down the west slope we also passed through a number of scenic canyons, the most notable Glenwood canyon. After we passed Grand Junction, CO and drove into Utah, we were in the high plains with not a lot of scenery. After we turned south from I-70 to Moab, the terrain became more spectacular. The RV park where we are staying for the next two nights is nice and very close to Arches National Park that we will visit tomorrow. It is much warmer here right now - the temperature was in the 90's when we arrived. The forecast is to remain warm and sunny the rest of the week in Utah, so weather looks like it will not be an issue.
It was a long drive today but it worked out well.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 15
After losing their game last evening, Isabelle's team had to play the same team again today for the championship of their tournament age bracket division (U-12, Gold).
It was a great game. Both teams are very well coached and played hard. Isabelle's team seemed to play with a little more energy and intensity than yesterdays game. The game was scoreless until the last two minutes when Isabelle's team scored a goal on a direct kick. They then held off the other team until the game ended, winning the game 1-0 and the tournament championship.
We then went out to lunch at a great Italian restaurant and said our goodbyes until next time to Brian, April and Isabelle.
After returning to the RV we did the laundry and started getting ready for our trip over the mountains tomorrow. We are travelling over the Rockies to Moab, Utah for our visit to the first national park we plan to visit on the way home (Arches National Park). Right now the weather looks good over the mountain passes, but it will be long day. We are planning to get an early start to try and beat afternoon thunderstorms and mountain winds.
We had a great family visit and really enjoyed Cole's graduation and Isabelle's soccer tournament.
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 14
More soccer today - Isabelle's team had two games. The first one was this morning at 9:30 am and the second one was at 6:00 pm. They won the first game and lost the second one by 1-0. The team that beat them this afternoon is a Colorado team and both teams have the same tournament record and point differential so they will meet in the championship game for their age group division tomorrow morning.
The weather was great for the morning game but the afternoon game was threatened by typical Rockies east slope thunderstorms this time of year. Thankfully, the storms missed the sports complex and there were no weather delays. The wind did pick-up however and it cooled down considerably.
Between games we all went to a nearby Panera and had a nice lunch.
Isabelle's team was disappointed they didn't win their second game today but are looking forward to beating the same team tomorrow.
The weather was great for the morning game but the afternoon game was threatened by typical Rockies east slope thunderstorms this time of year. Thankfully, the storms missed the sports complex and there were no weather delays. The wind did pick-up however and it cooled down considerably.
Between games we all went to a nearby Panera and had a nice lunch.
Isabelle's team was disappointed they didn't win their second game today but are looking forward to beating the same team tomorrow.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 13
Today was the first day of Isabelle's soccer tournament. The tournament is being held at a fantastic sports complex in Aurora, CO about 20 miles east of where we are staying in Golden. It appears there are more than 50 fields and facilities that can accommodate a wide range of recreational activities including soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis and maybe even football. The field Isabelle's team played on had an artificial surface and was equippped with lights for night games.
The soccer tournament this weekend is hosted by a large Denver soccer club (Real Colorado) and attracts teams from all over Colorado and the .surrounding states There must be over 50 teams participating, all divided into boys and girls age brackets and skill levels.
Isabelle's team competes in the U-12 girls division for girls born in 2003/2004. They won their first two games against teams from Colorado and Texas today. Her team is very good and regularly wins tournaments throughout the mid western region where they participate.
All the players in the tournament also receive tickets to a MLS Colorado Rapids soccer game. The Rapids are the Denver area's MLS professional soccer team and regularly schedule a home game the Saturday night of the tournament. We all went to the game and saw the home team tie with the Philadelphia Union team.
There are two more games tomorrow then a championship game on Monday if they make the finals.
The soccer tournament this weekend is hosted by a large Denver soccer club (Real Colorado) and attracts teams from all over Colorado and the .surrounding states There must be over 50 teams participating, all divided into boys and girls age brackets and skill levels.
Isabelle's team competes in the U-12 girls division for girls born in 2003/2004. They won their first two games against teams from Colorado and Texas today. Her team is very good and regularly wins tournaments throughout the mid western region where they participate.
All the players in the tournament also receive tickets to a MLS Colorado Rapids soccer game. The Rapids are the Denver area's MLS professional soccer team and regularly schedule a home game the Saturday night of the tournament. We all went to the game and saw the home team tie with the Philadelphia Union team.
There are two more games tomorrow then a championship game on Monday if they make the finals.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 12
We stayed in the Golden area today. It rained a lot last night, not heavy, but fairly steady. This morning was partly cloudy and the forecast was for more rain later on in the day (scattered showers). So, we decided to stay local and see a few things we passed yesterday that looked interesting.
The first stop was the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum. The school is a prestigious state engineering school that specializes in physical sciences and engineering. They also have a world class museum with specimens of almost every known mineral and gem as well as exhibits of geology and mining from different areas of the U.S. and the world. There are also have lunar rock samples collected by the Apollo 15 and 17 missions as well samples of meteorites. There are also hands-on exhibits for school children as well as interesting videos about the geology of the region including information about different types of minerals and geological rock formations. It is a great museum and was well worth the trip.
After the museum visit, we had lunch in town again, this time at the Old Capitol Grill. The building once housed the territorial government and is now a popular downtown restaurant. We had another excellent meal then went down the street to the Golden History Center.
The history center is a nice museum run by the city and staffed by volunteers highlighting accomplishments of the people in the area as well as exhibiting a wide range of artifacts associated with the history of Golden and its historical heritage. It is small but very well done.
We stopped at Safeway on the way back to the RV park for a few supplies then cooked steaks on the grill between a few more rain showers.
Memorial Day may be the start of summer in a lot of places but the snow melt in the Colorado Rockies hasn't started yet. They are still skiing here and probably will continue to do so into June.
It is Isabelle's soccer tomorrow and Sunday with a pro soccer game tomorrow night.
The first stop was the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum. The school is a prestigious state engineering school that specializes in physical sciences and engineering. They also have a world class museum with specimens of almost every known mineral and gem as well as exhibits of geology and mining from different areas of the U.S. and the world. There are also have lunar rock samples collected by the Apollo 15 and 17 missions as well samples of meteorites. There are also hands-on exhibits for school children as well as interesting videos about the geology of the region including information about different types of minerals and geological rock formations. It is a great museum and was well worth the trip.
After the museum visit, we had lunch in town again, this time at the Old Capitol Grill. The building once housed the territorial government and is now a popular downtown restaurant. We had another excellent meal then went down the street to the Golden History Center.
The history center is a nice museum run by the city and staffed by volunteers highlighting accomplishments of the people in the area as well as exhibiting a wide range of artifacts associated with the history of Golden and its historical heritage. It is small but very well done.
We stopped at Safeway on the way back to the RV park for a few supplies then cooked steaks on the grill between a few more rain showers.
Memorial Day may be the start of summer in a lot of places but the snow melt in the Colorado Rockies hasn't started yet. They are still skiing here and probably will continue to do so into June.
It is Isabelle's soccer tomorrow and Sunday with a pro soccer game tomorrow night.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 11
We went into downtown Golden this morning and toured the Coors Brewery at 10:00 am. The brewery is right downtown next to Clear Creek, a fast moving mountain stream where the brewery gets its water.
The tour starts with a short bus ride from a parking lot adjacent to the brewery through the main entrance to a reception center. Here, your age is checked and you are given a wrist band allowing beer tasting on the tour and at the tasting room at the end of the tour. Since the tour is self-guided, you are given a listening device with recordings explaining about the brewery and the brewing process at various stations along the tour route. About half way through the tour you are given a taste of either Coors or Coors Light beer and at the end of the tour there is a tasting room where you can sample the various beers Coors and its associated labels brew. The tour is very well done and efficiently run. A tour guide said that during the summer they often run over a 1,000 people a day through the facility.
After the tour, we traveled a few blocks into town and had a great lunch at the Golden Hotel's Bridgewater Grill . We then walked around town a little and along parks and pathways on each side of Clear Creek. The creek runs through the center of town and has numerous sculptures, benches and access points in a well maintained park setting. There were also lots of trees and landscaping along the creek. The town has a population of about 18,000 and is at about 6,000 feet in elevation. Golden is a very popular tourist destination, especially in the summer and has a very active and vibrant downtown area. It is a relatively small mountain town that seems like a great place to visit and spend some time.
We then returned to the RV and settled in for the evening. There is a lot of severe weather all around the area but all we got at the RV park tonight was a little light rain.
The tour starts with a short bus ride from a parking lot adjacent to the brewery through the main entrance to a reception center. Here, your age is checked and you are given a wrist band allowing beer tasting on the tour and at the tasting room at the end of the tour. Since the tour is self-guided, you are given a listening device with recordings explaining about the brewery and the brewing process at various stations along the tour route. About half way through the tour you are given a taste of either Coors or Coors Light beer and at the end of the tour there is a tasting room where you can sample the various beers Coors and its associated labels brew. The tour is very well done and efficiently run. A tour guide said that during the summer they often run over a 1,000 people a day through the facility.
After the tour, we traveled a few blocks into town and had a great lunch at the Golden Hotel's Bridgewater Grill . We then walked around town a little and along parks and pathways on each side of Clear Creek. The creek runs through the center of town and has numerous sculptures, benches and access points in a well maintained park setting. There were also lots of trees and landscaping along the creek. The town has a population of about 18,000 and is at about 6,000 feet in elevation. Golden is a very popular tourist destination, especially in the summer and has a very active and vibrant downtown area. It is a relatively small mountain town that seems like a great place to visit and spend some time.
We then returned to the RV and settled in for the evening. There is a lot of severe weather all around the area but all we got at the RV park tonight was a little light rain.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 10
We got an early start this morning and had an uneventful 220 mile drive to Golden, Colorado. We arrived at the Dakota Ridge RV Resort in Golden early this afternoon and settled in for our stay here for the next six nights. The RV resort is in the foothills NW of Denver and overlooks Denver the surrounding area. It is a nice RV resort and will be full for the Memorial Day weekend.
Isabelle's soccer tournament doesn't start until Saturday morning so we will be doing some sightseeing in the area the next two days. Our plan for tomorrow is a tour of the Coors Brewery in Golden and exploring thr town and the surrounding area.
Isabelle's soccer tournament doesn't start until Saturday morning so we will be doing some sightseeing in the area the next two days. Our plan for tomorrow is a tour of the Coors Brewery in Golden and exploring thr town and the surrounding area.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 9
We got on the road about 9:00 am and had an easy trip to Ogallala on our way to Denver. We arrived in the early afternoon and relaxed until dinner. We cooked ribs outside with baked potatoes and baked beans for dinner and retired early. It should be an easy drive to Denver tomorrow, depending on the weather which right now looks O.K We actually will be staying in Golden CO, a NW suburb of Denver. It looks like we will have some rain tonight and maybe some severe weather. We are tied down and will ride it out if we have to.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 1-8
Well, the blog didn't get off to a very good start because I forgot to bring the power cord for my notebook computer. I ordered a new one from Amazon and had it shipped to Brian's house in Nebraska. It was there when we arrived but I haven't had time to get the blog going due to our busy graduation weekend schedule. Things have slowed down a bit after a great weekend so I am now going to try and catch up as we get ready to head west tomorrow.
Today, Monday, is laundry day and then lunch with Brian, Karin, Jerry and whoever else can make it. Tomorrow, we leave for Denver (after an overnight stop in Ogallala, NE) where we will do some Denver area things until Isabelle's soccer tournament next weekend.
Here is a short recap of our trip to date:
Day 1-May 16 - Nevada City - Elko, NV
Today, Monday, is laundry day and then lunch with Brian, Karin, Jerry and whoever else can make it. Tomorrow, we leave for Denver (after an overnight stop in Ogallala, NE) where we will do some Denver area things until Isabelle's soccer tournament next weekend.
Here is a short recap of our trip to date:
Day 1-May 16 - Nevada City - Elko, NV
- Uneventful trip over the Sierra to Elko and an overnight stop at the "Double Dice RV Park"
- Fairly short trip to the SLC KOA. We arrived in the early afternoon and toured nearby "Temple Square" the "Morman Vatican" and epicenter of LDS religious and cultural beliefs. We toured numerous buildings including the impressive Convention Center and the famous Mormon Tabernacle. The area has a highly visible number of volunteers and young missionaries throughout the complex. It is all very well done and reflects the dedication and financial commitments of church members and leaders to support and spread the word of their religious beliefs.
- A fairly long drive over high plains and mountain passes. Almost all of our travel was above 7,000-8,500 ft. The roads were dry however and we only had a little wind along the way.
- More high mountains until Cheyenne, WY then a descent to the plains in eastern WY and Western NE. The winds got much stronger at that point and we had a strong crosswind out of the south into Ogallala in the afternoon. We celebrated our 54th wedding anniversary with dinner in the RV and early to bed.
Day 5-May 20 - Ogallala - Lincoln, NE
- It was a straight shot to Lincoln and the wind had subsided a bit. After we arrived at our RV park in Lincoln (Camp-A-Away RV Park) and settled in, we went over to Brian & April's house. We had carry-out pizza and pasta for dinner while helping them get ready for Cole's graduation party tomorrow.
- Today was Cole's graduation party in the afternoon. We went over to the house in the morning and helped them set-up and get ready for the party. Judy made Santa Maria Barbeque baked beans and I helped with the inside and outside arrangements. The party was a great success and everyone attending had a good time. Karin and her friend Jerry were also there after visiting the St. Louis, MO area.
Day 7- May 22 - Lincoln
- Cole's graduation today was held at the Pinnacle Bank Arena, a large and impressive arena in downtown Lincoln, adjacent to the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) football stadium, the UNL baseball stadium and the downtown restaurant and entertainment district, Haymarket Square. The graduation ceremony was very well done, recognizing the 370 graduates. Cole graduated with honors as member of the National Honor Society and will be studying Computer Science at UNL beginning in the Fall. After the graduation we all went to a nearby restaurant for a late lunch/early graduation dinner. We then returned to Brian and April's house for pictures before returning to the RV after a very busy but enjoyable day.
Day 8 - May 23 - Lincoln
- We all met today for lunch. Brian worked until noon and is back to his normal schedule tomorrow. April had to work today, Jerry and Karin were flying home this afternoon, Meagan had to work that evening, Isabelle continued to enjoy her summer vacation and Cole now getting ready for college in August. We went back to the RV and got ready for the trip to Denver tomorrow, stopping again in Ogallala for the night.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 0
We are leaving tomorrow for Nebraska for our grandson's high school graduation (Cole). He is graduating with honors, will be attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the fall and will be studying Computer Science.
After the graduation we will be travelling to Denver for our granddaughter Isabelle's soccer tournament on Memorial Day weekend. After that, we will travel to Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and maybe Zion National Park in Utah.
We will be back on June 12th, following Judy's medical appointments in SF and a weekend in Napa.
After the graduation we will be travelling to Denver for our granddaughter Isabelle's soccer tournament on Memorial Day weekend. After that, we will travel to Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and maybe Zion National Park in Utah.
We will be back on June 12th, following Judy's medical appointments in SF and a weekend in Napa.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Florida Spring Training Trip 2016 - Day 65
We left Edwards AFB about 8:00 am after getting coffee and a pastry at the nearby Starbucks on base. The weather was partly cloudy and no wind. The clouds lowered over Tejon pass and we had a few sprinkles coming into the valley. After heading north on I-5, the skies cleared with only a few scattered clouds.
The traffic increased considerably as went over Altamont pass and into the east bay traffic.We made it through O.K. and crossed the Richmond San Rafael Bridge and south on 101 a little to the Marin RV Park.
We will be staying here three nights, resting tomorrow and going into SF on Wednesday for Judy's appointments, then back home on Thursday.
I think we are going to wrap-up the blog at this point as there won't be any more vacation events to report from here on. It has been a great trip; we did a lot and saw many interesting things, but there is still no place like home and we are glad to be back.
Pat & Judy
The traffic increased considerably as went over Altamont pass and into the east bay traffic.We made it through O.K. and crossed the Richmond San Rafael Bridge and south on 101 a little to the Marin RV Park.
We will be staying here three nights, resting tomorrow and going into SF on Wednesday for Judy's appointments, then back home on Thursday.
I think we are going to wrap-up the blog at this point as there won't be any more vacation events to report from here on. It has been a great trip; we did a lot and saw many interesting things, but there is still no place like home and we are glad to be back.
Pat & Judy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
