From Beach to Volcano in One Day

Our new location is far up the West Coast. We left Paso Robles and moved up through San Francisco and Marin County. Once we got into the Redwoods we found so much to capture our interest.

One thing that hadn’t changed from when we came down the coast back in December was the pricing on campgrounds for tenters. At $35/$45 per night, they had priced themselves into economic hurt. The problem was that private campgrounds tending to be less expensive, when we could find them, than those in the State Parks.

One resident, in the Redwood forest area, told us that the state government had lost its mind to be charging those kinds of fees in years like this. We didn’t disagree with her at all. Few of the campgrounds we passed were even half full of RVer’s and few accommodated tenters.

This section of California is so beautiful and so big that seeing all of it would take weeks. Vineyards are just as available that far north along the coast as they are further south. Giant trees loom along the roadsides, giving the largest herd of Roosevelt elk a protected place to reside.

We caught part of that herd early one morning. The cows and young females were looking for handouts at one of the local campgrounds. Some of the young bulls were acting as sentinels at one of the state part entrances along the 101. With their antlers in velvet and their minds on relaxation, they didn’t bother to move when we stopped to snap photos.

We saw more elk in that park half an hour later. No deer put in an appearance. A few squirrels scampered among the trees, but they were much faster than a camera shutter.

By the time we made Crescent City, California, we had overdosed on redwoods and were ready for beaches again. And our sojourn from CA in OR didn’t disappoint us at all.

Our last stop along the Oregon coast was South Beach. We stayed in a nice campground there among the trees and the protective dunes. We shared the space with a troupe of small vintage RVs, some prize winners. A tour group in a school bus took one end of the park for teen girls toting personal tents. Everyone turned in early, though, which meant we could all sleep pretty well.

We left that park this morning and moved north. At Lincoln City we turned onto Hwy 18 and went east to hit the I-5.  From there we moved through the upper end of that Oregon area, through the farms, groves, vineyards, and orchards of the Willamette Valley. Portland was an easy crossing today. I know, odd, huh?

Once inside Washington State, we took a detour at Castle Rock to make a sojourn up the mountain to see Mt. St. Helens as she stands now. Irony reigned today, though. It sprinkled as we drove up to the upper Visitor’s Center. At that point St. Helens stood swathed in cloud cover. We continued upward from the Center. By the 1800 ft. level, the mists had lowered even further.

We made the decision that further exploration was pointless and turned back down mountain. Halfway down it began raining in earnest. Toward the bottom, rain pounded the car. When we turned back onto the I-5, the sun popped out. Now, an hour later, the sun is still out. I guess the mountain didn’t was to wave hello today.

We’ll be leaving this McD’s soon to find our camping spot for the night. Tomorrow we’ll move on to Tacoma where we’ll spend time with Sister Jo’s kids and grandkids before turning east once again.

I hope you continue to stop by to see our reports. Be sure and comment on anything that strikes your fancy.

Until then,

Claudsy

Another Departure Looms

Yes, we're leaving first thing in the morning for parts north. We've been dawdling in Central California. Our friends here may miss us after we leave, but we’ll certainly miss them more. They’ve spoiled us rotten. The kids (read that as one dot and two exotic birds) have kept us entertained each day. And we’ve had wondrous weather while we were here that we could not fail to miss our resting time here.

My writer friend, Mikki, and I have had the opportunity to talk writing, and projects, and gripe about all those things that writers feel the need to vent about. It’s been marvelous. I don’t get the chance to do that face to face normally. It’s gonna hurt, giving that up.

After our opportunities to roam beaches, watch elephant seals, and tour local wineries, we have plenty of material for whatever projects we wish in future. We've sampled local produce from the open air market, enjoyed meals at the local eateries, and generally luxuriated in California's Central Coast environs. That's not bad for an otherwise stormy April in the rest of the country.

Were we privileged? You betcha, and we don't feel one whit of guilt over it, either. Oh, yeah, we've enjoyed ourselves very well, thank you very much.

So, today we’ll get the last of our laundry done, repack the car toward evening, get ice in the cooler tonight, get final showers taken, and God willing, get my hair cut. Before bed, we have to get the car gassed up as well. We’ll pull out first thing in the morning, coffee in hand, and good-byes on our lips.

We’ll try to remain smiling, but it will be hard. We’re part of their herd now, according to Dylan, their Corgi. He believes we belong here, not out wandering the highways in search of new sights and interests. And we feel the same way about Mikki and Richard.

Once we get on the road, though, and point the car north, we’ll do Monterrey first, where we hope to do the aquarium during our stop. Neither of us has seen it. Now’s our chance.

From there we’ll move on to the Redwoods where we plan to camp for a couple of days at the least. Of course, assuming the primal urge doesn't force us to remain longer so that we can soak up all that serenity, we’ll try to keep it down to a couple of days. I’ve camped there once before, back in the nineties¸ and know the spell with which the forest blankets the area.

We’re not putting an itinerary on the calendar this time in any form. When we feel like stopping, we will. When we need to move on, we will. Much of our return will depend on how we feel on any given day. We’re old enough now to allow ourselves that luxury.

So now you know why we’re taking our time going back. We want to spend a few hours in San Francisco, too. We’re both looking forward to that.

The Oregon coast calls to us along Highway 1, the scenic highway. Sunsets along there and the lighthouses there make for great photo ops. That drive also allows for great photos.

In the Tacoma area we’ll take the time to see Jo’s kids and family for a couple of days before heading east along I­-90. We’ll see her oldest son in Central Washington during that trek. We won’t be able to get into an apartment until the middle of the month of May, so there’s no real hurry. It’s not snowing here at the moment. It is up there.

And there you have the situation with us. We’ve had our ups and downs, mostly with the weather and the continuing rising costs of gasoline and, consequently, everything else. We just didn’t budget for that kind of rise in costs.

Yet, when we look back, we managed to huge amounts of material and experience  in 20 states in five months, and much of that while stationary in only a few of them. That’s not a bad track record, don’t you think? The really hard part will come after we re-establish ourselves in Kalispell. Jo gets to put in months of work in PhotoShop while I work on the book and the articles for magazine submission. If luck and writing perseverance prevail, those articles will help us put money back in the savings account. So, keep those fingers crossed.

I can’t promise when I’ll get to post on anything again after today, so you’ll just all have to keep an eye peeled for the slightest blip on your radar screens. I’ll try to pop in again before getting back to Kalispell.Take care and God bless.

Claudsy

Impressions and Enjoyment on the Road

The seawall beckons the dawdler. Miles of beach dotted with an occasional peer welcomes those who long for possible salt tang and common sea shells or sand castles. Beachside also displays the continual effort toward recovery from horrific storm damage.

Ike (the hurricane) left his mark on Galveston back in 2008.

Despite these reminders of Nature’s destructive visits, Galveston, Texas is one of the Lone Star’s most entertaining cities. For those looking for history and fascination, this city’s example of hospitality shouldn’t be missed. Admire Tiki Island from the Galveston Causeway as you move onto Galveston Island and Broadway for a drive through town.

After getting into the main portion of town, an old cemetery appears on the right. Inside this are graves dating back to the 18^th century. The monuments and crypts captivate the history buff as they teach about the area’s history in a new way. Stones tell of the heroes and the builders, the housewives and the children. Centuries of time are compressed into two city blocks.

Further along Broadway a monument reaches for the sky in the center of the median. The statue and base were erected to honor the Texas heroes, both men and women, who lived and died for the sake of Texas. It is a hero’s symbol called Victory.

The historic district flaunts rows of colorful Victorian homes. Impressive mansions punctuate the streets with designs from the world’s cultures. Clapboard siding cozies up to stone and brick without self-conscious allure.

More adventurous shoppers can explore distinctive shops and cafes that invite one to linger down on The Strand. The trolley rumbles through on its track, which helps keep the area from being too crowded with cars. This convenience also helps the traveler by allowing her to park further away from that central street and ride there in style.

At anchor there most days is The Elyssa, a genuine tall ship. The Elyssa stands ready for tours of her decks or a jaunt out onto the bay. She has her crew polish her decks and keep her rigging taut so that wedding parties and special occasions can come to life under her masts. She’s a fine looking ship.

Slightly northeast of The Elyssa a more modern ship has opened her holds to the dockside crane, which will use its arm and net for emptying the goods carried down inside those dark holds. Ships from the far reaches of the Earth snug up to Galveston’s wharves to distribute wares to American markets. Further down on different docks, a multi-story cruise ship may wait for new passengers or returning current ones from a day of shopping and exploration.

Residents strive to repair homes and businesses. Yet, many buildings along the sea wall or further inland boast only broken backs and boarded-up windows.

Many signs of recovery are overshadowed by three great glass pyramids that reflect the sunlight onto bay waters. These structures of Moody Gardens also endure their own repairs to ready them for a new life as one of the premier attractions of the city.

Within them the rain forest recovers from storm damage with new specimens and renovated systems. The IMAX theatre in the second pyramid gets its own system’s check and thumbs up. The Aquarium that occupies the third pyramid requires rigorous attention and is ready for the public on schedule with its sister exhibits.

All in all, anyone who saunters along the Galveston promenade will have a fabulous experience and always yearn to return before too many years have passed.

I know that we’re now three states away, but not that many days have elapsed. Since then, we’ve moved through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The cold temps are driving us now more than anything else. We’re not prepared for tenting in winter temps of 23 degrees.

Florida beckons us with threats of warmer weather and equally fascinating exploration. We’ve decided to take her up on the offer earlier than planned. So that’s where we’re headed later today. Southern Florida, here we come.

For those enduring their own trials and adventures in travel (in the ice, snow, and cold), hang in there, keep the hoods up and the gloves on. There will come spring. It’s been promised. At least, that’s the rumor.

Until later, enjoy your days.

Claudsy

Hanging Out in Southern California

That's right! We're hanging out in southern California with a writer friend and her hubby. Mikki has welcomed us into her home and we've had a blast since being here. It was well worth all the bad weather to get here.

We've known blizzards, rain, fog, and everything in-between. We've been at the beach to watch the tide come in and hear the breakers that told us of the rip-tides. We've been to Morro Rock to see the rookeries, after which we had a great lunch at The Great American Fish Company. Jo says it's clam chowder is to die for.

We've been up the Eagle's Nest, a winery outside Paso Robles. The Nest is built as a castle, complete with water-filled moat and hundreds of acres of vineyards. This area as become the lower Napa Valley. It's wonderful here. We've got sunshine right now; such a rare treat over the last week.

Tomorrow we'll be heading down to the LA area to see more friends and to catch the I-5 again. From there we'll go down to San Diego and turn east.

Our adventure is beginning with good karma for the future. Our goal is San Antonio by Christmas.

Until my next update in, hopefully, less than a week, take care and God bless. Have a wonderful week of your own. See you soon.

Claudsy