Five Years And Counting

Spring Lake RV Resort, Crossville, Tennessee

July 4, 2015 marked the end of our fifth year as nomads, living the life we love traveling all over America and Canada in our motorhome.

We celebrated as we always do, quietly, soothing Ozzie through the Independence Day fireworks. Lexie isn't bothered by fireworks, thank goodness.

This fifth year took us from Crescent City, California north into Oregon and then into the far northwest reaches of Bellingham and Mount Vernon, in Washington State before making an emergency eight day marathon drive through Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama when my brother's congestive heart failure worsened.

We stayed a total of nine weeks in New Market, Alabama in August, September and October to be near my brother's home. Later we'd visit Tennessee, Birmingham and Gulf Shores, Alabama, Panama City, Reddick and Fort Pierce, Florida before making our way across the peninsula to our winter destination at Seminole Campground in North Fort Myers.

Distance in motorhome miles for the fifth year total just 6,340 as a result of our lengthy stays in Alabama, North Fort Myers and Crossville, Tennessee. Total motorhome mileage as full-timers reached 47,691 on this date.

Of course the most impactful event of this year was the deterioration of Macky's health and his death in April. We lost friends this year too, several of Wayne's childhood and high school chums and most recently, our friend Rick, who died unexpectedly.

Our own health remains good but Wayne's doctor did start him on a low dose of cholesterol lowering medication. He and I suffered through a terrible flu / cold too that took a really long time to go away.

Our dogs, Lexie and Ozzie began the fifth year with a daily (or almost daily) routine of tooth brushing after their serious dental issues discovered by their vet in Crescent City last summer. Additionally, Lexie had to have surgery for a cancerous mammary gland. Happily, her prognosis is "cautiously optimistic"...

We made many new friends this year too and are planning a winter, spring and summer excursion to the southwest and then Alaska for next year.  Golf has become our past-time and contributed to our decision to buy a new Ford F-150 Lariat to haul all the stuff we are accumulating.

Our Ford Edge on the far left.
Wayne and me with sales rep, Derek.
The new truck will be called "Larry" -- 

Florida became our state of domicile this year when Obamacare caused a loophole in South Dakota's special accommodation for full-time RVers that resulted in my health insurance company leaving the state.

A final development that quickly fizzled was our idea that we might want a house. It started with a thought that we might like to buy a piece of property on a Tennessee lake where we could spend a few spring and fall months. The idea morphed into a thought of building a house.  Thank goodness we came to our senses.

An so today we begin work on Year 6....

Electronics Tribulation Resolved... Maybe

Our big, mid-coach television set has never worked properly. As long as we've owned Endie, we've been plagued by the intermittent problem of having the picture go out while we're watching it. Anyone who's ever had an "intermittent" problem knows it can't be fixed 'till it's completely broken.

This electronic nightmare began when we bought the coach new from the dealer, The RV Shop in Baton Rouge and our complaint fell on deaf ears. We described the problem to personnel at the manufacturer's service centers in both Oregon and Indiana. They couldn't replicate the issue. Alliance Coach in Wildwood, Florida proudly announced they had "the best electronics guy in the business" but "the best electronics guy" didn't find the problem.

Wayne and I finally diagnosed the issue down as far as the HDMI cable as the set operated beautifully while it was receiving signal through the air antenna or campground cable.

Finally last winter, after a hefty service expense by an absolutely useless technician at North Trail RV in Fort Myers, Florida, Wayne announced that we'd take Endie to the folks we knew would find and resolve the problem: Matt Rossiter at Innovative Coachworks in Junction City, Oregon.

Drifting into and out of fog along U.S. 101

And so our appointment date came around and we left Crescent City, drove out of northern California and into Oregon along the coast to Florence and east into Junction City.

More unusual sightings along U.S. 101

A stop for coastal lunch along the way.

Pretty good lunch scenery.

At Innovative Coachworks, Matt found the problem in less than 15 minutes. The HDMI receptacle in the back of the television set was faulty. He installed a new 46"set in it's place. Problem solved. Thank goodness... Of course this would have been a warranty item two years ago....



Matt in his sock feet.
How many techs have removed their shoes?  Not many.  

We knew the quality of work done by Innovative Coachworks from previous trips to Junction City. They've done all this before.... Matt found that one of the previous attempts to fix the problem was to strap the HDMI cable down somehow... oh mercy, no wonder it didn't work.


Matt would be incomplete without Noah.

Hallelujah and away we go!

IMPORTANT UPDATE

Within a week after the repair Matt (Innovative Coachworks) made, we came to see that our intermittent video problem had been exchanged for an intermittent audio problem as the TV sound clicks on and off which can be maddening!

Two requests were made before we were able to speak to Matt about the new development and he asked to have "a little time to think about the problem and it's solution" after which he would call us back. This he did not do.

A few more weeks went by and I began sending email requests through Matt's wife, Raianne, who manages the business at Innovative Coachworks.  Some FIVE weeks later I received an apologetic reply with an explanation that home schooling and football coaching had become the family priority over customer service.
The resolution to our problem has become a replacement for the new Blu-Ray device and a "booster" which Matt feels we are "fully capable" of wiring.  Gee now that seems strange since we are not electronically inclined and that's the reason we hired the work done in the first place.  Nevertheless, we agreed to accept and return the equipment. What other options were available at this point? We are now 2,600 miles from Junction City, Oregon, after all.

Another five weeks passed before the replacement equipment was delivered to us. At this point in time, we have arranged to pay another $70 for installation.  No, we didn't suddenly become electronics wizards. Adding insult to injury, the folks at Innovative Coachworks didn't think enough of our business to even include a prepaid shipping label for the equipment to be returned. This added expense brings our total repair cost to nearly $3,700 for these two pieces of equipment.

I hereby rescind the glowing recommendation for the service performed by Matt Rossiter and Innovative Coachworks in Junction City, Oregon.  Never again!

The Last of Oregon: Tillamook, Barview and Garibaldi Bay

It was near the days end we drove through Tillamook and passed a favorite name brand for dairy products.

Tours are offered at Tillamook Cheese from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. but 4:30 was too late in the day for even a single ice cream sampling. The dreaded GERD would cause grief for Wayne if he even thought about it. 

We agreed to make a return trip to tour the Tillamook Cheese facility if we stay on at tonight's campground for more than just a single night. This day, we only stretched our legs and then drove on.

Today's destination turned out to be the Barview Jetty County Campground located on Garibaldi Bay in Tillamook County.  While the campground location was pretty spectacular, right on the bay, complete with sandy beaches, jetties, access to fishing, a tidal area and trails through the woods nearby -- it was a crowded mess.  There are apparently no restrictions on the number of people, tents, campers or vehicles on a campsite. There were two campers, five tents and dozens of people on the sides either side of us.  It was not a pretty sight. 

We stayed one night at Barview Jetty County Campground and did enjoy taking the dogs out onto the beach once again.  Armed with my trusty Nikon Coolpix again, I snapped more pictures. This time, I'll load them as a slide show.  Enjoy, if you love seeing our dogs -- tolerate or skip the slide show all together if you don't.



My morning walk around Barview Jetty County Campground was nice and refreshing as I hiked out pretty far onto the jetty and took this short video.    Click here to see my early morning video of Garibaldi Bay   If you prefer to see just a single photo taken from the jetty, looking back at the campground, it's below....

These weather scenes can be inspiring or depressing, depending on one's mood, I guess.

We got our usual mid-morning start and left Barview behind, continuing the ride north on US 101.  The road continues to provide beautiful scenery and the occasional reminder that we're driving into and out of Tsunami hazard zones.

We are headed toward Cannon Beach, a short four-mile stretch of land with a population of fewer than 1700. This is a popular and picturesque area that hosts almost a million visitors each year and has been continuously occupied since the late 1800's.  Captain William Clark (of Lewis and Clark Expedition fame) sailed into this area is 1806 to secure a supply of blubber from a whale beached nearby.

Cannon Beach these days is mostly noted, and visited, for photos of Haystack Rock, a monolith that stands 235 feet over the beach and is among the largest "stacks" along the Pacific shore.  I cannot imagine why, but I do not have a spectacular photograph of Haystack Rock.  I think I was more impressed by Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.   

The view south from where we stopped. 

Almost impossible to distinguish in the mist of fog, this is a picture of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse far in the distance.
Known as Terrible Tillie, built over 525 dreadful days during 1879-1881 on a seastack, this lighthouse presented great  challenges to those who built and then manned her.  Terrible Tillie saved countless lives and was extinguished in 1957.

W.H.Smalley, Captain, USS Endie

Having spent time last year in the area from Seaside to Astoria, this year we'll take a new route -- traveling eastward from Astoria, along the Columbia River on Oregon 409.  

The bridge at Astoria.  The other end was being painted last summer.
Bridge painting is almost a "looping" project on saltwater bridges.

Unfamiliar and oblivious to the enormity of wood production in this area, this year's route was enlightening.  Crossing the Columbia River from Westport, Oregon into Cathlamet, Washington we could see tremendous stacks of logs being readied for processing.  The pictures in the slideshow are of both sides of the bridge. One of the pictures is of steel -- not logs.

Depoe Bay: World's Smallest Harbor

Leaving Waldport early in the morning we caught this exciting glimpse of sea lions and seals resting  on the sand below the Alsea Bay Bridge at low tide.  At first we thought we were seeing just so many rocks on the beach, but then, with just enough time to point and click two pictures, we got 'em!

These two photos were taken quickly through my passenger side coach window. 
I was really surprised they turned out well enough to see the seals.

We hadn't gone far (north on US 101) until we drove into the small picturesque town of Depoe Bay. I couldn't help noticing the "Clam Chowder" sign on a small storefront and as luck would have it, a nice long place to pull the rig off on the side of the road was right in front of us.

A hearty bowl of really good clam chowder.

Depoe Bay boasts the distinction of being the "worlds smallest harbor" and it is very small. Several "whale watching" boats advertise outings for whale sightings. The prices seemed reasonable and several offered a guarantee of seeing a whale.  Little white dogs in strollers aren't allowed on whale watching boats so we didn't go out.

In addition to enjoying delicious gluten-free clam chowder (yes it really was good), we stopped in several shops and, as usual, bought nothing.  We then stretched our bodies over the bridge rail to see the dock "goings on" below us.

Part of Depoe Bay harbor.  Whale watching ships leave from here.

We are standing on the bridge directly over this harbor seafood dock.
The two people in this picture are processing (killing) the huge, beautiful dungeness crab you see in the boxes nearby.
It was a dreadfully cruel sight to see.

I'm convinced.

Depoe Bay homes directly above giant sea washed gaps.
I wonder if any of them ever fall in.

The beautiful Pacific is behind me in this picture. Depoe Bay is directly across the street from where I'm sitting.

We saw three seals frolicking in the water below where Wayne is standing.

Our stop at Depoe Bay was relaxing and filling.  From here, we'll continue out trek northward, still hugging Oregon's coast on US 101.

Newport, Oregon, Its Bridge, Lighthouse, Bayport and Yaquina Bay

After lunch at Luna Fish House in Yachats, we drove back through Waldport where we saw that the tide had risen a bit and gave us a completely different (and better) view of the Alsea River/Bay Bridge.

The fisheries were actively working as evidenced by the workers
and trucks we saw all over the place!

The short drive from Waldport to Newport was boring and the big lunch, followed by ice cream took a toll as a dreadful sleepy spell fell upon both of us. 

We were happily revived once we came into the Yaquina Bay area. We turned into the Bay Front District and found it brimming with activity and not a parking space to be begged, borrowed or stolen.  The sites and smells were fascinating here. Fisheries and docks of the harbor are balanced by restaurants, shops and old buildings on the other side of the street.  By now the overcast sky had given way to the sunshine even though the temperature was still mild -- low 70's.

More crab traps... Did I mention that crabbing is real big here?

The harbor at Yaquina Bay

The bridge at Yaquina Bay, just south of Newport, is depicted on Newport's promotional signs and material.  It is quite beautiful from every direction.

The historical marker near here describes the Yaquina Bay area originally named "Cape Foulweather" in March 1778 by Captain James Cook.  Cook was unable to find any harbor along the Pacific northwest coast because of near constant heavy weather.  News of Captain Cook's voyage stirred interest in this area and is directly responsible for the Louisiana Purchase and ultimately for the dispatch of the Louis and Clark Expedition.

Ozzie was interested only in the big dog resting at its masters feet a short distance away.
Lexie said, "what dog?"



Whale watching is very popular all along Oregon's coast. 
Thousands of grey whale migrate in these waters.

Yaquina Bay Bridge construction began in 1934 as part of the WPA (Works Progress Administration) and was completed in 1936.

It cost a mere $1,301,016 to build and employed 220 men pouring 30,000 cubic yards of concrete and fabricate 3,100 tons of steel.  


The final link to Oregon's coastal highway is the Yaquina Bay Bridge.
This is one of the most picturesque bridge settings I've ever seen. 

The whole area on the west side of Yaquina Bay is another Oregon State Park.  I counted well over a dozen artists / painters / wanna-be's with canvas, brushes, palets and easels perched everywhere. 

This historic Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was active only from 1871 to 1874. It was relighted in 1996.
 It is now a location for weddings and is available for touring.



Returning to Newport once again along US 101, we made a last stop at Seal Rocks where we did not see any seals but did find the rock formations to be worth a few snapshots.


The heavy wooded pathway from the roadside parking lot to the shore.



Seal Rocks





Seal Rocks

The beach was brimming with people.  Also Seal Rocks.

Tomorrow morning we'll be leaving Waldport for more points north!  So far Wayne's back is holding up well.  He's being really careful too.

Beachside Play Day

It's hard to believe how hot the summer has been in most of the country. We've been lucky this year to have had mild temperatures and little rain here in Oregon.  Today is no exception.

From the campground at Waldport, we're taking a car trip today, back along the route we were on yesterday. 


The bridge over Alsea River at Waldport during low tide.

We want to spend a little time at the beach and see a few sights where we couldn't stop in the coach and tow. First stop is at one of the many Oregon State Parks along the seashore.  This one is called simply, Beachside.


These signs are posted all along the coast. 
Junk is washing ashore from the Tsunami in Japan

 

Unlike Florida, where most beaches are under riparian rights by private landowners, Oregon has secured it's shoreline for the enjoyment of all. That's a good thing. Another good thing is that these beaches are open to dogs. To the best of our knowledge, this will be Ozzie's first visit to the beach. Its will be Lexie's second, although last year, the sand on the beach we visited was too deep for her to walk. This one looks perfect. The beach is wide, smooth, flat and damp. It's about 65 degrees and overcast. We all four are wearing sweatshirts.

Now Pop with the puppies and me with the camera -- off we go to catch the waves.  Like most dogs, Ozzie loved the relative freedom (he was on the leash after all) and ran all over and as far as the leash would allow. I swear, he almost looked like he was laughing.  Lexie merely followed along and seemed happy to be on the cool flat sandy surface.

And when the time comes to pick up sandy footed puppies, Mom takes the call.

After about an hour of romping around in the surf and sand, we left Beachside and continued south on US 101 to Yachats where we snapped these pictures. 

These pictures are taken at another Day Use State Park at Yachats.

From here, Wayne saw a whale blow! 

I missed the whale blow.

The cove at Yachats. Homes on the hillside. Low tide.

Continuing south on US 101 from Yachats, there's plenty of photo-worthy scenery.  I took a few more pictures...



At Cape Perpetua, we stopped to explore Devils Churn. It's a chasm that began as a fracture in the volcanic rock and today displays waves crashing into the ever-expanding gap.  I walked the half-mile trail down to see the waves as they hit.  Wayne stayed topside with Lexie and Ozzie. 

Devils Churn. Too bad it's not high tide.

Another nice view from the walk down to Devils Churn

The pathway down to the chasm.

As lunchtime drew near, we headed back to Yachats to eat at a seafood place we'd spotted earlier.

Luna Sea Fish House looked inviting.
Fresh crab being cooked outside to the left.

Wayne ordered a fried oyster basket

Fried clam strips for me.  Everything was good.

Dungeness crab

Huckleberry ice cream

With full stomachs, we'll now drive north, back through Waldport, to see Newport.