Oregon Beach

[rob_gendreau]

What was the campground you stayed in?

And the route from Crater Lake?

I got up as far as Cape Blanco, and I'm headed back up that way in April or May. Thinking of swinging way east on the way back, although it's weather dependent.

Rob

[xcnick]

Originally Posted by rob_gendreau

What was the campground you stayed in?

And the route from Crater Lake?

It is a State Park called Cape Lookout. http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.c ... parkId=134

The D loop is for drop ins. The C loop was for reservations.

The route is a bit of story. I had business in Hillsboro, Portland's Silicone Valley. Google maps and bing maps said the fastest way was up 97 near Crater Lake. (Tahoe to Hillsboro) So I gave it a try. It was good excuse to go to Crater Lake. It was a learning experience because the ol' interweb was wrong. Maybe driving my MR2 at full throttle and smoking the brakes it would be close, but in the Van it was much longer than the way I have gone for years. 139 out of Susanville is a bitch on the suspension and twisty, 58 across the Cascades is twisty. It was a nice tour, but quite a surprise how wrong the mapping was.

395 down Eastern Oregon is pleasant enough. I have done that a few time.

[larrie]

What you say is true about 58 but it is a beautiful drive.

[xcnick]

Originally Posted by larrie

What you say is true about 58 but it is a beautiful drive.

There was one sight I wish I had taken a picture of. Maybe one of you have it. On 58 there is a rock with Ghetto graffiti all over it.

[Aldercrest]

What, no stop at the cheese factory?

[xcnick]

Originally Posted by Aldercrest

What, no stop at the cheese factory?

Too touristy? This opens a can of worms about traveling with a significant other. Maybe worth it's own thread. I went crazy with her standards of what is too touristy. I want to do them all.

Even more annoying was avoiding all Wal-marts and McDonalds. It is not that I am a big fan of all this, but on the road the convenience is amazing. I drove all night because every stop was not good enough. Walmart parking was quiet but noooo, a Trader Joe loyalist can't be seen even in the far end of a Walmart parking lot. So then a rest stop at an Oregon I-5, world renown for their beauty, but once a trucker decided to idle all night I was back on the road. Hat Creek look out was closed so I found a quiet place on the dirt road, but nooo, the boogie man might get us. I was home before it was OK to stop.<<rant off>> I love her.

As a young man I lived all summer in a trailer traveling the good ol' USA. Things are so much better now. Sleeping in a Walmart, coffee and internet at the McDonalds inside, taking a big dump in a clean bathroom rather than behind a tree, then picking up supplies before getting back on the road could not be dreamed of years ago. Not to mention not getting rousted by cops every other night.

Here is the trailer my Bronco dragged over logging roads until it shook itself apart. The best story was a washboard road outside of Bend Ore., Pine Nut mountain I think. It looked intact so I took a shower. When I got out of the shower, the trailer was on fire. The vibration wore a small hole in the propane line and the hot water heater lit a flame at the hole. Then the couch caught fire.

Ah the memories. I just had to dig out a picture. Looks good from this angle.



But on the other side the door hinge has beaten itself up. Vent door fell off. Front seam split. But heck the swamp cooler on the top vent still worked and that was all that was important.



Up front the damage is from the airport parking at Salt Lake. Something about my girl friend of the time trying to leave me there by driving off in my car but jacknifed the rig and got stuck. Good to remember this one, makes me happy with Francesca.



I will shut up now.

[xcnick]

Originally Posted by xcnick

Too touristy?

In my quest to do every touristy thing I mapped out some spots on the coast. I remember seeing huge bumper stickers for the Sea Lion Caves and Rogue River Jet boats but never stopped. My map has bridges and light houses. I have driven over and by them, but only now in old age am I fascinated with them.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=20 ... 8e14&msa=0

[macmcintire]

I love these Sportsmobile stories. They keep me going all day.

As an aside, my brother, who is two years older than me and a true "free spirit", lived in an old yellow school bus in the mountains of Wyoming for 12 years. The bus had no heat, no plumbing, no water . . . no nothing. And at that time he probably was the happiest man on earth. Then he came down out of the mountains, met some lady and got married. Of course that didn't last. He is too much of a free spirit.

Russian Proverb:

Before going to war -- pray once.
Before going to sea -- pray twice.
Before getting married -- pray three times.

I forget, what is this discussion stream about? I think I digress.

[86Scotty]

Thanks for the laugh Nick! Your old trailer looks like my namesake, an 86 Scotty camper. I loved that thing.

[MKRyan]

Love the Oregon Coast! Last time we were in the area we took the tour through the Cheese Factory. Been on the tour before, but it's the lunch and the ice cream that brought us back to Tillamook.

If you are in the area, stop for lunch and/or ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The self-walking tour is interesting, the food is good and the ice cream is the best.

Mike