Astoria - San Francisco of the Northwest

Astoria is nicknamed the San Francisco of the Northwest, and it is well named because much of the town is build on the side of steep hills.  Atop one of the hills is the Astoria Column.  From the parking lot or from the top of the column the views are magnificent.

Similar to San Francisco, trolleys ran along the coast during the day.

We were also fortunate enough to purchase fresh salmon right off the boat.  The next evening Sandy, Bettie, and Rick prepared an outstanding dinner that was an epicurean delight.

The Maritime Museum was probably the most interesting place that we visited.  The displays showed the life of a fishing village when Astoria was one of the largest canneries of salmon.  It also explained the dangers that were faced on a daily basis by those who ventured out of the Columbia River into the Pacific.  They had to cross the bar which has claimed hundreds of lives.  After touring the museum we boarded the Columbia that was "light ship" that warned ships as they traveled to the river.

Largest Sea Cave - More Sea Lions

While we were in Florence we visited an excellent aquarium.  The displays showcased a variety of specimens of sea life.

We saw seahorses.......................

jellyfish..........................

and puffins.

We traveled from Florence, OR, to Newport.  On the way we stopped at the largest sea cave where sea lions mate and raise their young.  During the summer they are found on the beaches near the cave.  But before we got to go down into the cave we had to park the coaches.  What an experience!  We practically met the tow cars as we drove around three sharp switchbacks.  We were relieved once we were on top at the parking area; then we realized that we had to go back down the same road.

After arriving at Newport we took a short trip to a lighthouse which we climbed the circular staircase of 114 steps.  The view was breath taking.

Ever Seen a Sea Lion?

Monday we traveled down the coast and saw more beautiful scenery. Along Highway 101 we saw this bridge nestled among the pine trees.

We were also intrigued by the wildflowers that flourished all along the highway.

We continued our journey to our destination in Charleston which is a scenic working fishing village. We had fresh oyster sandwiches which were delicious and strolled down the quaint streets that catered to tourists visiting the area.

We left the small town and traveled to a viewing area on Coos Bay where we could view hundreds of sea lions.  You couldn't miss the location because you could hear their barkings from miles away. Even though it was a misty afternoon we still enjoyed watching the antics of the sea lions.

One More Place Checked Off Our "Bucket List"

Sunday we traveled on one of the most beautiful highways in America.  We passed through dense forests of pines, along sparkling mountain rivers and over mountain passes that showcased magnificent scenic views.  Today, we saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time.  And, yes, it was as impressive as we had dreamed.

Redmond International FMCA Rally

We arrived on Monday and were parked among over 2000 motorhomes.  The rally was packed with seminars and entertainment.  Bettie and I learned more about the maintenance of our motorhome and the advantages of being members of FMCA.  We also thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment which included   Debbie Reynolds, Texas Tenors, Live Bait and Motown for Ever.  Each show had its unique style and was was most enjoyable.  Sunday we left for the Pacific Coast.

Columbia River Gorge - Wind Surfing Capital

We continued to Cascade Locks KOA where we spent two days. On Saturday we spent the day exploring the magnificent waterfalls along historic highway 30.  Rick and I walked the trail up to the top of Horsetail Falls, which is a 176 ft. falls what is fed by springs.  Bettie and Sandy enjoyed the view and the spray from the falls.

The next stop was Multnomah Falls which plunges 620 feet from the top to a basin at the bottom.  It is the second largest falls in the United states and is probably one of the most photographed falls in America.  Bettie and I hiked to the top which was well worth the climb.  We could see for miles across the river gorge. 

That afternoon we traveled to Hood River and were treated to a surfing show extraordinaire.  We saw men wind surfing and kite boarding.  What a intriguing experience; it was fascinating.

Sunday, we traveled to Prineville, OR, and will be joining with the Schmiedts to travel to Redmond.





It has been a great trip full of spectacular sights!

Coeur d' alene Put the WOW in Lake Scenery

We arrived on Wednesday at Blackwell RV Park and Marina which is situated on a pristene lake.  That evening we had dinner at the Cedars Restaurant which is a floating restaurant.  The meals were excellent.

The next day we took a cruise around the lake to really see the beautiful landscape and homes that are situated on bluffs around the lake.

On our cruise we had an opportunity to see the floating golf hole that is accessed by boat.  You had better be accurate or you would have to go for a swim to get your ball.

The weather continues to be great and we will be on the road again on to Columbia River Gorge.

 

Visiting Family in Bozeman

We arrived in Bozeman, MT, on Friday, July 30th.  What a great time we had with our kids and grandchildren.  The grandkids had a great time riding their new bikes which was their Christmas and birthday presents.  It seemed wise for them to get them in July rather than December. 

On Saturday, the kids came out and we played and played in the pool.  What a great way  to cool off when the temperatures are in the 90's. We ended the day with dinner at McKenzie River Pizza.  As usual we had a great dinner.  Ike chose his favorite, peanut and honey pizza.  Yes, it is good!

Sunday we went to church and had a Mexican lunch.  The best part of the day a short hike to the top of a peak in the campground.

We left on Wednesday to continue our adventure to Coeur d'alene.

Chief Crazy Horse Was Impressive

We left the Mt. Rushmore KOA and traveled 7 miles to the Chief Crazy Horse Monument/Museum.  The site is a collection of buildings that contain Native American artifacts and several pieces of art, much of which was created by Korczak Ziolkowski like the Fighting Stallons.  He was born in Boston and was completely self-taught in art, sculpture, architecture, and engineering.  He arrived in the Black Hills in 1947 to accept Standing Bear's invitation. He started work on the mountain in 1948 to honor the red man's heroes.

The entire project is privately funded which created financial hardships during the construction.  One story told was about Korczak starting his old compressor climbing the mountain only to have it die.  He later limbed back down nine times to start the compressor to continue working. 

He married Ruth who continues Korczak's work today.  They had 10 children who were raised and worked along side their parents on the mountain.  Today, seven of the children who are grown work to see that their father's dream is completed.

Workers are now blocking out the 22-story high horse's head.  The painted outline shows the 45-foot ear and the 16-foot wide eye, some 260 feet below the head of Crazy Horse.

The day concluded with a program of Indian dancers and a laser light show that entertained everyone in attendance.  The program was another outstanding ending to a glorious day.

The Badlands Aren't So Bad

Today we traveled to the Badlands and spent the day seeing nature at its best. The changing landscape with the bands of color were amazing.  It was hard to imagine this beautiful barren land was once had a subtropical climate that contained alligators and other prehistoric animals.

As we continued our trip along the scenic highway through the Badlands National Park, we ran across prairie dog town.  The prairie dogs habitated several of the mounds found all over the meadows.  For a better view click the photo to the right.

We also were lucky enough to see several big horn sheep along the road.

As we finished our journey we continued to see the banded geographic formations.

The park had elevated walkways that lead to fossil displays of fossils that had been found in the park.

Being an inquisitive group of four we climbed several rock outcroppings.  The views were breathtaking!

Lewis and Clark in South Dakota

We had another glorious day to travel from Fairmont, Minnesota, to Wall, South Dakota. On the trip to Wall we stopped at a reststop near Chamberlain, SD, which has a magnificent overlook. Walking down the path we could see across the Missouri River.  It was hard to imagine Lewis and Clark floating down this same river on their expedition to explore the northwestern territory.  We also enjoyed the museum inside the reststop which had a keelboat that was of similar dimensions to boats used on the expedition. 

Displays explained the purpose of their trip which was to develop relations with the indians, collect samples of plants and animals, and to hopefully find a water passage across the desolate area in the north.

In the evening we took a walking tour of the Wall Drug district which is a shopping area of everything imaginable.  The cluster of shops have the typical tourist trinkets, but also had bronze western sculptures that were priced at $22,000. 

We returned to the coach and enjoyed the AC since temperatures were in the 90's.

We are looking forward to tomorrow when we plan to explore the Badlands.

Muncie to Oregon or Bust

The adventure began on Friday, July 23rd.  We met the Hahns and had great travel weather to Galena, Illinois.  We camped at Palace Campground and prepared to explore the historic city of Galena.  On Saturday we walked along the Galena River near the restored depot.  During the last two days the area had received 10 inches of rain.  We saw the results of the rainstorms.  One van was two thirds underwater.

After walking along the levee we toured the city and enjoyed lunch. 

Our first stop following lunch was the Belevedere House.  It was a home that was built in the 1850's and was furnished with furniture and decorations that demonstrated the wealth of the time.  It also included items from Liberace and the drapes from "Gone with the Wind".

The next stop was President Grant's Home.  He served as a soldier, worked in a tannery, and was elected as the 18th president.  The home was modestly furnished, but had a fantastic view of the city.

Sunday we traveled to Fairmont, Minnesota, and we will camp in Wall on Monday.