Last Blog Post

August 24, 2011

This will be our last blog post for this trip. The last two driving days were somewhat difficult because much of the drive was through mountains as has been the case for most of the trip. Our motorhome began losing power on  the uphills and as you might suspect, driving in the mountains is about 50 percent uphill. When we got to Lee Vining, CA we made the decision to get it the rig repaired. That required a tow of 170 miles to Reno, NV. Try never to have a vehicle towed that far. Anyway, we have been in Reno at a Cat repair shop since yesterday. Our rig goes in tomorrow and I hope that there is nothing major wrong. If all goes well we will leave Reno on Saturday and take seven days to get home. See you then.

Sadness

This tow rig costs $ 500,000 and thankfully they did not get it ALL from us.

Crescent, OR to Susanville, CA

August 22, 2011

We are getting ready to leave for Lee Vining, CA. We had planned to go to Lassen Volcanic National Park yesterday but I caught a really bad cold and rested all day. The scenery on our trip from Crescent, OR was very different. Not much greenery, almost like desert.

August 19,2011

At Big Pine RV Park

August 20, 2011

Along HWY 395 in Oregon. Goose Lake in the background.

Lunch with our friends, Clara and Joe, at a pullout by Goose Lake.

Waldport, OR to Crescent, OR

August 19, 2011

The  first day of our return trip. The coast highway is gorgeous and better driven from south to north because of the major drop off to the ocean. I am getting better about driving on these roads. All of the photos below are along the Pacific Coast Highway from Waldport to Florence, OR. The roads from Florence to Crescent were probably the most beautiful roads we have been on because of the dense forest. Very few burned out areas from wildfires. No photos. 

Jane on the edge

Me. same place

Lighthouse

Oregon Coast

August 18, 2011

This is our last day moving Westward. Tomorrow we start traveling Eastward on our long trip home via several states and National Parks. The first three photos below were taken by a fellow caravaner (Larry Hayes), the "official" caravan photographer.  

Taken at Shore Acres State  Park on the Pacific ocean.

Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Jane at Ona Beach North of Waldport

At Ona Beach

Fog rolling in at Ona Beach 5 minutes after the above photos. It moved in fast

Leavenworth, WA thru Crater Lake, OR

We are currently in North Bend/Coos Bay, Oregon, on the Pacific coast. It is the 17th of August with just 2 days remaining on the caravan. We will end in Waldport, OR. From there we will travel on our own caravan, 2 motorhomes, on a route that will take us to more national parks and end in Durango, CO. I will continue to blog for the remainder of our trip. Often, there is no internet available, especially in the mountains. That is part of the reason for a week between blogs. The other part is I just do not get around to it. Looking forward to getting back home.

August 7, 2011

Coulee City, WA. Our campground below. Trip to Coulee Dam
for a laser light show. No good photos

August 9, 2011

Icicle River. Several of our campsites were on the banks of the river.
Nicest campground to date
Leavenworth, WA

Nutcracker Museum, Leavenworth, WA. That is us with "Karl" the big nut cracker
Museum has over 5000 nutcrackers. Very interesting.

August 11, 2011

On the scary, for me, road to Mount Rainier (in the background)

Mount Rainier

Snow, not a glacier, on the road to Mount Rainier

                                                                     August 15, 2011

Crater Lake, Oregon

Jane at Crater Lake, OR

Crater Lake is spectacular. Photos do not do it justice. A must see.

Diamond Lake near our campground

I hope you are enjoying our photos at least a little. We are having a great time. 

We are now in Coeur d' Alene, ID ( August 6th) heading to Cooly City, WA and 

a visit to Cooly Dam. More later. Blogging is still a long process and I am not getting faster. 

July 30, 2011

Salmon River scenic road from Challis, ID to Missoula, MT
Driving the roads through the mountain is great. The views are spectacular and change at every
bend in the road. Picture do not capture feeling you get while traveling on mountain roads.

Salmon River

Flathead Lake. On the way to Glacier National Park.





August 1,  and August 2, 2011

"Red Bus" Only way to travel "Going to the Sun Road"

 

"Red Bus", Us. Logan Pass

View from the edge. Going to the Sun Road. Very scary from my point of view.
A fun trip

View 

View from the"Going to the Sun Road

Mountain Goats, Logan Pass

Deep snow remaining at high altitudes

At Logan Pass

Logan Pass on "Going to the Sun Road". Turn around point for our trip in the "Red Bus".

At Logon Pass

On the shore of Lake McDonald

At the Lake McDonald Lodge.

August 4, 2011

      Izaak Walton Inn, Essex, MT. Originally built in 1939 to house railroad workers.                                                                 It is the only "flagstop" remaining on Amtracks "Empire Builder".

Train yard at the Inn. Very busy line, 60 trains a day pass through.

Caboose used as a cabin. There were 4more plus a diesel engine all converted to cabins.

Correction

To view the following blog please go to the bottom and work your way up. Future blogs will be posted to be read from top to bottom as it should be. Trying to confuse the reader.