Day 58 to 73 - Our 2012 Trip to Oregon & Back

October 1 thru 16, 2012

Vonna and I were talking last night and she said it had been a while since I posted on the blog.  I really didn’t remember it being over two weeks.

Photo of our Mirror.  We have
a lot of them!

We were leaving Whale’s Rest.  The travel day was very nice, driving down the coast, looking at things that we have seen, and then new things that we hadn’t seen before.  We stopped at the Harris Beach State Park just outside of Brookings, OR.  It was a nice afternoon, so we dropped the trailer and off to town to look for dinner. 

We stopped at Subway and got a sandwich.  Then back to the beach to watch the sunset into the ocean.  We went back to the trailer to play a game, but both of us were tired after a long day.

The next morning was overcast, we had a small breakfast, and off to town.  Not much in Brookings to look at.  We were down at the Historic Port and there was only one store that Vonna wanted to look at.  Not even a coffee shop for me.  We drove to where someone told her and there was a two story building that was triangle shaped.  Not very big, but so much stuff that I couldn’t walk through it. 

Harris Beach State Park - OR

We stopped at another small place on 101, and found a nice bakery that I had coffee at, along with a couple of shops.  One had some bird feeders and a couple of other things.  I bought Vonna a peace sign wind chime.  It is nice.  There was a tea shop on the other end.

Back early to the campsite, and walked around to look at it.  It was very nice.  Three or four host in it, and it was not real large.  Off to bed early.  It would be our longest drive of the trip the next day.

Trees?  In California?

We left Harris Beach early the next morning, about 9 or 9:30.  We were headed for Russian River 1000 Trails, about 300 miles away.  It was a 7 ½ hour drive.  We had a nice drive trip overall, but I have a nerve in my leg that gives me problems and we have to stop every couple of hours.  There roads were good, but every time you get to a town you have to slow to 30 – 40 MPH.  Or if you get to hills the freeway stops and it is 30 MPH around curves.  Not like traveling Highway 5.  But the truck pulls the trailer without any problems. 

We got to Russian River, and I think we setup camp and off to town for dinner.  I think we had McDonald's for the first time on the trip.  We also went to the grocery store for things we needed for the next few days.

Russian River is a nice campground, with the river running thought part of it.  We were next to a cabin and the rest rooms were right there.  This will be our last time to have power and water.  We didn’t really set up a full camp, just got a few things out of the truck.  The weather was very nice, about 75 in the day time.

Almost asleep.

Town is close, and on Sunday we went into Cloverdale.  There was a nice antique store, a couple of other stores, and a yogurt shop.  One of the workers said that we should try Healdsburg which was about 15 miles from Cloverdale.  We headed over and there was a few blocks with some nice shops, outside restaurants, and wine tasting stores.  Vonna’s leg was giving her problems and we made it to half the shops and headed for home.   I BBQ’ed after we got home, and played a few games. 

Earlier before we left the next door neighbors said there were going to have some relatives in.  We got back and it was only the lady’s uncle – 85 years old and still smoking cigars.  The nephew and his kids got back after a while from the river and we found out why she had warned us earlier about the company – LOL.  They were good, they BBQ’ed and were really having a nice night.  The lady told us that her uncle had started a winery years ago and that they used to go there to work in the summer when she was growing up.  Anyway, they had a nice evening and called it a night before we headed to bed.

On Monday Vonna wanted to buy me breakfast for the first or second time since we left home.  We also decided to do the laundry.  We spend most of the day just looking around, laundry, and relaxing around the campsite.  A great day.  On Tuesday we decided to go to Healdsburg again.  Vonna was feeling much better, and there was a nice coffee shop there.  We had lunch at a Pizza shop on the sidewalk, and walked in and out of all the shops in the area, but not one of the wine tasting stores.  I bought a hat and Vonna found one or two items that she couldn’t live without.

Golden Gate Bridge

Wednesday was our travel day, a short drive to Half Moon Bay.  We were going over the Golden Gate Bridge, and I was thinking of my mom.  Her ashes were spread just outside of the bridge.  It was a nice day and I can imagine my mom just loving it.

As we were going over the bridge Vonna heard from her sister, Debbie and that they were in the bay area at one of Larry’s doctors.  I told her to let them know that if they come to see us we would buy dinner.  A couple of hours later while I was setting up camp, Vonna told me she had a text from Debbie & they were going to come over. We were surprised & happy.

They got here and we talked for a while.  We went to Barbara’s Fish Shack for dinner and had a great meal, and then back to the trailer and talked more.  It was late, about 7:30 or 8, when they left.  It was great to have company and get to talk to Larry about the elk and his trip.

This was the first time we
were able to fly the flags
on the trip!

Sunset at Half Moon Bay!

Tammy got here about noon on Thursday.  It was great to see her.  We talked and  got caught up on what was happening in her life and Chris’.  It was a great visit, spending most of Thursday and Friday here around the campsite.  My outside stove stopped working right on Thursday morning as I was trying to cook breakfast.  We had to go to San Mateo to buy another one.  They don’t make things to last of course we did buy it at a yard sale about 5 years ago for $10 so I guess we got our
moneys worth.

Any way, we talked and played games and had a great time.  Saturday and Sunday there was a Pumpkin Festival in town.  About 300,000 people show up, and my wife & daughter was part of them.  By the time we got up and moving, I drove downtown and dropped them off near the middle of the town.  No parking.  I went back to get my bike and rode it into town.  I parked it and walked to where Vonna was.  Didn’t take long to get claustrophobic.  I was there for an hour or so and came back.  Vonna and Tammy stayed almost until it closed at 5.

Tammy had to leave the next day, so we had coffee at Starbucks, told her bye, and stopped at the festival to see if there was anything that Vonna couldn’t do without.  There was.

Vonna on Beach!

Today was laundry day, and Vonna had a hair appointment.  We have enjoyed the beach and time here very much.  A lot of people come and go here more than other place we have been.  We talk a little to people, but most of them don’t say hi.  This has been a great trip, and we would love to do it again.  One of the best parts has been spending time together. 

Lunch at the Ocean!

Hope to see you all on the road someday.