Advertisement
Published: March 20th 2010
Edit Blog Post
(I have decided to write a blog for this trip after all...I thought the photos would be interesting for those of you who haven't been to the American West...As always, just ignore the messages about this trip if you're not interested....)
We are driving from our home to California, Arizona, Utah, Montana, and home again.
Day One LaConner, Washington to Lincoln City, Oregon
We left home on a cool, cloudy morning, with daffodils blooming everywhere and the famous tulips beginning to show color (LaConner has a Tulip Festival in April every year.) We had a quick stop to see my son Luke at work on the way down interstate 5 to Olympia, where we turned off for the coast. On the way, we passed through cities, towns, forests, clear cuts, and farms, arriving at the Pacific Ocean in the early afternoon. We hiked a nature trail along a slough, where salt water pours in under the fresh as the tide moves in. We crossed the mighty Columbia River at Astoria, having followed part of the Lewis and Clark Trail on the Washington side of the river.
Once in Oregon, we stayed along the coast on
Highway 101, driving past sandy beaches, both tame and wild, framed by rocky cliffs. We drove through more forests and through tourist towns. Taking a break from the car, we hiked down to a beach through mossy trees, and walked along the edge of the surf. We arrived in Lincoln City around 6:30 pm, in time to see the sun set into the Pacific from our wonderful ocean front room at the Ester Lee Motel (only $60/night, a bit more than the Villa Nirvana in Mexico!).
Day Two Lincoln City, Oregon to Crescent City, California
We stayed til mid-day, since it was a beautiful morning. I ran a few miles on the beach (in shoes this time), dodging the many dogs and agate hunters. We headed south again, into the sun of another beautiful day. We pulled out onto Highway 101, which ran in front of our hotel and followed it all day. We drove along spectacular coastline where huge haystack rocks stand out in the surf. The rocky coastline changed to sand dunes around Florence. Another break took us down a trail, through the dunes, and onto a completely deserted beach, where snowy plovers were nesting. (We
didn't see any...) We arrived in Cresent City before sunset, and found a small motel called the Curly Redwood, which was built in 1962 from the wood from a single redwood tree. That night, it was so quiet that we heard seals barking in the marina across the highway from the hotel.
Day Three Crescent City to Sacramento, California
We made coffee in our redwood room and headed out on the highway around 8:30. We were quickly in the redwood forests among those majestic trees that made the economy in that part of the world for many years...fortunately there are still some left. We had lunch in the small town of Garberville at a cafe that was first opened in 1977, when many young people moved there from all over....the young people are now gray-haired....but many are still there...
We followed the coast for a bit, then went inland, eventually crossing back over the mountains on a very windy road to Fort Bragg, where we bid the Pacific a sad farewell...We headed east over more mountains, through ranches, past hills, and into orchards once we reached the wide valley of central California. We arrived in Sacramento an hour
or so after dark.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.11s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 8; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0861s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 2;
; mem: 1.1mb
Linda H
non-member comment
TY for this.
Glad you did decide to send a blog Lynn. Those of us who don't get out much, can vicariously travel too. All is cold here, but sun does peek out. Enjoy your time, I'm jealous!