A Sense of History

What a time we are having on the Oregon coast.  Although we live in Oregon we seldom take the time to explore in depth our own back yard.  Isn't it funny how even RVers seem to think the grass is always greener somewhere else?  Maybe it’s the fun and excitement of going somewhere far away, somewhere you have never been before.  Perhaps it is just the planning of such a trip that generates excitement and a sense of adventure.

I know I am guilty of wanting to “take a trip”  and go far, far away.  But as we have read this summer in blogs from Rick, Al, Kate, Dave and Carol, and SO many others, there is beauty and adventure to be found close to home as well.  We have taken many trips to the Oregon coast but we seldom take the time to really immerse ourselves in any one area and to appreciate the history of that place.

I enjoy the history of the Oregon coastal region, especially the tales of Lewis and Clark and their explorations.  Russ has been reading a book about the Lewis and  Clark expedition called ‘Undaunted Courage’ by Stephen Ambrose.  The book details the mission of the Corps of Discovery as they traveled westward to the Pacific Ocean.  We visited Seaside today and some of the historic sites in the area. 

I admit it…I am a saltoholic.  I love salt and I always seem to have the salt shaker nearby.  But back in the days of the Lewis and Clark expeditions, salt was more than just a flavor enhancer.  It was a necessity as a preservative for meat.  And they couldn’t just run down to Safeway and buy a big bag of salt whenever they needed it.  While the expedition members wintered at Fort Clatsop about 15 north of Seaside, a contingent of men labored near the beach at what is now Seaside to produce the salt they needed.  This site has been preserved as an historic monument.



There’s not much to it…not what I expected at all. 



Here men lugged water from the ocean to boil in five kettles, 24 hours a day, to obtain the salt they needed. 





That’s a lot of water to be hauling from the ocean in the dead of winter.  I know how cold and miserable it can be on the Oregon coast in winter and this is not a job I would want to do.  Just gathering enough wood to keep the fire going would be a major chore.  I wonder where we would be today if not for these adventurous and brave explorers? 

From the site of the Saltworks, there is a short trail to the beach.  I wondered what it would be like to carry bucket after bucket of water from this vast ocean to be boiled down for salt – day after day, night after night.



This is Seaside as it is today.





This is a busy tourist town with narrow streets and lots of traffic.  I can only imagine what it is like in the high season or on a weekend.  Lots of interesting shops and galleries but unfortunately, my back is on the fritz and I couldn’t do a lot of walking today.  But when the traffic got busy I was ready to get out of town anyway!

Now I know some people love city living and high rises and all that but I am not one of them.  To each his own, but for me personally, I would feel like an animal in a cage if I had to live in one of these places…ocean view or not!



Not saying it’s a bad idea – it’s just a bad idea for me!!  Russ liked this house with the lobster shutters.



We  also visited the small Seaside Historical Museum.  It is tiny but for $2 it was a good stop.  Do you see that wooden measuring device near the bottom of the photo?  Does anyone know what that is?  I remember using those many times.



Included in the admission is a tour of the historic Butterfield Cottage.  This house was moved from its original location in what is now Seaside’s downtown core area to its present location next door to the museum in 1984.  This is the only cottage that has survived from the original Grimes Grove area and was built in 1893.


And can you imagine wash day in this old cottage?  The museum lady said they started the laundry every Monday at 5:30A and finished at 9:00P at night.  WHEW!



Back at our campsite, we are enjoying a sparsely populated park.  Peace and quiet reigns once more.

We Have Company

We had a great day today.  Our son John and his family came over from Gresham and spent the day with us.

We made a return visit to Fort Clatsop and took the trail down to the boat landing.  We also spent time watching the movie on the Lewis and Clark expedition.  I can only imagine the hardships they went through on their journey.  In the 4000 mile round trip ;journey, the maps made by Captain Clark were only off by about 40 miles.  Considering the rudimentary tools they had back then, this is a pretty amazing feat.



Lewis and Clark keep meticulous journals of their travels and these are the desks they used fro writing when they wintered over in Fort Clatsop. (replicas of course but they purport to be historically accurate)



Russ felt that the lodging was a bit too confining for his taste.  He would never have made it as a mountain man.



On our walk back to the visitor center we spotted this guy.  Don't know exactly what it is but from the looks of that barbed tail, I don't think I want to make him mad.

The best thing about the whole day (other than visiting with family) was the pie John brought.  John and family have really gotten into the blackberry picking this year and John is a master pie baker.



He was pretty proud of that pie and we were only too happy to render our opinion. 



Oh yeah….that was one YUMMY pie.  What a great way to end a perfect day.

What a Day (also re:camera and screen room)

First, thank you all for your comments when I haven’t been commenting back.  I just hate not having the internet on demand.  Guess you might say I’m addicted, or at least dependant on instant communications.  I love where we are staying, I love the area we are in and the feeling of “camping out”, but I just hate being without internet and phone service.  Although I don’t talk on the phone much, I like knowing it’s there when I want it.  I also use 3G service on my Kindle so I cannot shop for or download books.  When I get a Wi Fi connection at Starbucks or McDonald's, we are usually in a hurry to get somewhere so I quickly upload my blog from Live Writer and get going.  I read what I can of your blogs and am anxious to get caught up with what everyone is up to.  By then my battery is usually running low so I don’t leave comments.  I think I am going to bite the bullet and get the Verizon air card.  I am definitely going to at least check it out when we get home.

Several folks have asked about my new little point and shoot camera.  It’s a Panasonic, model DMZ-ZS10.  It is a full HD with 16X optical zoom.  I forget what the megapixel rating is but it’s pretty good.  The digital zoom goes out even farther than 16X optical zoom.  I got this camera at Costco for under $300.  It is our third Panasonic and I have loved each one.  I have a Nikon D300 SLR and several lens to go with it.  The problem is, I don’t use it!  It is heavy and cumbersome to carry around and although it takes great pictures, it is probably more camera than I need.  I think it was Al who said, the best camera is the one you have with you.  This camera is one that I can carry anywhere and barely know it’s along for the ride.  I am very happy with it.'

I also had a few inquiries about my screen room.  It is 96” square and has a flexible frame built in.  You just flip it out and put in the stakes and guy wires and it’s ready to go.  I bought it at Fred Meyer on clearance a couple of years ago so don’t know if it is still available.  It is a nice, easy to setup room but it is on the smallish side and it can be challenging to fold up.  It does however fold up to a nice compact circle and goes in its own carrying case.

So, on to today’s post. (By the way, I am writing all my posts with Live Writer and uploading when I get the chance.  The posts may be several days old by the time I get them uploaded and some of the details may appear out of order.  If I make a mistake in the order in which things happened, that’s why.)

This was a strange day.  We arrived at Fort Stevens and Russ went inside to check in.  I wasn’t feeling well and so stayed in the motor home.  He came back with our hang tags for the vehicles.  These are a necessity in showing that you are a registered guest and must have your license plate number and the date of departure on the tag.

I took one look at the hang tag for the Fit and said, “That’s not our license plate number.”

Remember from yesterday we had lunch with Alice and Elmer at the casino.  Russ was joking about all the 7s we have in our license plate numbers.  Therapy is 27577 – so that’s three sevens and the 2 and the 5 also add up to seven.  On the Fit the numbers are 675, another 7 plus the 6 and the 5 add up to 11 – another good gambling number.  Well all of that did not help either of the guys win any money at the casino but it played into the check-in at Fort Stevens.  Russ had told the fella at the desk that our plate number on the Fit was DZY 711!  I had to go back in and make our excuses and get it all corrected on the tag and in the computer.  Good thing I didn’t give Russ too much grief about it…you’ll see why!

We decided to unhitch the toad there in the parking lot... makes it easier than trying to do it at the campsite.  We have a Road Master set-up and it works really slick.  Just unplug the lights, undo the safety chains and the breakaway cable and pull the pins on the tow bar.  Takes maybe five minutes tops.  I saw some people a few places over having all kinds of trouble with their toad and heard hammering and banging, as they tried to get it released.  I almost made a snide comment to Russ about how much better our system was.  Good thing I didn’t!!  I pulled the lock on my side of the tow assembly and normally I could just pull the pin and lift the tow bar right out of the hitch.  Not this time.  We were parked straight but I thought maybe we were unlevel and that was creating some pressure on the hitch.  So I had Russ release the parking brake and I pushed back on the car and he reset the brake.  No help!  Anyway, to make a long story short, Russ inspected my side of the hitch and found I had inserted the dohickey into whatchamacallit upside down.  It was jammed good and proper!  Now we were the ones hammering and pounding trying to get the darn thing loose.  Russ finally hammered the pin out and I slowly back the car up to get the hitch assembly out of the bracket.  What a mess!  I was very embarrassed to say the least.  GEEZ!  How dumb can you get?  We are lucky there was no apparent damage and I’m hoping I didn’t cause some damage that will show up down the road when the Fit comes loose and rolls over the edge of a cliff.

So we are unhitched, our hang tags are corrected and we are ready to find our site.  I took the lead with Russ close behind and located our spot.  Imagine my surprise to find it already occupied.  I looked at my tag to make sure I had the right space and went over to talk to the folks.  I thought maybe they were just getting a late start but they assured me they were paid through that day and were leaving in the morning.  Okay…they had their hang tag and that is what it said so back to the office to see what we could do to solve the problem.  I knew we had a reservation and the nice man had checked us in okay so I had no idea what the problem was.

Back at the office, I told the ranger what I had found at our campsite.  He looked puzzled and then I asked him to double check the date on our reservation.  Wouldn’t you know it?  I got us there a day early!!!  And he didn’t catch it!  This retirement takes some getting used to.  One day is just like any other and it seems I am loosing track of time.  Thank goodness the ranger was able to get us into another spot for the night and we moved in the morning.  We were right next door to the spot I thought we had reserved so I had to go back to the folks in that spot and explain that it was all my fault and I was sorry to have bothered them.  I was sure glad I had been nice when I first approached them and not demanded that they vacate “MY” spot!!  Man, that would have been BAD!

So, it was just one of those days, plenty of senior moments to go around, (and we won’t even talk about the seal on the toilet bowl!) but it all worked out in the end…as it most often does.

Pigs, Pancakes, and Precipices

We had lunch at the Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City with Russ’s sister and her husband.  Alice and Elmer are always fun to be with and we enjoyed them very much.  However, can’t say as much for the lunch.  We should have just gone to Spirit Mountain near where Al and El live but we thought something different might be fun.  Sorry, but I cannot recommend the lunch at Chinook Winds…but I can recommend spending time with Alice and Elmer!!!

On the way down the coast from Lincoln City we stopped at Cape Foulweather.  The sign says “Where the history of Oregon began” but I don’t know why!  The view point is at the top of a 500’ precipice. 



Be warned – there are no restrooms here – and that is why I did not hang around long enough to know why the sign lays claim to the beginning of Oregon history.  I know, TMI, but someone may find this information helpful.



Looking over the edge, I was glad for the safety fence.



These are the kelp beds that are at the bottom of that cliff.


Looking south, the view takes in the resort area of Otter Crest.  I just have to brag again on my new camera.  This is the view with no zoom.  I put a box around one of the houses.



From the same vantage point I zoomed in on the area noted above and this is what I saw.  This photo can be enlarged for even more detail…NO, I am not a stalker – just trying out my camera!



One thing that really impresses me is the lack of “shake” when fully zoomed.  This photo was taken just hand held and there is virtually no shake or distortion.  I think I like this camera!

We have all heard of the roads in Alaska and the damages from “frost heave”.  I think we found something similar here is Oregon.  Maybe it is “rain heave?”



 
On our way out of town the next morning we stopped for breakfast in Lincoln City at the Pig N Pancake.  Now there’s a place I CAN recommend.



I am really picky about my pancakes and I can say without reservation, these are the best pancakes I have ever tasted. 



There are six Pig N Pancake locations on the Oregon coast and we have visited two of them (so far!).  I am sure we will be back.  It isn’t cheap but it is good.  The location in Lincoln City has RV parking the back but in Seaside there is only curbside parking and it’s not for big vehicles!

Now we are off to head north to Fort Stevens.  I know, we were just there but with Rusty getting sick and leaving early, we simply did not have enough time to fully explore the area.  There is lots to see and we’re going to give it our best shot!

Depot Bay – World’s Smallest Harbor

Just up the coast highway from Beverly Beach, is the small but busy village of Depot Bay, proudly proclaiming its status as the world’s smallest harbor.  Not having seen the entire world, or even the entire United States, I can neither dispute nor validate this claim.  It is, however, a REALLY small harbor and a charming town.

Lots of fishing and whale watching boats go out from Depot Bay.  Crossing this bar is not for the inexperienced nor the feint of heart.  The boats can only enter or leave the harbor at certain times, depending on the tide.  Re-entering the harbor is probably the most dangerous part.  The boats come in at a pretty good clip in order to maintain their trajectory and avoid getting smashed onto the rocks by the competing currents.  This channel is every bit as small as it looks and is one of the more dangerous ones along the Oregon coast.  We have been out on a boat from this harbor but it was many years ago.  We went out on a whale watching tour but as I remember it, we didn’t see any whales.

***I had a couple of video clips to insert here but can’t get them to load…tooo slow!  Maybe later…too bad too as one was of the guys filleting the fresh caught salmon!***
This guy knows an easy meal when he sees one and waits for scraps to be tossed his way.  The gulls also know what’s coming when the boats tie up, and are vociferous in their demands for the leftovers.




Crossing under the bridge to the ocean side of the street, you will find  a small visitors center.  Here volunteers watch and count the whales that migrate in the spring and late fall.  Outside of the center the wind was blowing quite briskly today so Russ was worried about being blown over the side.  Luckily, he found his anchor!



The view from the ocean side of the highway shows just how rugged this section of coast is.



Depot Bay is also filled to the brim with touristy T-shirt and souvenir shops, and the requisite salt water taffy and chocolate shops.  Several restaurants are located along the several blocks of “downtown.”  This is a great town for strolling the sidewalk and  poking around in the over-priced yet intriguing shops.  We kept our wallets in our pockets.  The only thing I took away from the shops was this photo.



Kate, you take such great pelican photos that I just knew you would be proud of me for getting this shot!  Isn’t he magnificent?

So much more to see and do along this beautiful coast we love so well…but it will have to wait for another day.  In the meantime, enjoy this photo of one happy dog.  (sorry for the poor quality – taken through a very dirty windshield on our way out of the park).

Just Coasting

The westering sun cast long shadows over the landscape as the sky slowly darkened from the bright cerulean of daytime.  The whomp of an ax connecting with wood played a strange and haunting drumbeat across the meadow, and the fragrance of hot pine pitch wafting on gentle evening breezes filled the air with memories of campfires past.  In the distance, dogs woofed out greetings or warnings to others of their kind as they dragged their humans along on nylon tethers.  But wait, what is that strange silence that fills the air?  With ears attuned to the unaccustomed stillness I struggle to ascertain what this absence of sound means.  And then it hits me.  There are no plastic wheels skittering along the pavement.  The skateboards and Big Wheels have fallen silent, and the whoop and holler of high-pitched voices screaming for no other reason than to scream, is gone.  It’s the day after Labor Day and the kids are all back in school!

Okay, don’t go gettin’ your panties in a wad.  I like kids as much as the next person (well, depending on who that person is!).  I raised four of them myself and have enjoyed being a grandma to eight.    But there is something about a campground after Labor Day that just feels NICE.  Oh sure, there is the occasional squall of a babe not yet old enough for school, or the yipping of a dog that is not well-controlled by his owners, but, by and large, we are finding lots of peace and quiet right now.  It’s pretty nice.

We are currently at Beverly Beach SP, just a few miles north of Newport on the Oregon coast.  I admit to a certain amount of prejudice, but I think the Oregon State Park system is one of the best.  We have the best of both worlds here…the feeling of being surrounded by nature, yet with water and electricity to maintain our creature comforts. 

We didn’t have a reservation for this park so didn’t get one of the choice sites but it’s all good anyway.  Our table and fire pit is behind the rig rather than beside it but we still have a pretty good setup and plenty of privacy. 



We set up our flip ‘n’ fold screen room and it works just fine…easy too. 



The weather here on Wednesday was wonderful.  Bright sunny skies except for patches of fog along the beach, and a low fog bank hanging across the horizon just off shore.  We drove north along the coast and visited Devil’s Punchbowl.





Half hidden by the offshore fog bank, is Otter Rock, a local landmark.  Click on the photo below to see some pelicans flying in from the right.


One of these pelicans landed on that out cropping of rock which was probably 300 yards from where we were standing. 

My sweet husband just bought me a new point and shoot Panasonic camera prior to this trip.  I was able to zoom in on the pelican waaaaay far out on the rock.  Although it is not the quality you would get with an SLR equipped with a long lens, I’m pretty happy with the capabilities of this little pocket camera.



 
 

We also encountered some local wildlife along the path.  These were the FATTEST squirrels I have ever seen and they were not about to move out of the way.  They trailed along behind us or ran across our path begging for food.



Now, I’m not one to get on a soap box concerning the feeding of wild squirrels, but this cannot be healthy!  This was not the only hefty one we saw either.  The one pictured below chased after me and stopped in my shadow waiting for a handout.  I didn’t have anything with me but I undoubtedly would have tossed a peanut his way if I had a chance.



If you have ever stuck a toe into the waters of the Oregon coast, you know it’s not like Newport, CA.  Yet we have our own group of dedicated surfers.  Even with dry suits on, I don’t know how they stand it.  Enlarge the photo to see those little dots out in the water.  Those are PEOPLE, not seals!






As we were headed back to the car, Russ spotted a lost pirate sword on a nearby picnic table.  He has a good imagination!



Oh well, if it makes him happy!  We were pretty chilled by then so we popped into Mo’s for a cup of chowder as a warm up.  We were their first customer of the day and the chowder was better than what we had last time we went to Mo’s.  It was more like soup than a big glob of white glue and I actually found some small bits of clam hiding amongst the generous serving of potatoes!  It was hot and that was all that mattered.  It warmed us and fueled us up for our next adventure.

Next stop…Depot Bay, the world’s smallest harbor.

P.S.  Thank you Kate for caring, you da bomb!

Don’t Bug Me!

We have spent the last several days dinking around with giving Therapy a good cleaning.  We washed and waxed and we scrubbed and we polished.  A little here and a little there and we got ‘er done. 
Look how nice and shiny she is.




I even gave the inside a good cleaning.  Dog beds and blankets are out for this trip, even took the covers off the furniture.  I waxed the counter top and polished the wood and mopped and vacuumed.  Okay, so the beds in the back aren’t made with military precision, but they’re clean!



The chrome was so shiny, I wanted to take a picture of Russ reflected in the chrome.  I didn’t notice the little blob on the hood until I was processing the photos.  Click on the picture and enlarge to show detail!


Seems like no matter what ya do, it’s just impossible to get all the bug splats off, especially if you are half blind like we are!!  So, what do YOU do to keep the rig clean when you’re driving and how do you get rid of those stubborn bug splats.  I suppose we could just park her under cover and keep her there…NOT!!!