Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 14:33:52 -0400
Reply-To: Stu Schwartz <sschwartz@OS2BBS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stu Schwartz <sschwartz@OS2BBS.COM>
Subject: Trip Report #3
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Well we made it to San Fran...a day or so earlier than expected...
We left Denver to escape the heat...it took us 3 days to get to cooler weather (we refused to go through Wyo again so we took the long way...via
Utah). Our first stop were the hills of I-70 to get to Utah and Arches National Monument. It was very hot and hilly. MZ Magic did the job but we were very
hot...did I say that enough times? We got to Arches at dusk...perfect time...it cooled off a little. The landscape is extremely red and eerie. 3 layers of
sediment that erode at different rates cause these huge arches to be created. The various formations and skinny rock walls and arches are truly unique.
We took Jasmine in her new doggie back pack (the Dog Gone Device, DGD) for a short hike...she seemed to like it. We managed to see about 30
percent of the park by dark and decided to call it a night...it was still hot. There is no shade....
Then off north (an overcast day) toward Idaho. More interesting terrain. This country has so many strange and beatutiful landscapes. We drive through
Salt Lake City and it gets even hotter... We made it to Twins Falls...still hot. We stay near the Snake River and visit the canyon area that Evel Knieval tried
to jump about 20 years ago. I can see why he missed...pretty wide. The canyon is beautiful. Anyway it is still hot...so the next morning it is off to Boise, Id.
We stop in for lunch at a place identified in our Tofu Tollbooth book. This book has given us at least 10 different places to stop...excellent for the vegan
traveller. No potatoes however..
Still hot so we go for the Coast....We hop on I-84 toward the Columbia River and Portland. This interstate is one of the most beautiful we' ve been on as it
follows the Columbia River Gorge. We are in the canyon most of the way and stay at a beautiful little campground across the river in Washington (Mary Hill
State Park). Oregon seems to be very dog-friendly...almost everyone has one. Jasmine is happy.
Then it's off again to Portland. We hit Portland about lunchtime and visit the Willamette (WilLAMette..not WillaMETTE) River Park. They are preparing for
the annual blues fest...lots of good names. We meet a vendor who actually is part of a grateful dead cover band (Ashbury Park). He used to live in
Bethesda...but loves Oregon (that's OreGUN...not OreGONE). We decide it is still too hot and head for the coast. We make it to Cape Lookout...one of 3
closeby beachfront campground parks. It is cool and foggy...we put on jeans and sweatshirts and celebrate. The beach is about 50 feet away. The
diversity of the vegetation is unbelievable....what a difference from the desert of Colorado and Utah. We really used the Discover USA book to identify
what we wanted to do and see on the coast (thanks Suzie)...
We follow the coast south...searching for whales and other wildlife. The pacific is incredible and the road is extremely scenic. We take in some shore
towns and stay at Beverly Beach in Newport for a couple of days. We explore the coast, see some sites and search for whales. Most of the whales are in
the Washington State area but the Oregon coast has some permanent dwellers that like the individual attention. We check out Boiler Bay and lo and
behold we see one. Ginger takes the binocs and follows it....poof of spray, back as it dives, dorsal tail,...poof of spray, back as it dives, dorsal tail,... repeat,
repeat. Just beautiful We also check out the lighthouses...they are much prettier on the east coast...but I guess they do the job. The lighthouses on the
east coast are all unique, so technically if you know your lighthouses, and you saw one, you would know where you are by the color and design of the
lighthouse.
On our way we see some real working timber towns. Interesting enough the gas here is only $1.35 per gallon for unleaded...almost everywhere else it is at
least $1.65 per gallon. Maybe there is some energy quid pro quo going on...<g> We decide to move on to see the Redwoods. Our last Oregon beach
stop is Humbug Mountain....nice name, nice campground. We pass the Oregon dunes...this is a stretch of about 30 miles of large sand dunes and lagoons
on the coast...very different from the rocky outcroppings and large boulders on the beaches. Oregon lets you drive dune buggies here...I guess these
dunes are growing (sand comes from the shrinking east coast dunes?).
We decide to stay in the redwoods for 2-3 days before hitting San Fran. The road is actually prettier in Oregon and the hills are more gentle. We also had
to go through a "fruit and vegetable checkpoint" on the way in to California...some welcome. The "guard" knew we had a refrigerator and so he checked
it out...bananas and salad from a bag are okay...we still wonder what he was really looking for... We seemed to be the only ones "searched"...I guess
because we were honest and said yes to the "do you have a cooler or refrigerator?" question...
We were hoping to stay at Jedediah Smith Park but it was full so we go to Del Norte State Park and stay at Miller Creek. The parks are a joint venture
between the state and the feds...not very dog-friendly... But otherwise the park is a nice place..pretty quiet. One guy had a motorhome with a helicopter in
tow... most toys... Most of the redwoods are second growth with 5-10 trees surrounding a stump that was cut in the '30's. The stumps are 20 feet in
diameter...it is difficult to imagine a forest of these giants. They are truly awesome. We like the cool but it is a little damp. Ginger fell on the grill in the dark
and hurt her knees which made hiking difficult. We stay to recuperate and then head for an auto tour of the coast and the coastal redwoods. We take
about 50 miles worth of side trips to see the old growth redwoods. Finally...the real thing and alive. We take a short hike just to take in the smell and and
environment. They are truly awesome. Some of them have fire scars from 100's of years ago. The trails are thick with soft needles like carpet padding.
These parks are a world resource and are held in trust for future generations of the world.
We finally reach San Francisco...city by the bay. The view through the fog as we enter Marin and then burst onto the Golden Gate is wonderful. We
reach our safe haven and will chill out for a few days.... only about 3 weeks left... Ginger is off to a workshop near Big Sur ...and Jasmine and I are on our
own in SF... possibly camping in Big Sur as well. Jasmine has adapted to city life. Any blade of grass growing out of the sidewalks are full game for a little
pee. We are lucky because there's a nice patch of green grass, used as an island to separate cars only a block away.
Hope everyone is doing well. Keep sending us updates about your own lives.
Love,
Ginger and Stu
