Date:         Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:40:54 -0700
Reply-To:     Ellen in Oregon <elleninoregon@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ellen in Oregon <elleninoregon@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Trip Report: North Oregon Coast
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Hello, everyone!

Finally got Lola out of the garage and back on the road this weekend.  I
don’t know about everyone else, but I have a full-time, rather stressful
job, that eats up 45-50 hours a week, then activities in the evening such as
yoga class, watching the grandson, line dancing, etc.  All this, along with
keeping up with a household and a yard and everything THAT entails (since I
live alone with (now) one cat).  So anytime I can get out on a camping trip
in my beloved Lola, it is a cause for celebration!

I packed all week (in any spare moments I had), and left work an hour early
on Friday to beat the inevitable traffic to the coast.  I was on the road a
little after 4, 255 A/C working well (that’s 2 windows open at 55 MPH) and
quite pleased that airing up the rear tires 10 PSI higher than the fronts
really improved the handling and wind resistance of the van (thank you,
vanagon.com!).

The trip was pleasant, traffic was light, and I pulled into my first choice
of campground about an hour later.  The first things I see are two park
ranger trucks and a sheriff truck, patrolling.  I drove around the
campground and noted that all spots were full except one that appeared to be
vandalized (the picnic table was broken up and part of it was still in the
firepit).  I generally listen to my instincts, and about this time my
instincts were telling me to get out of there and find somewhere else to
stay.

So my second choice on the list was this little place called Campers Cove,
which came highly recommended by one of the park rangers at Cape Lookout
State Park a couple weekends ago.  Well, in hindsight, I have decided that
the park ranger must surely be related to the owners of Campers Cove
somehow, because it was a very disappointing place.  Avoid it at all costs!

I left there and headed North along Hwy 101, and in just a few miles, saw a
RV park called Pleasant Valley.  I actually did pass it by at first, but my
instincts were screaming at me, so I turned around and went back.  Typical
RV park, with the typical schoolbus-sized rigs, but when you got to the back
of the RV park, there were 10 tent sites, each with picnic table, fire ring,
and water spigot.  Most of them were set up for tent campers, but a simple
move of the picnic table would make them all van-friendly.  The sites were
grassy, with many mature trees, and backed up along a natural area.  After
what I had seen so far, it seemed like paradise.

And truly it was, as the RV Park had many nice amenities, the folks there
were very friendly, and it was quiet.  The showers were hot, and free; the
store was amazing.  Anyone who knows me well knows my love for good beer,
and this place had a walk-in beer cooler.  The first thing I saw was
jumbo-sized bottles of Spaten Optimizer.  I’m fond of Spaten Oktoberfest, so
I knew this could only be a good thing.  *smile*

Saturday was spent exploring the area between Tillamook and Pacific City,
and checking out other campgrounds for future trips.  Also a stop at the
Tillamook Saturday Market, which is always a treat.  Since I get fresh
vegetables weekly from an organic CSA (community supported agriculture) I
belong to, I only bought some cherries and blueberries, and a clove of
garlic (since I had just used the last of the garlic from the 2006 CSA).

Tillamook County has a few camping parks; two I visited were really not
suitable, but one, on Whalen Island, was a definite “must stay here
sometime”.  The Camp Hosts were very helpful, gave me some brochures, and I
checked out the campground and marked the spots I would be willing to camp.
The campground is right on an Estuary, which would be a perfect place to
kayak.  There are flush toilets and potable water is available (but not at
each spot).

It rained Saturday night, so I was thankful to be sleeping in my van.
Really, the weather was wonderful, even the rain.  Glad to be home now
though; will spend the rest of the day cleaning the van and getting her
ready for the big trip in September.  On my annual week off, this year,
going to Eastern Oregon to see and do all there is to see and do.  Hoping
everyone else had a wonderful weekend as well.

Pictures?  Go to
http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a113/sweetcatkins/North%20Coast%20trip/?

Ellen
Lola, '85 Vanagon ASI

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow
into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own
freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away
from you like the leaves of autumn.
--John Muir

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