Category Archives: Oregon

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November 14, 2018

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Boondocking, Chinook Motorhome, Oregon, USA Travel

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And That’s How It’s Done

November 13, 2018

We followed our friend’s advice, and set out on Deadman Pass near 10 am.  OK, it was closer to 9:30, but the temperature was above freezing and there was no snow.  Always check highway cams and weather reports before attempting a treacherous pass.  All looked well, so we set out.

We didn’t get too far when visibility became greatly reduced:

Heavy fog
I wonder what the sign says

 

The fog was intense, but the twists in the road also added to the white-knuckle experience.  Look at what the map shows:

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The fog started to lift and we could see there had been a truck in front of us the entire time:

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As the fog completely lifted, we could see it hanging over a valley and a sundog:

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After that, it was smooth sailing:

Over the pass
Co-pilot Poppy

So, that is how you get through a treacherous pass. Follow experienced drivers’ advice, check weather reports and highway cams, don’t rush it. Phew!

Oregon scenery on the way to Nevada:

Hey, is this what we think it is?

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Oh yeah! A 1970s Dodge Chinook:

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For the night, we crossed into Nevada and stayed in Jackpot (free parking at Cactus Pete’s casino).

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April 18, 2018

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Chinook Motorhome, Oregon, USA Travel

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Keep Portland Weird

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April 6-8, 2018

We drove through the intensely green Tillamook forest on the way to Portland. There was a particularly beautiful rest stop for us to stretch our legs and for Poppy to wet her feet.

Our main reason for stopping in Portland was to see our friends George and Monica, whom we met in Europe in 2014. They live on a float home (how cool is that?!), and they have extra parking (with power) at their moorage. We arrived on Friday afternoon, after stopping in the city to do laundry. George made us a delicious chicken & pasta dinner, and then the four of us went to hear Carol Hasse speak about trimming your sails. Hasse is a sailmaker and public speaker. She included useful images and spoke clearly so that even I could understand something about sailing. Of course, our Hobie is a pretty basic sailing trimaran, but I am fascinated by sailboats.

On Saturday, George and Monica took us to the Japanese garden. It rained most of the day, but look at how beautiful it made the garden.

Later, we went to Voodoo Doughnut. What a crazy place! The doughnuts are out of this world! No wonder people line up in the rain.  Mango Tango was my favourite, but I also loved the maple and bacon one. I don’t think they make a bad doughnut.

Lining up for doughnuts
Mmmm . . . cooling doughnuts!

Afterwards, Monica took us up to her office and we got a bird’s eye view of the city, and then off we were to the food trucks.  What a selection!  Of course, we searched for the elusive Indonesian food truck, but we struck out again.

One final picture of the washrooms near the Rose Garden:

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April 5, 2018

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Chinook Motorhome, Dogs, Oregon, USA Travel

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The Oregon Coast

(April 4, 2018)

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Highway 101 continues north and ends in Lund, BC. The vistas in Oregon are unmatched. Although the highway mostly hugs the coast, the curves are gentler, and the views are more spectacular than in California. Also, Oregon provides plenty of turn offs with parking and little paths to the beach or lookouts. Dogs are allowed on their trails and even some beaches. I knew I’d love Oregon, but I didn’t know how much. This state is incredibly gorgeous, and RV & dog-friendly.

Also, along the coast, you won’t find very many chain stores and restaurants. The citizens support mom-and-pop shops. It’s very refreshing. We had lunch at The Crazy Norwegian’s Fish & Chips in Port Orford. Their motto is “Cod is my Co-Pilot.” There were lots of quirky sayings inside, like “You won’t die from eating lutefisk; you’ll just smell that way.” The fish was cooked to perfection!  No, we didn’t have lutefisk, but I’d give it a try.

Port Orford:

We camped at another casino parking lot. Thankfully, there are just frogs keeping us company here. The casino lets us go in to use their lounge and wifi.

(April 5, 2018)

We continued our drive on the coast, but we can definitely tell that we are heading north.  The rain has started, and it is getting chillier.

Devil’s Churn would be amazing to see at high-tide.  The waves have been crashing into the rock and creating a chasm.  It was low-tide when we were there, but still fantastic to see.

Nearing Tillamook (Where did the hills go?)

We took the detour to Tillamook, OR to see the cheese factory, but there were just temporary displays (they are building a new facility) and hoards of people.  We didn’t sample any of the cheeses because we saw many dirty little hands touching the samples in the “cheese buffet” line-up.

Tomorrow, we are heading to Portland (Portlandia!) to visit our friends George and Monica, whom we met back in 2014 in Europe.  Can’t wait!