It's Been That Long?

Beach art on Dungeness Spit, Olympic Peninsula

Well I'm at the point that I have no sense of what day it is. The newspaper tells me Thursday, June 25. OK. So, Sunday night I moved to the hostel at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Washington (apparently some scenes from Officer and a Gentleman were filmed there) and it was pretty ok, a bunch of the people were there attending a Theatre of the Oppressed workshop. Monday I actually did go to the library - but not for long- barely room to turn around. So I mostly wandered around the little harbor town of Port Townsend which was fine for an afternoon, all kind of artsy and cafeish with more espresso places that people. Had a great raisin, sage . Bought 2 books, washed clothes. Dinner at a local beer bar, nothing going on there at all. Tuesday, I went downtown(!) to visit my favorite cofffeeshop ---and it was closed! How rude. Otherwise went on another long beach hike - I wear sunblock but get red anyway. Weather was nice so after that I broke out the shorts, flip flops and beach chair and plunked myself down for an afternoon beach read. A tad premature since it was necessary to also wear my fleece ski vest. But it was the principal of the thing. Wednesday moved on to Seattle where I was thinking to spend 2-3 days. One afternoon was enough but I loved my first ever take the car on a ferry trip! Seattle was just a bit much but not enough. The hostel was kinda creepy, some older people were staying there but I never saw them, just the alternative college crowd. Parking is hard to find and cost a lot. The general pace is rather frantic. So hasta la vista Seattle, Oregon coast here I come. Which brings me to my current location at a hostel in Seaside Oregon which is kinda east of Portland and just across the Columbia River from WA. The rain seems to have stopped. This place is on a little river and about 4 blocks from the beach. Also nearish are Mt. Rainier and Mt. but I'd have to backtrack to see them so maybe not. More hills, more trees, more not busy roads, more huge gas bills. I learned today, though, that my car has really good brakes:)

Here's a picture in case anyone has been wondering what those hostels dorms I've been staying in look like :)

Today (Friday, I think) the weather has been clear, blue, breezy and about 60.

Checked out the very southwesternmost tip of Washington; Long Beach and all the other little communities the length of this spit; Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks. Great day. And the bridge over the Columbia River from Astoria, OR to Washington is pretty cool. When the weather's good I'm lovin' it here.

Catch Up

Well it's taken 2 nights to get that last entry sent. It's now Sunday, June 21. I have moved on to Port Townsend and am having my first hostel dorm room experience; 7 in the room.

This morning after I packed up the tent I did the Dungeness National Wildlife Refugee 'Spit' walk. Which means a 5 miles one way hike on the beach to the lighthouse (which means 5 miles back). The weather was nice for the first time, sunni-ish and not too windy just a nice beach breeze. I went about 4 to 4 1/4 miles out and decided I didn't really need to actually go to the lighthouse so took my time ambling back. Glad I did by the time I got back to the trailed it was getting cool and windy and the tide was coming in. Good day; I have red cheeks.

Tomorrow should be a down day. They have real people beaches here and the broadband works. I'll also cross the line and hang out at the library during the day (hostel lock out 10:30-5:00). What am I doing!?

Hope all is well with everyone

Happy Place

Well never made it to Craters of the Moon. The weather continued to be rotten so I decided to break for the coast where I've heard the weather has been fabulous for the past month- Seattle here I come. In order to get there drove through even more vast empty expanses of the great west. Trust me, we have room for immigrants. It's so big and wide open out here in southeastern Idaho that you can see the (bad) weather for at least 50 miles in all directions. Ended up in the cool little community of Baker City (they're being optimistic) at a great campsite. Met a bunch of folks from Seattle. Hmmm why are they all going in the opposite direction? While in town visited the nearby Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Boy those wagons were small; doesn't look like any fun at all. Got a couple of journals written by women who traveled west via the Oregon Trail. And, this is cool, the Hudson Company apparently built a fort because of competition from a trapper named Wyeth. Which makes sense because this was British held territory.

By the way - this is a big moment - the first time things are actually working the way I imagined. I'm sitting in my (freezing) tent blogging. I must be getting closer to civilization as there's actually a broadband connection.

Anyway once I left Baker City drove through the endless, barren, rolling hills of Idaho/W ashington. Eventually ran into Washington wine country. Extensive vineyards which are incredibly gorgeous and some cherry orchards out there. Didn't stop at any wineries; no fun when you're on your own.

Stopped for the night at Issaquah, WA, mainly because I couldn't find a suitable campground. Definitely back in suburbia. Wednesday headed off into Seattle but it turns out the hostels has no beds available so stopped at a Visitors Center and got loaded up with info re Olympic National Park where I've been for the past few days. Found my happy spot at Kalaloch beach campsite. I could see the ocean from my camp. Sweet. OK still grey and rainy but it's all good. I just love the beach; stayed there 2 nights.

While driving around being a tourist I quite innocently came across Fords, Washington (if you're like me and totally uncool, it's apparently the hometown of the heroine of Twilight) so I took some iconic pix. I'm hip, I'm happenin'

Yesterday on the way to the Hoh Rain Forest I just had to stop for lunch at the Hard Rain Cafe. That makes a great addition to visiting the Hard Wok Cafe on a mountain in China. The rain forest is one of my big reasons for coming here. I t is quite different than I imagined, big trees and such, verdant but kind of ummmmmm drier than anticipated, in fact it's not at all drippy.

Today I was planning to move to the Sol Duc hot springs area but didn't like it; drove out toward Neah but didn't like it[but did like the Mahak Tribal Museum] At the museum ran into some folks I met at the tidal pools the other day when she was taking pix with fancy-schmancy camera just as my little camera battery died; drove through Port Angeles but didn't see any place to stay, drove toward Port Townsend and found my current home, Dungeness where I'll be for 2 nights. Basically I'm going clockwise around the Olympic penninsula.

First shot of Devil's Tower, the 1st National Monument. It's so incredible (1267' high) it's all been worth it. When I got to Hullett which is a few miles before the Monument, I checked into a hotel (it's still cold and rainy)and even though fried from the days' drive just had to run down the road for a peek. I'm so glad I did. Next day, rain and fog again, headed through the Black Hills toward Cody. In Cody had dinner at the Proud Cut Saloon - at the bar of course- and got talking with a woman who publishes illustrated maps (on my left) and a local old timer (on my right); it was a hoot. Next morning (Wednesday) on my way to Yellowstone and still hoping to hit good weather. Ha.

I went in at the East Entrance, checked out the snow, drizzle and cold. I'm not camping here tonight. But

drove around the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake and started checking out the geysers and other misc. thermal activity. It's sort of challenging to take pix of geysers when it's cold and windy - billows of steam blowing all around fogging lens, making hands and faces wet, so freezing... even though I loved it, pix aren't so great. I was going to abandon Yellowstone and try again some other year but ended up getting a(the last)room in the park, so I stayed at Roosevelt Cabins and next day got a campsite and took a 2 hour trail ride which was really more like 2.5 hours. I haven't ridden a horse in many,many years. It was a very long ride. Took a handful of aspirin as soon as I got to the car and more at bedtime, so was able to walk next day. ouch.The woman in the campsite across from mine, same age as me, is here from Germany camping around the west for 3 weeks. Saturday met some folks from Florida on a tour (our female driver was the most completely androgynous person I have ever, ever met - appearance, vocal quality and attitude- it was driving us all crazy) had dinner together, watching the rain pouring down. Bison(many), elk (multitudes) and grizzles (3 times)oh my! Saw some great stuff, went to several good ranger talks, met some good people and am glad I stuck it out. Today (Sunday) I've moved on to Idaho Falls to get the car serviced tomorrow and then going to Craters of the Moon National Monument via route 20 west. The entire time I was in Yellowstone was unable to access the internet even though they're said to have improved wifi service - guess just not anywhere I went. It was a little weird being cut off from the internet for nearly a week when not planned. Hopefully rest of trip I'll be able to find places where the broadband works. Wish me good weather. Please.

2nd Thoughts

The highlight of BigTravel Minnesota: Proud dad, happy grad!
Since my last report further high jinx in Minneapolis included the obligatory vist to Mall of America; lunch at a lakeside(Minnetonka)marina (the place was jumpin on a sunny Thursday afternoon and it seemed like everyone was there), had a touristly correct walleye sandwich; a visit to an exhibit at the Walker in Minneapolis (The sculpture garden is pretty cool and comprehendible; the art in the museum not so. Either these 3 Wyeth's are philistines or we have a genetic aversion to modern art).

Hated to leave Minneapolis and the fam. But you know what they say about visitors and fish (does it count double for Pisces?) So I hit the road on Friday, June 5,heading for Pipestone, MN. where Native Americans have traditioanlly mined a special stone used for carving pipes and such. It was the first national monument in the state and has a protected section of long grass prairie. But Saturday morning it was freezing and raining so decided not to hike out to see the guarry and tall grass.

What have I learned?

• No matter which way I want to go on 62 in Minneapolis-I will get turned around


• The joy of taking down a wet tent.


• The weather gods are agin' me- this pix is my South Dakota, grey and raining

• Camping in cold is not fun, in rain is not fun but both at the same time is uncalled for


• Cell phones can demagnitize hotel door swipe cards


• The new Subarus are a little more precious than necessary


• It's wise to make sure you have your camera with you (I missed to great shot of a buffalo calf nursing mom with a bird on her back)


• The west has big weather - miserable from Minnesota through South Dakota and beyond


• Road bugs really stick to white cars


• And, I'm not a good tourist

Re my precious car - it went into full 'Danger! Danger! Will Robinson." mode - the cruise control was flashing and wouldn't work (how does anyone drive without cruise control?), the 'check engine' light was on and etc. So I had to track down the nearest dealership and get it calmed down. All that just because I got a little distracted and forgot to put the gas cap back on after a pit stop!

Friday was travel, Saturday car maintenance, and Sunday just more cold, rain and fog. It finally cleared out this morning, Monday, so I did see Crazy Horse (he's got a head but not much else) and rushed to the presidents before they disappeared again. It was a short visit. Also visited Jewel Cave but didn't want to wait 3.5 hours for the good tour; took the cheap one and want my 4$ back.

So, my visits to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and area were less than amazing, barely interesting actually. Part of the problem was that since I was there I thought it would be a good idea to hang around until it stopped raining in order to see something. So I did. Happens again I'll just move on. But, I drove up to Devil's Tower this evening and just love it! Something about it just makes me grin. So South Dakota is forgiven and Wyoming is on my good side. I'll start off the day tomorrow with another visit to the Tower and then head for Yellowstone. I'll hit my car's first 3,500 miles around then so there'll be a visit to the Subaru folks in Jackson.

I'm seriously hoping that the weather will improve very soon- I heard that it was 37 this afternoon at my target Yellowstone camping area- because I'm hoteling way more than intended. No fun in that, but no fun in being miserable either.

Hope I have more to report next time. All hail decent hotels with wifi!

First Thoughts

April 15th bought a new Subaru Outback. Retired from PPLD on April 18 and started packing up all my furniture and stuff. Too much stuff. Put what I'm keeping in storage; gave a bunch to Catholic Charities; and loaded travel necessities into the Subu (the kitchen box, the wardrobe box, the housing box). And left Colorado Springs on Wednesday, May 27 as an officially transient traveler. It took a while to break the gravitational force of Colorado Springs what with various errands, lunch and such, sooooooo my 1st night out was spent in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Go Sherrill! The next 2 days were spent driving, driving, driving across Nebraska and a chunk of South Dakota. A landscape relatively devoid of interest. But, in Alliance, Nebraska I saw this huge farm machinery dealership and had to take some pix (maybe you had to be there). I've already begun to view McDonald's as my friend (this is so wrong in so many ways). Local diners to date have proven to be unfortunate choices for food and I've already swore off coffee.

In Minneapolis I've hung out with my son, seen my granddaughter gradute from high school at the Target Center (basketball venue) on her birthday (love efficient people), seen an intriguing show at the Guthrie Theatre, visited the zoo, seen some really sweet real estate, eaten at a few nice places and generally enjoyed the company. Not having to leap up and get going in the morning helps make me happy. Not knowing where anything is or how to get there without a team of advisors does not. Oops, better get used to that one!