4th of July

Jim, Linda, Scotty & I went up the coast about 20 miles to Rockaway Beach this morning to take in their parade.  It was on route 101, which is the main road down the coast.  They just closed it off and diverted traffic down some very small side streets. We watched as many motor homes were trying to get through town, glad that it wasn't us.

It was a great parade.  They had all the usual groups marching, like the boy scouts, the Coast Guard, floats with kids on them, animals that were dressed up.  They all tossed candy to the small kids (which were everywhere).  It was great fun.  The final entry in the parade was the fire truck.  We were handed a paper on before the parade warning that if we didn't want to get wet to move away from the sidewalks.  It was so much fun to watch the kids all push to the front.  Of course they wanted to get wet!  The fire truck had a water cannon and it shot water out gently and then with more force as they raised it almost straight up in the air so that the water rained down on the street.  To the delight of the kids.

Linda made some delicious clam chowder using the clams we dug yesterday.  They guys had it for dinner.

Clams & Crabs

Here at Big Spruce RV park, the sites are gravel, all with full hook,  but very small.  Our slide is actually only about 18 inches from our neighbors slide.  But Al, Paul, Scott & Mark are The Nicest guys and do all they can to help you enjoy your stay.

Scotty, Jim & I decided to try claiming and crabbing.  When we wen to get  our license ($12 for 3 days) Al lent us his boat and Paul went as our guide.  He knew where how to bait the pots and where was the bet place to drop them.  We beached the boat on a sad bar and dug butter clams for an hour or so.  The limit is 20 each and we were all successful.   Today the guys have to clean them so Linda can make chowder.  

We also got 5 nice crabs.  The legal size is 6 inches.  We caught  many many little ones.  They would fall through the bars on the pots and scurry around the bottom of the boat.  I enjoyed watching Jim try to pick them all up and toss them back into the water.

There is a fish cleaning station here at Big Spruce and they have a huge gas fired cooker.  It cost $6 to cook your catch.  We had the 5 crabs cooked and feasted on them, ribs and corn on the cob.  MMMMM!

After we had eaten we went for a drive to Lookout Point to take a few pictures.
Just another day in another type of paradise.

Tillamook, OR & Rain

It started to sprinkle on our drive from Florence to Tillamook.  The sky got darker and the clouds lowered until it started raining.  It's the first time we have been in rain for a long time.  It's also cooler here.  The local weather report said it is about 10 degrees below average for this time of year. 

We reached Big Spruce RV park in time to have coffee and decided to head to the Tallimook Cheese Factory with Jim & Linda. It was a fun outing.  We bought some cheese for the weekend.  Then we went to a local diner for burgers off the senior menu.  Got to get your perks where you can.  

Oregon Dunes NRA

The last week of June

The last week of June has found us spending time in Sutherlin and Florence, OR.

We hiked along the Umpqua River and into the hills to see waterfalls.

Wandered around Historic Oakland where we met a sweet elderly man that invited us into his shop to hear his wonderful antique Heloise.  A German automated musical 1 man band type player piano with many other instruments.

We also went to the Winchester Fish Ladder where we saw huge salmon and steelhead through a viewing window below the water level of the river.

We drove along route 101 with views of the Pacific.  We ate sea food as we watched barges in the Port of Florence and strolled Old Town and poked in the shops there.

And today we spent a short time looking around the Oregon Dunes Nat'l Rec Area.

Klamath Beach, CA

Walking from the road to the beach we passed this ceremonial area.
There is a small sign that asks for respect.  We were impressed and
pleased that everyone had respected it and it was not tagged or
vandalized in any way.

There are large colorful wild flowers everywhere.

The Sister rock greets you as you step onto the sand.
And some of the locals were out too.

Northern California, The Redwoods & The Pacific Ocean

 

The beauty of North California was an unexpected pleasure.  The coast is breathtaking.

The beach sand is dark gray here.  Very different but beautiful.

There were 3 Elk in this meadow, but this was the best picture.

Stellars Jay came to visit and ate crackers out of my hand!

Redwoods

Driving through the Redwood Nat'l Forest.

We still like to do a few of the touristy things once in a while. After all, how often can you drive thru a tree?

San Francisco

 We parked our Motor home at the Contra Costa Fairgrounds in Antioch, CA on Thursday.  Not much of a campground. Just a dirt parking lot with hook ups. Today the power went out and will most likely remain out until tomorrow, after we leave.  Lucky for us that we have a generator.  Jim & Linda don't have a generator but we have a lead hooked up to them so they could turn on their Hughes Net.  So we are online for now.

We spent yesterday in San Francisco.  We rode the cable cars, ate lunch at Fisherman's Wharf  where we say the sea lions, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.  Then we went to Chinatown.

 

     Then as we were riding the cable car we came upon a bike ride to protest the use of fossil fuels.  Everyone on the cable car was hooting and taking pictures!  The bikers were more than happy to pose for our cameras!