A LINK TO ELVIS

We bid goodbye to the Three Flags RV Park in Blackhawk, S.D., and set the cruise control for E/B I90. Our first stop for the day, was only about an hour east of Rapid City, at the famous Wall Drug, in Wall, S.D. There had been several times that we passed the little town of Wall, but had never stopped. As you approach Wall from either the east or west on I90, you will see countless billboards, advertising the many virtues of Wall Drug. Since this trip is not about hurrying from point A to point B, we decided it was time to stop and check out Wall Drug. Over the years, this tiny Drug Store has expanded from offering free ice water in the early 1930's, to now offering everything imaginable to the traveler, and occupying most of an entire, square city block. It took us a couple of hours to walk thru all of the different venues inside Wall Drug, and I almost can't believe that we didn't buy one single thing.
Our next stop was in Murdo, S.D. at the Pioneer Auto Museum. Back in 2002 & 03, when we were running all over the U.S., following the NHRA Drag Race circuit, I remember our friends, and co-workers, Charlie & Carol from TN, telling us about this museum in central S.D. ,
that had a little bit of everything. Well, indeed it does, in about 23 different buildings. Mostly old cars (about 250), and just a lot of memorabilia, including a 1976 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, that was registered to Elvis Presley, at his Palm Springs residence in CA. The photo was taken in the back courtyard area of the museum. We continued east on I90, stopping in Sioux Falls, S.D. for fuel at the Flying J (2.48.9), and an overnight at Wally World. Today, we'll drive south on I29 to I80, then east across Iowa. Perhaps there will be some attraction along the way, that we'll have to stop and check out.

CRAZY CARVINGS

The better part of our last day here in the Black Hills, was spent at the Crazy Horse Memorial.

The last time I visited this mountain carving was in the mid 80's, and there wasn't much to see, or do. Now, the head of Chief Crazy Horse is visible, and at the visitors center, there are all of the things you would expect, like a theater, gift shop, restaurant, and a first class Native American museum. We luckily timed our arrival with a blast on the mountain, where they blew away 1,800 tons of material. The sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, was invited by the Lakota Sioux to carve a memorial near Mount Rushmore, to show that the red man had great heroes too. He started work on the memorial in 1949, and after his death in 1982, his family has carried on this "worlds largest sculpture". The project is funded entirely from donations, entrance fees, and profits from sales at the visitor center. It may be 50 more years before this carving is completed, but when finished, it will be truly spectacular.

We drove back toward Rapid City on Iron Mountain Road, where there are 3 tunnels, all carved so that they frame Mount Rushmore. I took this picture looking thru the tunnel, with the presidents in the background. These past 5 days in the Black Hills have been like a walk down memory lane, and except for a couple of thunderstorms, we have really enjoyed this break in our travel toward the east coast. Today, we'll stop at Wall Drug, a little east of here, and probably won't do a lot of miles.

GUNSLINGERS & A GOLD MINE

One of the attractions of the Black Hills, is, no matter where you drive, the scenery is outstanding. Due to the many thunder storms during the summer, (one last night), the hills are always green. The name black hills was given to this area by Native Americans, because from a distance, the dominate tree, the ponderosa pine looks more black than green.

We drove the back way to Deadwood, passing by a lot of familiar scenery that hasn't changed much in the last 16 years, since I last drove these back roads on my Harley. Deadwood however, has changed a lot, due to the legalization of gambling several years ago. It was a famous, old west, frontier town, best know for it's lawlessness, and the place where "Wild Bill Hickok" was murdered in one of the town's saloons. The town's most recent notoriety is based on HBO's series entitled Deadwood. We drove around town, but didn't get out, other than to take this one picture of main street. There's lots of tourist type shops, and gambling, but neither appealed much to us, so, we drove to the nearby town of Lead, (pronounced LEED), where the Homestake Gold Mine was the site of a gold discovery that started the gold rush to the black hills in the early 1870's. There is an enormous deep pit that the picture doesn't do justice, and they are still doing underground, hard rock mining at about 8,000 feet under the surface.

Today is our last full day here in southwestern South Dakota. Tomorrow, we'll start a dash across SD, IA, IL, and spend a few days in northern Indiana.

PRESIDENTS & A RAILROAD

We spent yesterday in the southern black hills, stopping first at Mount Rushmore, then over to Hill City to ride the 1880 Train. The last time I was at the presidents mountain, was probably in 1993. Back then, you drove into a huge parking lot, and walked up to the viewing area, where there is a visitors center, and information about Borglum, who, was the guy who created Mount Rushmore. Now, there is an entrance station, with 4 lanes, and a $10 charge to park in the huge parking lot. I waited in line, and when we got to the gate, we discovered that our senior pass, which is good at all National Parks, was not good at Mount Rushmore. Maybe, now that I have this senior pass, I've developed a feeling of entitlement, or maybe, I'm just so ticked off at our federal government right now, paying this $10 bucks was like the last thing in the world that I was willing to do. I abruptly asked the attendant, "how do I get out of here", and with instructions, we drove back onto the highway. The photo of Patty and I, was taken at a turnout, near the backside of Mount Rushmore, and shows the profile of President Washington.
Hill City and the 1880 Train is only about 9 miles from Mount Rushmore, and is a 20 mile round trip, from Hill City to Keystone. I had ridden this train back in 1985, during my first visit to the Sturgis motorcycle rally. Back then, the train didn't go all the way to Keystone, and was struggling to stay in business. Now, the tracks have been extended into Keystone, and the 7 passenger cars were full. It was nice to see a small, isolated tourist train, doing well in this difficult economic time. The steam engine, an articulated saddle tanker, is the only one of its kind in the world, that is still operating. We enjoyed the train ride, the scenery, and viewed a lot of deer and wild turkeys along the route. Today, I think we'll take a ride up to Deadwood, and see how much it has changed, since I was last there, about 16 years ago.

STURGIS

As I mentioned yesterday, the small town of Sturgis, S.D., becomes ground zero for the biker world, during early August each year. It was a little strange, not having the Harley, as we drove around this small town of about 5,000, and visited several locations that brought back many memories of my annual pilgrimage to this biker mecca. It has been about 16 years since I last participated in the rally, and a lot has changed over the years, especially the addition of several huge saloons. The annual Sturgis motorcycle rally is one big party, and my friends and I participated in a lot of the craziness, particularly in the Glencoe Campground, where we pitched our tents each year. The upper left photo is of the short track, where the action is fast and furious. One of the main reasons I loved to attend the rally each year was the many forms of motorcycle racing (drags, hillclimb, short track, and 1/2 mile) that takes place in the area. We drove into the world famous Buffalo Chip, where it has been described as the worlds best, and most outrageous party. The stage pictured, is where music goes all night, and the sideline action is often the most entertaining. The "Chip" is about 4 miles out of town in rolling prairie, and is a combination campground, and small city, where all the essentials, like food, drink, showers, and other vendors provide for thousands of bikers. We also drove thru Glencoe Campground where the improvements from 15-20 years ago were noticeable, especially the addition of hundreds of RV hookups. I remember checking at the gate in 1990, (50th anniversary rally), as to how many motorcyclists had checked into Glencoe, and the answer was over 17,000!

We topped the day off by visiting the Fort Meade Museum, just outside of Sturgis. Fort Meade was established as an Army post in 1878, to protect the miners and pioneers that were establishing themselves in the Black Hills, after gold was discovered a few years earlier. George A. Custer's 7th Cavalry was based at Fort Meade, prior to his demise at the battle of the Little Big Horn. The fort today, is part of the Veteran's Admininstration Hospital Network, and a training center for the National Guard. There was a pretty spectacular thunder and lightning storm late last night, and the weather looks a little unsettled this morning. We'll probably head toward Mt. Rushmore today.

THE BLACK HILLS

We arrived at the 3 Flags RV Park, about 5 miles west of Rapid City, in the early afternoon yesterday. The east bound drive on I90, was like a jog down memory lane, especially when passing thru the little town of Sturgis. For 9 years straight, (1985 - 1993), Sturgis, S.D. was my home for about a week in early August, during the Black Hills Motorcycle Classic. We are about 3 weeks ahead of the rally this year, but I'm sure we'll see some activity, as preparation is made for the upcoming arrival of several hundred thousand motorcyclists.
After we got situated here in the RV Park, Patty caught up on the laundry, while I read my first USA Today in about a week. When I took Sami for a walk, I soon discovered that this park, which is situated in the rolling hills, is full of little critters that have big ears, and white rear ends.
When she saw the first one run away from us, everyone in the park instantly knew that there was a beagle on the premises. The howls & barks usually continue well after the rabbit is out of sight, because she still smells the scent. Each walk here, will be an adventure.
There is some thunder storm activity in the area this morning, so, not sure what direction we will go. There are several attractions in the area, that I want to check out, that I never did when here on the bike.
As we venture farther east, and change time zones, it will appear that my posting times are earlier in the morning. The blog will stay on Arizona (Mountain Standard) time, so, if we are in the Eastern time zone, and the post says 4 am, it really means that I posted at 7 am. Didn't want anyone to think that I was an insomniac.

WILLIAM F. CODY

Posted, are a few more pictures of Yellowstone, taken 2 days ago. Patty is standing in front of "The Dragons Mouth" cave, that sends waves of steam, and a deep rumbling sound from within. When we passed thru Yellowstone in the motor home, we drove by Old Faithful, but didn't stop. Our one attempt to watch a geyser erupt, was a stroll along a boardwalk to Steamboat Geyser. The photo shows a little bit of water coming out of the ground, but that was about it. The sign posted at the viewing area stated that this particular geyser erupts in a very spectacular fashion, sending plumes of water 300 feet in the air. Unlike Old Faithful, Steamboat Geyser erupts anywhere from 4 days to 50 years! Patty and I decided very quickly, that waiting around for this hole to do its' thing, might not be our best investment of time.

Yesterday, we left the Yellowstone RV Park, and drove about 20 miles east to Cody, WY, where we visited the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. The last time Patty and I visited this magnificent museum, was in 1986. It is truly one of the premier historical displays, found anywhere in the country. The firearms collection is said to be the largest on display, anywhere in the world. The museum is separated into 5 areas, that include sections on "Buffalo" Bill Cody, Native Americans, and early pioneer life on the plains. We walked thru all the displays, and it took several hours. You could easily spend an entire day, if you took your time to read many of the display narratives.

It was mid afternoon when we left Cody, and we drove east on US16 to Greybull, Worland, then over the Big Horn Mountains to Buffalo, WY, where we stopped for fuel (diesel - $2.54), and spent the night behind McDonalds. Today, we have a reservation at a Passport America RV park, for 5 nights, near Rapid City, SD.

BACK TO YELLOWSTONE

We drove the 30 miles back to the park yesterday morning, and spent most of the day, traveling around to many of the scenic wonders in this first U.S. national park. The photo of Sami, with Yellowstone Lake in the background, is from the eastern entrance. This AM shot shows the lake very calm, with little wind. When we left in the afternoon, the wind was blowing fiercely, with water spraying across the road in several locations. This time of year, there are an awful lot of people in Yellowstone, and every parking lot was either full, or close to capacity. We spent time on both sides of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and there are more photos that I will post tomorrow. Where the Yellowstone River cascades over the upper, and lower falls is truly amazing. We walked down to a viewing area that is perched right above the upper falls, and the tremendous amount of water rushing over the falls, just a few feet away, almost takes your breath away. The Canyon Village Visitors Center occupied some of our time, where we learned in more detail about Yellowstone's history, and the fact that most of the park is a super volcano, that has had 3 major eruptions in the last several million years. Except for the afternoon wind, it was a day of sightseeing delight. Today we head for the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, WY, where we'll spend a few hours, then on to the Black Hills of South Dakota.

YELLOWSTONE N .P.

One correction from yesterday........we didn't rejoin I84 at Idaho Falls, but rather I15. Upon leaving I.F., we traveled north on US20 to West Yellowstone, and the west entrance to the park. When we came around the corner at the entrance station, there must have been at least 100 vehicles waiting in the 4 lanes. The posted fee per vehicle was $25, but with the senior passport, (one time fee of $10), the fee is $0. This kind of stuff really excites Patty. I think that's why she gets a kick out of shopping at goodwill, and other thrift stores. Shortly after entering the park, we stopped for lunch next to this river, where I took the picture. We drove thru the park, taking in all of the magnificent scenery as we headed for the east entrance. About 25 miles east of the park on hwy 20, we stopped at Yellowstone RV Park, where we will also stay tonight. Today, it's back into the park with the jeep, for a complete day of scenic wonder. Since we'll be gone the entire day, Sami will be a reluctant passenger.

SOUTHERN IDAHO

Before pulling out of the RV park in Caldwell, ID, I took off the back refrigerator cover, to check the burner assembly. I found a chunk of carbon that had fallen down from the chimney onto the burner, and it was distorting the flame enough to be a problem. This morning, it has cooled back down to within a few degrees of where it should be, so, I hope that issue is corrected. We drove east on I84 to US26, where we got off the freeway, with the intent of taking the back roads thru craters of the moon national monument, and back to I84 in Idaho Falls. When we got to Shoshone, ID, the ugly "Road Closed" sign appeared, and we had to take a detour, but still made our way to the Craters of the Moon visitor center, where I snapped this picture. I knew the photo wouldn't do the landscape justice, but, if you kind of get the picture of what this prehistoric lava flow looks like. We ended up on US20, which took us thru the small town of Arco, ID. About 20 years ago, Patty and I stopped in Arco, in our first motor home, on our way back from the Sturgis motorcycle rally. This was the first U.S. city that was lighted by nuclear power, and there still is a lot of nuclear research done at the nearby National Laboratory.
At about 5pm, mountain time, we pulled into the Wally World supercenter in Idaho Falls, where we almost always spend way more money, than we would for a space at an RV park. It's almost uncanny how Sami seems to know that it's 5pm (dinner time), no matter what time zone we happen to be in. Today, we will drive thru Yellowstone, from the West entrance, and we have a reservation at an RV park that is about half way between the East entrance, and Cody, WY.

ALMOST A GROUP

I don't claim to be much of a photographer, and this picture proves it. I tried to get a group photo of everybody staying at Bob & Diana's over the 4th weekend, and almost succeeded. I didn't wait long enough with the group, because someone said "I heard it click", so I got up and was headed back to the camera. The second attempt had an even worse result, and it was getting hot out on the deck, so this is it. Sorry Brenda, you should be visible behind the guy who got up too quick, and blocked your view. Right after this poor attempt at photography, we left Enterprise, and made it as far as Caldwell, ID. The temps were in the mid to upper 90's, so we checked into an RV park, and turned on the A.C. I traced the problem of no turn signals on the jeep to a couple of blown fuses in the motor home. Right after leaving Bob & Diana's, I was having trouble with the tow bar locking into the full length. Phil and Tristan happened to be riding their bicycles toward town where we stopped, and helped me fix the tow bar. The fix was extending the safety cables, but before we had stopped, the coiled electrical cable got pinched, which shorted out the fuses. Thanks Phil and Tristan for the help, and thanks again Bob & Diana, for the super hospitality.
This morning, I noticed that the refer isn't cooling, so as soon as I'm done typing, I hope to see what's up with that. That's part of this lifestyle. There's always something to adjust, or take care of. We should get close to Yellowstone today, and hopefully, some cooler temperatures.

FEELING BETTER

Since catching this bug a few days ago, last night was the first night that I got a good nights sleep, without any panic rushes to use the bathroom. I think the worst is behind me, and that's a good thing, because we start our eastward journey today. Sami is also in a recovery mode, due to some minor surgery the day after we arrived here in Enterprise. She has been prone to small, wart like, cysts, and over the years we have had several removed. In the summer of 2007, in Skagway, we let one on her right ear go to long, and she would have lost part of her ear, had the Vet in Whitehorse not done such a spectacular job in it's removal. When this one appeared on her left ear, we weren't going to wait any longer than necessary. So now, mom has two sick kids to nurse back to health. A big thanks to Bob & Diana Rush for their wonderful hospitality while we've been parked next to their house the last few days. Even though I've been out of circulation the last two days, Patty has gotten her people fix, visiting with Bob & Diana, Bob & Brenda, Phil & Lisa & their 6 year old twins, Jordan & Tristan, who have all been staying at Bob & Diana's. Today we head back to I84, and eastward toward Boise, ID, and then eventually, up to Yellowstone.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

Even though I disagree with many of the decisions being made in D.C., this is still the greatest country in the world. The fact that we can have legitimate debate about government policies, without fear of reprisal, is one of the many things that sets the U.S. of A. apart from the rest of the world. Happy birthday America!
Caught an intestinal bug yesterday, and have been staying close to the facilities. I was hoping that I would be feeling better this morning, but now, I have a low grade fever, so instead of enjoying the BBQ and fireworks, I'll probably just stay put.

COMMON SENSE

Just finished reading Glenn Beck's best seller, "Common Sense", based on Thomas Paine's' writings in 1776, and passed it on to Bob Rush. I won't get into a political dissertation, but for the first time in my adult life, I'm worried about my kids, and my grand kids future. The path that our genius leaders (both political parties) in D.C. are taking us down, is pure and simple, a path to destruction, of the way of life we hold near and dear. The massive debt that is increasing at unsustainable levels, is no different than the individual who runs up his credit card debt, and can only pay the interest, never making a dent in the principle. The annual interest on the national debt today, is $300 billion! These idiots in Washington are taking our once great country down a road that will have a seriously adverse affect on future generations. I have come to the conclusion that, when I vote, if the word incumbent is behind the persons name, he/she probably will not get my vote. OK, enough of the soapbox.
We are enjoying our visit at the Rush RV Resort, and yesterday, we mostly just visited. Watching the 6 year old twins, Jordan & Tristan, is like watching perpetual motion machines. Where does all that energy come from, or maybe, some of us are just getting a little older.

THE RUSH RV RESORT

I can count on one hand, the number of friends houses', where we have visited & parked our motor home. To us, these places are RV Resorts, because not only do we have a place to park, but we have wonderful friends, or family, to visit with. We started this trip with a stop in our old hometown, Jamestown, CA. The East RV Resort (Everett & Lori), was our parking spot for a few days, while we took care of our annual medical visits.

Yesterday, we drove from the Wal Mart in LaGrande, OR, to Enterprise, where Bob & Diana Rush have built a beautiful home on several acres. Diana's daughter Lisa, her husband Phil, and twin grandchildren, Tristan & Jordan (age 6), are also here on vacation. Bob & Brenda Nelson are due to arrive today, so the Rush house will be bursting at the seams. This part of eastern OR, and specifically this valley, is so beautiful in the summer months. Probably a little too cold for me in the winter, but right now, the temps are in the 80's, and everything is green, green, green! Bob & Diana spend a lot of time taking care of their property, and it shows. We spent the evening outside around the fire pit, and enjoyed the conversation and company. Today, Sami goes to the VET, for yet another cyst removal on her left ear. This poor dog grows these wart like things, like a farmer grows a crop.

A DAM TOUR

After our visit with David and Louise, we spent the night in the Ridgefield Nazarene Church parking lot, which was a couple of blocks from David's dads house. We pulled out at about 9am, gave David & Louise a toot on the air horn, and hit the freeway. I was going to stop at Roadmaster in Vancouver, WA, but decided that our Sterling tow bar was OK, so we took Hwy 14 east along the WA side of the Columbia River. It would have been much faster to cross into OR, and take I84 east, but we were in no hurry, and I prefer the back roads anyway.

We stopped at the Bonneville Dam visitor center, and did a self guided tour of the north side of the dam. What was especially interesting was the fish ladder and the viewing room. We watched a lot of fish make their way past the large windows, on their way around the Bonneville Dam. Hwy 14 is a nice, scenic drive,and at Hood River, we crossed over the Columbia to the Oregon side, on a very narrow bridge. We pulled into the town of Hood River, with the intention of stopping at the Mt. Hood tourist railroad, but could not find a way into their parking lot. I've learned over the years, especially when we pulled a 35 foot trailer, that it's better to error on the safe side when it comes to venturing into narrow streets, and places where a 40 feet motor home may not be able to make a turn.

We drove east on I84, out of the Columbia River Gorge, and continued to La Grande, where it was now late in the day, and our favorite over night stop awaited us. Wally World almost always allows RV's to overnight in their parking lots, and we were in need of some groceries.

Today, we travel a short distance to Enterprise, OR, where we will spend a few days with our friends, Bob & Diana Rush. I seem to remember that our phone doesn't work too well in Enterprise, so, not sure about Internet coverage.

TIRE PROBLEMS

After leaving the left coast for the last time, we stopped in Aberdeen, WA, at our favorite tire store, a Les Schwab's. We've gotten very familar with ole Les the past few weeks. First it was a nail in the R/R on the jeep, fixed at no charge in Newport, OR. Second, it was a bad valve stem on the R/F of the motor home, fixed at no charge in Albany, OR. Third, another nail in the L/R on the jeep, fixed at no charge in Aberdeen, WA. Do ya think I might be looking for a Les Schwab store when I need tires? Having owned a business, I know better than most, that "time is money". I also know how important advertising is, and the best way to create customer loyalty is exactly what Les Schwab does - great customer service. The tire problems on the jeep were detected on its' tire monitoring system. The tire problem on the motor home was detected on the new pressure pro, tire monitoring system that I recently purchased at the FMCA rally in Albany. Any one of these three tire issues had the potential to be devastating, had I not had the warning provided by the tire monitors. Isn't technology great!
About mid afternoon, we stopped in Ridgefield, WA, where Dave & Louise Hawkins, our old Skagway buddies are staying. Dave grew up in the area, and after his dad recently passed, he and Louise have been working on getting dad's house ready for sale. We got a quick tour of all the work they have done, (a lot), and then, went out to dinner for an awesome bacon, mushroom, cheeseburger. It was good to see Dave & Louise, and catch up on the latest.
Today, I'm planning on a stop at our hitch manufacturer, Roadmaster in Vancouver, WA, then on toward Enterprise, OR, and a visit with our good friends, Bob & Diana Rush.

THE DRIVE EAST BEGINS

Today, is the beginning of a several thousand mile trek toward the east coast, as we leave the last of 6 Thousand Trails Preserves (TT) where we have stayed, along the Oregon & Washington coasts. We have thoroughly enjoyed these past 6 weeks, and have had the time to explore some new venues, where in the past, we either haven't had the time, or didn't take the time. Our upgraded Thousand Trails membership allows us to stay in about 65 parks across the country, at no charge, for an annual fee of $600. Out of the 4 parks in OR, and the 2 in WA, only 1 park was not within walking distance of the beach. So far, this membership is making good sense for us financially, and otherwise.
Our jeep has a factory air pressure monitoring system, and when Patty started to go to the grocery store yesterday, the system showed the LR tire was down to 18 lbs. We just had the RR tire fixed on the jeep, and the RF tire fixed on the motor home. So, what's up with all the bad tire luck? I put on the spare, so later today, we'll find a Les Schwab tire store on the way to Portland, check out why the tire is leaking, and hopefully get it fixed. This afternoon or evening, we hope to meet up with our friends, David and Louise Hawkins, who are working on Davids Dad's house near Portland. Patty & Louise worked together in Skagway, and it will be good to catch up, since we last saw them over the winter.

WOOD & SAND

It's amazing what can be created out of logs and sand, and it's being demonstrated in the Ocean Shores Convention Center parking lot this weekend. As I mentioned yesterday, there are chainsaw artists from near and far, competing for a $20,000 prize package. I took a picture of this eagle, simply because it reminded me of a similar sculpture that we had displayed in our Harley-Davidson Dealership. We watched as a big truckload of logs was being dumped in the parking lot, and as soon as the logs hit the ground, the chainsaw guys with the spray paint cans were marking what would be their logs. When it comes to creating something out of a log with a chainsaw, I guess there are good logs and bad logs, because it was like watching a shark, feeding frenzy.

The most interesting thing that was taking place in the parking lot was this one guy who was creating a 55 t-bird, and a boy and girl standing next to it, out of beach sand. The details were unbelievable! Even the intricate gauges on the dashboard were visible in the sand. The one thing I kept thinking was, after the many hours of work in creating this masterpiece, it would be destroyed when the event was over. Much of what was being sculpted out of the logs would eventually end up with a buyer somewhere, but not the t-bird.

Today is our last day on the west coast, and the day has dawned with beautiful sunshine. I will be glued to the tube this afternoon, as NASCAR is in New Hampshire, and NHRA is in Ohio.

2ND CHANCE

We thought that our last encounter with a baby harbor seal was a once in a lifetime event. Wrong! We were walking on the beach near this namesake state park, and lo and behold, Patty spotted another baby seal. What are the Chances? This little guy was wiggling into the rocks, waiting for the tide to come back in and for his mom to return. After the last encounter, we self educated ourselves on the habits of harbor seals, and learned mostly from a ranger, that the moms park the youngsters on the beach or in the rocks, while they return to the ocean. The reasons for this are twofold. The adults need to hunt for food, and the babies need to get out of the water, or they become hypo-
thermic. When small, they don't have the insulating fat to stay warm enough, and can actually die from hypothermia. Except for these pictures, we resisted the urge to get close to this very cute little critter.
There's a chainsaw sculpting & sand castle building convention in town this weekend, and there are chainsaw woodcarvers here from all over the northwest. We walked around the convention center parking lot where the chainsaw sawdust was flying! I'll have some pictures posted tomorrow.

WEATHER

Since leaving Arizona on May 10th, where the temperatures were over 100 on a regular basis, we have enjoyed very moderate weather, along the Oregon and Washington coasts. Today, for the first time in awhile, the sun is out with totally blue skies. The forecast is for sun and about 65 degrees. As I look at weather around the country, I think there is a point in our not to distant future, that we will be wishing we were still on the west coast. I used to love the hot weather, in fact it couldn't get hot enough. After 2 seasons of traveling around the country with the N.H.R.A. drag race circuit, and being exposed to lots of heat and humidity in the eastern states, I somehow lost my appetite for hot weather. So, what do we do in 2002? We moved from the Sierra Foothills in central CA, to Lake Havasu City, AZ, one of the hottest climates in the entire country. If that seems like a contradiction, well, it is. My rationalization is that so far, we are only there in the winter, when the weather is almost perfect. In the summer, we've been on the road, staying in places like Skagway, Alaska, Glacier National Park, and this year, a good part of the summer, on the coasts of OR and WA. We will soon begin our eastward trek across the country, toward New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Hopefully, by staying mostly in the northern states, we will avoid a lot of the uncomfortable, hot and humid weather.

OCEAN SHORES

Our geographical location is now about central on the Washington Coast, about 4 miles north of Ocean Shores. The town of Ocean Shores is on a peninsula, that ends at the entrance to Grays Harbor. We drove around the community yesterday, and there are a lot of very nice homes, most of which seemed to be empty. I suspect that most of these homes are of the vacation type, which would explain the lack of occupancy. Lots of beach front motels, and even a convention center. Back in the days when I was involved in planning the Bridgeport Motorcycle Rally, one of my partners used to talk about a big Motorcycle Rally in Ocean Shores, WA. When we were at the visitor center, I saw a poster that advertised this same rally, which is coming up in August.
It rained off and on most of the day, so we grabbed a few groceries, and got back to the motor home about mid afternoon. This morning, the wind is blowing with more rain, so, it might be another popcorn and movie day.

OCEAN SHORES

We arrived at our last Thousand Trails Park on the WA coast near Ocean Shores yesterday. When we leave here in a little less than a week, our journey will be mostly in an easterly direction until we get to the east coast. In all of our travels over the years, this was the second time we have run across this sign. The first time, for some twisted reason, it immediately tickled our funny bone. Yesterday, it wasn't so humorous, but, you have to admit, you don't see this public warning sign very often.
The Oceana Thousand Trails Preserve is a short walk from the beach, so Patty will have one last opportunity to get her ocean fix, before we head inland. Shortly after we arrived, a small black tail deer meandered by the motor home, and Sami happened to catch a glimpse. Naturally, she went bananas, so I took her out to where the deer had walked. As soon as she caught the scent, you could hear the howls and barking a mile away. This never lasts very long, but for me, it's fun to watch her natural instincts kick into high gear.
Today, we're going to check out Ocean Shores, which is about 4-5 miles south of where we are parked. This is another north western beach playground area, and I suspect, will be similar to Seaside, where we were a few days ago.

AN OLD TROLLEY

We decided to drive back across the big bridge over the Columbia River, to do some shopping at a Costco & Fred Meyer. We stopped briefly at Fort Columbia on the WA side, and I was surprised at how well all of the WWII buildings have been maintained. Fort Columbia was the 2nd military installation on the WA side, that protected the mouth of the Columbia River, and is now a State Park.

After leaving a few bucks at the above mentioned stores, we found a viewing platform on the Astoria waterfront. Just as we arrived, this large ocean going vessel passed under the bridge as I took a picture. In the early 1900's, there were multiple canneries in Astoria that were all built out over the water. In fact, most all of early Astoria was built out over the river, until a major fire destroyed most of the town. When the city rebuilt, they began to use fill, and the shelf of land where most of Astoria sits today, was once part of the Columbia River.

Running along the waterfront is about 4 miles of track that once belonged to the railroad that connected Astoria to Portland. That rail line is no longer used, but an old trolley, built in 1914, runs along this 4 mile stretch. Of course, the railroad fanatic had to ride it, so, Patty and I climbed on board at the maritime museum, and made a round trip of almost an hour. Best 2 bucks we've spent on the whole trip.

Today, we leave the Long Beach Thousand Trails (TT), and drive north to our last TT on the coast at Oceano. After our week stay there, we'll be heading east toward the New England States.

CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT

Our day started with a "Dogie Poker Walk", here at the Long Beach Thousand Trails (TT). There were about 5 families that took a stroll around the park, picking up cards that were in sealed envelopes. Back at the office, everyone opened their envelopes, and unsurprisingly, our pair of 3's was not a winner, but the manager of the park gave each dog a toy, and Sami's is pictured.
The other photo was taken from the Cape Disappointment, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, looking out at the mouth of the Columbia River along the north jetty. This was also a location of one of the many gun batteries at Fort Canby. The entire area is rich in history, and we are starting to have discussions about spending a lot more time along the OR & WA coast, perhaps next summer. We have one more TT park to visit, just up the WA coast, then we'll start our journey east. Our primary goal this year, is to see the New England states, and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Today, I think we're headed back south to Astoria, to check on a few things that we missed while we were parked at the Seaside TT.

DOGS ON THE BEACH

Our first activity yesterday, was the Garlic festival in Ocean Park. It started at 10am, and we arrived shortly thereafter. Within an hour, we had checked out the vendors and were ready to leave. This was basically a small town arts & crafts show, with a few food vendors. Some of the food folks had an item or two, that they attached the word garlic, but neither Patty or I felt inclined to pay $8 for a garlic hot dog. We drove back to Long Beach where I had a $10 cheeseburger, and found a train book in a local bookstore. Up until 1930, there was a 27 mile narrow gauge railroad that served the Long Beach Peninsula, and it was nicknamed "the clam shell railroad". It's hard for us to imagine that before roads, for about 50 years, railroads were the only transportation system.

We then drove down to the beach, for the 3rd annual Dogie Olympics. We watched dogs of all types, compete in the ball throw, an obstacle course, and a couple of other events. Some of the dogs were well disciplined, and many were more like our totally spoiled beagle. I think it was more fun watching the owners, than it was the dogs.

Today is Father's day, and I'm really proud of my two boys, Mike and Marc, and my stepson David. All 3 have grown up to be responsible, productive, young adults, and as parents, Patty and I more than happy, that they have accomplished much in their lives. I often wonder what my life would be, had my mother and father not been killed when I was just a baby. No regrets, just a lingering question that will never have an answer.

A LONG BEACH

The cool thing about a lot of the beaches in OR & WA, is that you can drive right out to the water, from numerous beach access points. After taking the picture of the jeep and the sign, I drove right out onto the beach. The other photo, shows a less than genius type, in the blue van, who must have thought he was in a sand buggy. We watched the 4 wheel drive Chev back up to the van in very soft sand, and she immediately got stuck with the first tug on the tow strap. The white pickup was on more solid ground, and eventually he pulled them both out. Sometimes you have to wonder, what were they thinking?

After stopping at the visitors center, we drove to the tip of the Long Beach Peninsula, and tried to remember which RV park we stayed at about 10 years ago. Must be old timers setting in, because we weren't sure which one it was. We checked out a store in Ocean Park that had a little bit of everything - groceries, hardware, sporting goods, stationary, and a lot more. Kind of a mini version of a Super Wal-Mart. Today, we're off to check out 2 events. The Garlic Festival in Ocean Park, and the Dogie Olympics in Long Beach. Oh, almost forgot. We walked out to the beach at about 9:30, and the baby seal was no where in sight. We have to believe, or at least we feel better believing, that the mom came back for her baby, and they lived happily ever after.

A BABY SEAL

Shortly after arriving here at the Long Beach Thousand Trails, we decided to check out the trail to the beach. I hooked up the leash to Sami, and off we went. This park is at the beginning of the Long Beach Peninsula, and is situated about 200 yards from the beach. As soon as we got to the beach, we noticed something moving near the waves. When we walked over to see what it was, we discovered this baby harbor seal that had crawled out of the surf. It looked distressed to us, but not ever experiencing anything like this before, we really didn't know. As soon as Sami realized the little critter was alive and moving, she of course started barking, & wanted to get closer. I decided to remove Sam, and headed back to the motor home to call Fish & Game, or some agency that might be able to help this little guy. I made 2 phone calls. One to the local Fire Dept. and the 2nd to WA Fish & Game. They both said this was a common occurrence, and that if the infant seal didn't appear injured, to leave it alone. Apparently, the mother's will park the baby's on the shore, and leave them for up to 24 hours, while they go fishing, or do whatever seals do in the ocean. I was told by Fish & Game, that if the seal was still there in the morning, to call them back. Both of us being animal lovers, it was very hard to leave this defenseless little guy on the beach, but we did. Hopefully, when we check out the beach today, he will be gone.

INFLUENCING WEATHER

Yesterday was a day for me to do some cleaning on the rigs. First, I wiped down the motor home, then, as I was finishing the jeep, a light rain began to fall. We have had very little precipitation, since leaving Arizona over a month ago, so I should have known that as soon as I got the vehicles nice and clean, it would start raining, and it did. This morning, everything is all wet, including the roads. Oh well, as I stated to the neighbor in a fifth wheel next to us, "it keeps me out of the bars"
Today, we have a short drive north, over the 4 mile Columbia River Bridge into Washington, and our next Thousand Trails Preserve at Long Beach. This park is suppossed to be right on the ocean, so Patty should have easy access for beach combing. The area where this park is located is somewhat isolated, so, not sure if we will have a good internet connection.

ASTORIA

Astoria, OR, sits at the mouth of the Columbia River, and is the oldest permanent community west of the Mississippi River. The photo of Patty and I was taken on a hill above Astoria, using my handy dandy, flexible tripod, which I curled around one of the roof rails on the jeep. Truly a spectacular view of Astoria, the river, and the bridge that takes Hwy 101 from Oregon to Washington.

Earlier in the day, we stopped at Fort Clatsop National Historical Park, the place where Lewis & Clark spent the winter of 1805/1806. At the visitor center, we watched a video of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, then checked out the fort and living quarters that has been recreated by the park service. We had visited Fort Clatsop about 8 years ago, and it's always amazing when you get a chance to see, or experience how people existed, 200 years ago.

Next was the Maritime Museum in Astoria. If you like history, this is a really great museum, complete with a decommissioned, 44 foot Coast Guard, lifesaving boat. The display of this boat is at about a 45 degree angle, as if it's being tossed in the waves, and the crew is attempting to rescue a person in the water. Very well done! Outside, a lighthouse ship is moored next to the museum, and it's open for self guided tours.

These two attractions took up most of the afternoon, except Patty found one thrift store in downtown Astoria that she had to check out. As we were leaving Astoria, the Carnival Cruise Ship Splendor was docking near the big bridge. Reminded us of our years in Skagway, when we would see big cruise ships come and go every day. We both miss that little town in Alaska, and are planning a return trip within the next few years.