My Journey

After a few days in the forest we were back on Highway 101 south, but not for long.....I took Moclips Highway west through the Quinault Reservation.....headed back to the Pacific Ocean. We stopped at the Quinault National Fish Hatchery. And that would not be a long stop.....

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It's hard to believe that one tank contains approximately one hundred and twenty thousand fish.....at least that's what I was told. These are Steelhead.....

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Leaving here we saw 2 small black bears running across the entrance road. The sighting was short. Not 2 miles down Moclips Highway we saw another black bear feeding on berries.....

We spent a few days camping on the beach. Here most people drive on the hard packed sand beaches, and a few ride horses.....

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As you probably guessed, we chose to walk. Some think why walk when you can drive.....but I guess I prefer to say (think actually) why drive when you can walk.....

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Yukon was on her game.....

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Kites in the skies.....

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An odd sign.....I did not park on the 6 inch wide wall.....

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Jellyfish are beautiful.....

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After a few days we began to push south.....
 
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parkkitchings

Adventurer
Jerry.....we never seem to meet up. I was over in the Olympic National Forest this weekend. I've been back on the road for about 6 weeks where I was up in BC and Alberta with a short trip into Hyder, Alaska. I need to check this site more (first time in over 2 months) and get my blogsite updated as I've got a ton of pictures. I haven't updated there or here on the portal since I returned from Baja. Glad to see you're still out there roaming about. Be safe and I'll get back to following along again. Camp spot Friday night in the Olympics. Some great spots can be found with a little work.

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the deputy

Member
Walking rules, driving drools.

Usually walk in the evenings around home here, and ran into the neighbor and his wife in their golf cart the other day. They stopped to visit and the conversation turn to the diminishing population of ring-neck pheasants and that they hadn't heard or seen one in many, many years. I turned and pointed to a grassy knoll along an old ditch bank, where a proud rooster was catching some late afternoon rays, and then across the cut bean field to the north, where another was filling his crop. After a few minutes the rooster on the grassy knoll crackled. Said to them, "See how much more you see and hear, when there isn't a motor involved."

It's nice to actually slow down and see what you're usually speeding past in your quest to see more.

Brian.
 

the deputy

Member
Almost forgot...your pictures are just breath taking. Granted, when you get several post on one page...my DSL connection goes up in smoke...lol.

Brian.
 

Ace Brown

Retired Ol’ Fart
There is another quiet way to get around and cover much more ground. It’s also so much easier to carry on your RV than dragging a towd.
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AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
Cool mountain biking picture....where was it taken?

Jerry.. I need to check this site more (first time in over 2 months) and get my blogsite updated as I've got a ton of pictures. I haven't updated there or here on the portal since I returned from Baja.

And Park, yeah please get your blog up to date for the rest of us armchair travelers! Your pics are very entertaining and your travel updates have been great fun to read.
 

Ace Brown

Retired Ol’ Fart
Cool mountain biking picture....where was it taken?

Jerry.. I need to check this site more (first time in over 2 months) and get my blogsite updated as I've got a ton of pictures. I haven't updated there or here on the portal since I returned from Baja.

And Park, yeah please get your blog up to date for the rest of us armchair travelers! Your pics are very entertaining and your travel updates have been great fun to read.

Photo shot just below Clear Lake near Silverton, CO. Did close to 3000’ of descending after shuttling.

Yeh Park, get on it!

Ace


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Park.....I've often wondered if you'd return back to XP, and more importantly, if you were still getting out and about. It's good to hear that you're still out there. Like the other guys have stated, it'd be great if you'd work on your blog. Just the other day I was mentioning to a new member to check out your blog. As far as me, yep I'm still wandering around America with no plans to stop anytime soon.....you know what they say....."nowhere to be".....

Brian.....I've really become a huge walker over the past 4 years. I've given up riskier stuff with age and now I find walking to be just fine. But lots of it ! Thanks for the comment on the pictures.....

Ace.....when I first got Yukon I was into touring on my bike. I had a trailer for Yukon and we loved it. Once I found Montana I gave it up.....couldn't haul 2 dogs and all my gear. I've still got my Surly Long Haul Trucker, her trailer, my bags, and associated gear in my storage locker. I also had a mountain bike and road bike but I sold those before this trip.....

Before we headed south, we took one last walk along the beach.....and then it was time for us to fly as well.....

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We took Route 109 around the North Bay, then back onto Route 101 into Aberdeen, Washington to stock up on propane and groceries, and then followed the southern shores of the North Bay on Route 105 back to the Pacific Ocean. Now the weather was changing quick, and I prefer to hang out when it pours, so we found an adequate spot and parked right along the highway.....

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Cloudy skies and Willapa Bay to the west.....

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Now there's just not much traffic on this roadway and it was fairly quiet, so we spent a few nights here.....

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It was really a cool spot.....honestly. The skies were always changing and the tides were coming and going.....

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When the weather allowed it, we walked along the roadway and also into the logged forest to the east.....

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The logging road that we hiked on went straight up a small mountain. There were awesome viewpoints of Wallapa Bay up there.....and deer.....

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Rain and fog dominated the weather during our brief stay.....

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To kill some time, I decided to clean up around the man made rock wall between the highway and the shoreline. People love to throw their ******** along the highways.....11 pounds that won't end up in Wallapa Bay.....

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With all the inclement weather, I decided it was time to go inland, and we moved on.....hopefully better weather will be found inland.....
 
We continued along the shores of Wallapa Bay until we connected with Route 6, now, finally moving inland. We took a break in Pe Ell, Washington, where I discovered the Wallapa Hills Trail which runs from Chihalis, Washington to Raymond, Washington.....a 56 mile long trail on an abandoned railroad bed.....

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The next stop was another by chance stop as I saw a sign that said Rainbow Falls, and that intriqued me. Maybe Rainbow Rapids would have been more appropriate.....

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Rainbow Falls is actually a state park so I decided to grab a hot shower.....$1 for 6 minutes is a deal. I noticed this little trailer in the campground. Not my style but cute indeed.....

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Then I realized that the previously walked on trail was nearby. We hit the trail.....

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Fall was much further along here than it was on the coast.....at least that's how I saw it.....

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I forget how many miles we walked on that trail. It was fantastic with all the fall colors.....

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A curious cow along the trail.....

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And mushrooms.....

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The trail crossed this creek.....I don't recall the name.....

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We stayed until dark.....I love it when I happen upon such wonderful places in my travels.....
 

longhorn1

Observer
Walking rules, driving drools.

Usually walk in the evenings around home here, and ran into the neighbor and his wife in their golf cart the other day. They stopped to visit and the conversation turn to the diminishing population of ring-neck pheasants and that they hadn't heard or seen one in many, many years. I turned and pointed to a grassy knoll along an old ditch bank, where a proud rooster was catching some late afternoon rays, and then across the cut bean field to the north, where another was filling his crop. After a few minutes the rooster on the grassy knoll crackled. Said to them, "See how much more you see and hear, when there isn't a motor involved."

It's nice to actually slow down and see what you're usually speeding past in your quest to see more.

Brian.
Just had one glide in front of our truck this morning off a county road in Western Nebraska. What a sight. Not long after that an owl sitting in an irregation rig.
 

Pacific Northwest yetti

Expedition Medic
Jerry,

I recently purchased a Truck Camper, its my first. Any advice for someone is new with them? Mine is a outfitter Apex 8, on a flatbed 2004 chvy 3/4 ton. And what tie down system do you use?

Thanks
 
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danfromsyr.....thanks for taking the time to post. It's great that you're enjoying my blog !

vintageracer.....I actually had no idea who Mick Dodge is so of course I went right to Google. What an interesting character he his. I don't watch much television and I've never subscribed to the National Geographic Channel so I wasn't aware of him. I sure wish I'd met him. Thanks for the heads up.....

JD.....you live in Nebraska or traveling ?

PNWY.....you're going to love that truck camper on that awesome truck.....nice set up. Regarding advice, all I got is go solar. With my Bigfoot I had (I think) 250 watts (2 panels).....not quite enough. The Northern Lite has 380 watts (2 panels) and that seems perfect. I've never used the Honda generator I bought for this unit. I have Tork Lift tie downs (pictures attached). This time I bought the quick release ones and I'm not so sure they're needed (I rarely remove the camper). I had the same cheaper tie downs made by Tork Lift with the Bigfoot for 13 years.....

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The last beautiful sky before the storms.....

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More nasty weather was in the forecast so I decided to hang out in the suburbs of Portland for a few nights. Things were going fine until around 5:00 p.m. one evening when a Walmart manager came out and told me to leave. He said no RV's allowed overnight. Now that struck me as odd as the previous night there were 25 semis that overnighted there. I'm guessing that's an issue Portland has with homeless people in RVs possibly ? I sure don't get it.....

Anyhow, I left and I drove further south, and then took Route 22 out of Salem, Oregon east. It was 9:00 p.m. on a cold, rainy night when I pulled into the Stayton, Oregon Safeway parking lot. I asked to stay and the reply was "of course you can stay here" and with that reply I was to discover Stayton, Oregon (population 8,000). And what a friendly little town it is. In the morning we walked to the Stayton-Jordan covered bridge.....

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We walked on their trails (notice the lack of fall colors here).....

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And then we saw this sign in town.....

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Which led us to this sign.....

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And for $5 I bought a grocery bag full of used travel books (hopefully this winter is spent in Mexico where it's difficult to get the used books).....

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And then I went next door and got a hot shower for $2 ! So Walmart, thanks for kicking me out !!!!!!

Next up.....the Santiam River as we head into the Willamette National Forest.....

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Ace Brown

Retired Ol’ Fart
I may be heading to Baja this winter (Jan/Feb). If your in Baja we might cross paths. Might be another chance to meet you and your dogs.


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