The 2006 Cross-Country Loop
2. Southbound Along The Pacific Coast
April 17, Portland, OR to Umpqua River and Lighthouse State Park/Reedsport, OR
41F - 59F - 51F
Had a great weekend visiting with Mark and Tara. It's really impressive how much progress they have made refinishing their 100 years old house.
Portland weather was miserably cold and rainy. I'm not sure I could survive a winter there - and yet people don't seem to mind or wear winter clothes - even saw a fellow walk around in shorts.
Before hitting the road I stopped at a Jiffy Lube to have oil and filters changed. The Westy seems to be in excellent shape.
Then headed for the coast. Driving through the Tillamook State Forest would have been quite scenic, except for the heavy rain. Still lots of snow along the roadway. At Tillamook resisted the temptations of the famous ice cream and the cheese, visited the airplane museum instead. I don't know why I had thought that the Spruce Goose had been moved to the museum - it wasn't there.
As I drove down the Pacific Coast Highway (US 101) the rain stopped and the sun actually made repeated appearances in between showers. By the time I reached my destination for the day there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
Going north to south makes it easy to pull into the many overlooks. Took lots of pictures and especially liked the views from Cape Kiwanda:
Further south, just north of Florence:
Just south of Reedsport is a pretty little state park, the Umpqua River and Lighthouse State Park. Decided to spend the night, and $12 paid for a paved site with picnic table and no hook-ups. The sites are rather close together, but at this time of the year I don't have any neighbors to be concerned about.
Drove 235 miles, was on the road for 6 1/4 hours. Bought gasoline for $2.759/gal and averaged 16.6 mpg.
April 18, Reedsport, OR to Azalea Glen Campground, Trinidad, CA
41F - 65F - 51F
It was a cold night, 41F outside and 55F in the van. But the sun was out in full force when I finally rolled out of bed at 8 AM. Am I ever glad that my Westy came with a good heater!
After a substantial breakfast hit the road at 9:30 AM. It still was only 41F, but the bright sunshine put me in a good mood.
Spent most of the day driving south on US 101 and stopping at most of the many viewpoints. Unfortunately it was quite hazy, so the picture taking wasn't as good as I had hoped. Here are some samples:
The last major town in Oregon before the California border is Brookings, a perfect place to buy gasoline and supplies at Oregon prices and to treat the Westy to a much needed wash. Then on to California.
After crossing the Klamath river, found a little dirt road that followed the river to the ocean, and then clung precariously to the side of cliffs to go south. Barely wide enough in places for my van, not suitable for RVs or trailers. Spectacular, but a bit frightening.
After what seemed like a long time, joined up with a paved road again that took me through the Redwood Forest back to US 101 and, ultimately, the turnoff to Patrick Point State Park.
I had tried to get into the park during my 2003-1 trip but all campsites were taken. This time around there were spaces, but they were muddy and dirty. Instead went again the the nearby Azalea RV park where I got a full hook-up site and access to a super-clean bathhouse for less ($20) than what the state park would have charged.
Spent the evening enjoying cable TV.
Was on the road for 7 1/4 hours and drove 225 miles. Bought gasoline in Brookings for $2.700/gal and averaged 15.8 mpg on the last tank. One special feature of the day was that the Oregon Welcome Station north of Brookings advertises free Wi Fi and it actually worked.
April 19, Trinidad, CA to Rollerville Junction CG/Point Arena, CA
41F - 70F - 55F
Since I had planned to drive a fairly short distance today, and since it was still 41F outside at 8 AM, I was in no hurry to get out of my warm bed and face the cold. Enjoyed a long hot shower, fixed a big breakfast, and didn't get going until 10:30 AM.
Spent the first part of the day on US 101 and then the really spectacular Avenue of the Giants -- the scenic side road to US 101 that runs through the Redwood Forest.
Then picked up CA 1, a narrow road that climbs a couple of thousand feet to get through the Coastal Range mountains and then drops down to the Pacific coast. Followed the Coastal Highway for the rest of the day through Mendocino county. Good vistas from time to time, but all in all not as spectacular as the southern Oregon coast.
Found the Rollerville Junction campground near Point Arena. $40 for a full hook-up site, less a 10% AAA discount. Northern California certainly can give a camper sticker shock: $40 campgrounds, gasoline at $3.45/gal!
Fortunately still have plenty of less expensive Oregon gas in the tank, so didn't need to fill up today.
Drove only 135 miles today, but it took 5 1/4 hours to do so. CA 1 is not an easy road to drive, even in a class B.
April 20, Point Arena, to Alameda, CA
53F - 72F
It was overcast when I woke up at 7:30 AM, 53F outise 63F inside the van. Enjoyed a long hot shower in the very clean bathhouse/trailer, but for $40/night it ought to have been heated.
On the road by 9:45 and the sun started to come out. A glorious day for rollercoasting CA 1 along the Pacific all the way to Point Reyes and the merge with US 101 a few miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Street Atlas and its GPS did an excellent job of routing me through San Francisco. Those hills are something else! Can't imagine anyone attempting this with a class A or Fifth Wheel. Made it through the city and across the Oakland bridge in less than an hour and found my way without problems to Stefanie and Tom's lovely home in Alameda.
Drove 250 miles, was on the road for 6 1/4 hours. The afternoon temperature climbed into the seventies, a most welcome change.
April 24, Alameda, to Rosedale Village RV Park/Bakersfield, CA
51F - 78F
Enjoyed a great extended weekend with Stefanie and Tom and their Labrador puppy, Harley. Highlights included a tour of the aircraft carrier Hornet and wine and vodka tasting.
Left at 9 AM this morning and made my way to Half Moon Bay. Then stayed on the CA 1 scenic highway south along the coast. It's a rollercoaster road that often clings precariously to the side of steep cliffs. While a pretty drive, it doesn't have the overwhelming impact of the Oregon coast.
Most of the way it was cloudy and hazy, so the photography was marginal.
The sun came out as I approached San Simeon and stayed with me for the rest of the day. The temperature climbed into the high seventies, I was a happy trooper.
Took SR 41 east to Los Robles, a very pretty mid-sized town surrounded by vineyards. Continued on to I-5 and the Joaquim Valley.
Bought a pint of freshly picked strawberries at a roadside stand near Bakersfield for $1.50 and pulled into the nearby Rosedale RV Park. $27 bought me a full hook-up site and I settled in for an evening of eating strawberries, watching TV, and enjoying the warm temperature outside the van. I'm definitely no longer suited for below 75F climate.
Was on the road for 8 hours and drove 365 miles.