Our Travel Log

Day 67 – New River AZ to Home – September 4, 2011

2011-09-05T18:29:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 148
Total Miles: 4088

The final leg of our trip was uneventful and the traffic home was very light even going through Phoenix. We arrived home around 11:30 AM, started up the house, had lunch and then started unpacking the coach.

Trip Summary

Total Miles: 4089
Total Diesel: 510 Gallons
Average Miles per Gallon: 7.5
Total Trip Cost: $3928
Average Cost per Day: $58.62
Average Cost per Month: $1964

Days 65 & 66 – Cameron AZ to New River AZ – September 2 & 3, 2011

2011-09-03T09:40:00.001-07:00

Today’s 65 Mileage: 166
Total Miles to Date: 3941
Miles to Home: 148

Yesterday’s traffic from Cameron to New River was fairly light however the traffic in the opposite direction was full of campers and vehicles pulling boats.

Today will be our last relaxing day of doing very little before arriving home tomorrow. Hopefully, we will be in between the holiday traffic and we should have the highway pretty much to ourselves. We should arrive home in time to empty the motorhome and startup the house before day gets too hot as Tucson day temperatures are still over 100 degrees.

Some people thought that we were in an accident when they read that we were having the windshield replaced. The actually reason for replacing the windshield was due to a rock strike several years ago. The rock created a fairly large star burst in the lower right section of the left windshield. I filled it in using my repair kit and all was well until this trip. A crack started to grow a little each day. I tried to stop drill the crack and inject more glass repair resin. That stopped the growth for a couple of days but then the crack continued to grow. So while we were at Camp Charlie’s I had the windshield replaced.

Day 64 – Cove Fort UT to Cameron AZ September 1, 2011

2011-09-01T15:39:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 293
Total Miles to Date: 3775
Miles to Home: 315

We are now back in Arizona. We are spending the night on the Navajo Reservation across from the Cameron Trading Post. As many of you know, this overnight stop is frequently use by us both outbound and inbound from the north.

I am happy to report that all systems are running normal since leaving Charlie’s Service.

Tomorrow we will make our way closer to Phoenix and spend two nights north of Phoenix to wait out the Labor Day traffic.

Tonight we will have dinner at the trading post. Raija will most likely have a favorite green chili stew (with mutton) and I will have the Navajo Taco.

I have written many times before about the Cameron Trading Post in our previous travels therefore I will not bore you again by repeating it.

Day 63 – Sunset Utah to Cove Fort Utah – August 31, 2011

2011-08-31T19:09:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 204
Miles to Date: 3482
Miles to Home: 609

The windshield was installed yesterday around 5:00 PM, which enabled us to get back on the road today. It took a while to settle the account with Charlie’s Service as there is always a hassle with the insurance company on what they will cover. We were finally able to depart Camp Charlie’s around 1:00 PM.

Today’s drive was both a challenge and tiring as there was a strong, gusting crosswind and several long stretches of interstate construction where the lanes were narrow and switching back and forth.

Normally our overnight stop is at the junction of Utah 20 and US 89. Due to our late start we did not make it that far. The next normal stop is Cameron Arizona. We are in striking distance to make it there tomorrow from our present position. That will but us back on normal stop overs from Camp Charlie’s to home.

We should also be a good position to maneuver around the Labor Day Holiday weekend traffic problem. Tomorrow is Thursday and hopefully we will be ahead of the boaters going to Lake Powell for the long weekend.

Friday, the traffic should be in the opposite direction for people getting a head start on the weekend as the holiday traffic most likely will consist of Phoenix people heading north to the high country and the lakes.

The current plan is to position ourselves between Flagstaff and Phoenix on Friday and then wait until Sunday morning to make the final run to home. The thought is that the outbound holiday traffic will be Friday and Saturday, Sunday will be very little traffic and Monday will be the mad rush home.

Day 62 – Camp Charlie’s – August 30, 2011

2011-08-30T15:34:00.001-07:00

Raija’s birthday flower bouquet from our son’s Jimmy family was delivered to our coach at Camp Charlie’s.

Raija now has received three bouquets for her birthday, one of which has been eaten as it was a fruit bouquet from our son Mark and his wife Cindy.

Fruit Bouquet from Mark & Cindy

The third bouquet is from me, the one on the right.

We just received word that the new driver’s side windshield has arrived. It is now 4:22 PM here so it is somewhat questionable if it will be installed today.

Day 61 – Camp Charlie’s – August 29, 2011

2011-08-30T09:12:00.001-07:00

Today was not a total lost. Mik was groomed at the local Pets Mart. He feels a lot better now that he received a close hair cut as he was getting hot on his walks. He no longer is seeking a little spot of shade like he did on Antelope Island.

Raija also cleaned half of the coach’s carpet. We are pleased with the results using a dry rug cleaner. I will do the rest of the carpet when we return home and the weather becomes a little cooler.

There is a slight chance that the windshield will show up tomorrow but it will most likely be Wednesday.

Day 60 – Raija’s Birthday – August 28, 2011

2011-08-29T09:40:00.001-07:00

I rose early in the morning to go shopping for blueberries, a card and roses. I was back before Raija woke and arranged the card and roses for her to find. Raija’s birthday breakfast was blueberry pancakes top off with an egg and bacon.

After breakfast, we were off to Antelope Island as it is too far to the Grand Canyon to celebrate Raija’s big birthday there.

Looking east from Antelope Island towards Salt Lake City

Raija’s Big “XX” Birthday on Antelope Island

More than 6000 years ago, the area’s native people inhabited Antelope Island. Later local Indian tribes used the island until the arrival of the white men.

Antelope Island, with an area of 42 square miles (109 square km), is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County. Antelope Island was discovered by John C. Fremont and Kit Carson in 1845, when they did their exploration of the Great Salt Lake. They shot a Pronghorn Antelope on the island and in gratitude for the meat they named it Antelope Island.

Antelope Island has natural scenic beauty and holds populations of Pronghorn Antelope, Bighorn Sheep, American Bison, porcupine, badger, coyote, bobcat, and millions of waterfowl. The bison were introduced to the island in 1893. The bison do well because much of the island is covered by dry, native grassland.

Mik discovered that there is at least one snake on Antelope Island.

American Bison Relaxing in the Sun

The Garr Ranch is located at Garr Springs, one of the strongest and most consisted of the 40 springs on the island. Both indigenous and wildlife used this water source long before Garr built the ranch.

The Mormon Church operated the ranch until the mid-1870s. During the era, ranching operations encompassed the entire island. The church herds supported the Perpetual Emigration Fund that assisted Mormon members from Europe in making the trek across the Great Plains to Salt Lake City.

As only improvements on the island were around the ranch, the Federal Government opened the rest of the island to homesteading. By the turn of the century most of the homesteaders had failed to prove their claims and John Dooly Sr. purchased the entire island for one million dollars.

The focus of the ranch soon turned to sheep and the operation expanded to more than 10,000 sheep to become one of the largest and most industrialized ranching efforts in the western United States.

In the 1950s sheep ranching became unprofitable and the operation turned to cattle. The island ranch continued to function as one of the largest commercial operations in the state until the island became a state park in 1981.

Old ranch barn used for shearing sheep

View from ranch yard

Ranch Yard

Old Corral

Main Ranch House and Bunk House (Right)

(Left to Right) Main House, Bunk House & Spring House

Mik Cooling Off

Antelope Island UT Tour

Day 59 – Camp Charlie’s Sunset Utah – August 27, 2011

2011-08-27T13:11:00.001-07:00

This morning we were busy doing coach chores when to Raija’s surprised a florist delivery van showed up at the coach’s door. The delivery was a very beautiful fruit bouquet from our son and his wife, Mark and Cindy.

Raija’s Birthday Bouquet from Mark & Cindy

Raija opening her gift video

Day 58 – Camp Charlie’s Service – Progress Report - August 26, 2011

2011-08-26T15:49:00.001-07:00

All of the preventive items (oil change, filters, lubrication, etc.) were completed on Wednesday August 24^th.

Yesterday authorization was received from the insurance company to replace the driver’s side windshield. The windshield was ordered with an expected delivery of Tuesday or Wednesday next week. Once installed, the coach will need to sit 24 hours so as to provide time for the sealant to set. Currently the windshield is the item pacing our departure for home. Today the new washer/dryer was installed and is currently undergoing a test run.

That leaves just the dash A/C. During the process of locating the leak, one hose on the compressor slipped out of its coupling. The coupling has been replaced and the system is currently being tested to see if the coupling was the culprit.

Camp Charlie’s is four days travel time to home. The windshield replacement may put us into the Labor Weekend so we may have to find a place to wait out the holiday weekend.

Day 55 – Camp Charlie’s – August 23, 2011

2011-08-23T15:39:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 144
Total Mileage to Date: 3278
Miles to Home: 811

We arrived at Charlie’s Service in Sunset Utah around 11:00 AM. Gil quickly parked our coach and little Gil started the preventative maintenance immediately after lunch. The easy things are just about completed. Tomorrow the washer / dryer will be removed so it can be determined what went wrong and mostly likely the dash air conditioner will be looked at.

Sunset Utah is just north of Salt Lake City and is directly across Interstate 15 from Hill Air Force Base. Hill Air Force Base is where our son served two assignments ago and is where he was promoted to full colonel.

We had hoped to depart Camp Charlie’s Friday morning but most likely we will be spending the weekend here waiting for parts.

It is a shame that our son and his family are not here as they could have helped celebrate Raija’s important birthday, especially since it looks like we will not be able to celebrate it at the Grand Canyon as she had hoped. The Finnish tradition is that this particular birthday is very important and would be a very special celebration in Finland.

Day 54 –Deer Lodge Montana to Fort Hall Idaho– August 22, 2011

2011-08-22T15:07:00.003-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 271
Total Mileage to Date: 3134
Miles to Home: 955

We are now in Fort Hall, Idaho on the Blackfoot Indian Reservation. We will spend the night at the Buffalo Casino RV Park, $20 for full hookups. Tomorrow we continue on to Charlie’s Service, 144 miles, for our annual coach service plus a few repairs.

The driver’s side windshield needs to be replaced as it is developing a rather long crack from a previous rock strike, the dash air conditioner no longer will hold a charge and the washer / dryer stopped working.

We were hoping to be in Cameron Arizona in time for Raija’s be birthday as she wants to celebrate her “Big Birthday Year” at the Grand Canyon. It would not have been a problem were it not for the unexpected repairs. But now we will most likely have to wait on parts at Charlie’s and we may end up celebrating her birthday at Charlie’s.

The original Fort Hall was located at end of the common stretch shared by the three far west emigrant trails. It was a 19th century outpost in the eastern Oregon Country, which eventually became part of the present-day United States and is now eastern-southern Idaho near present day Fort Hall, Idaho. Though now well in the United States, it was once taken over and operated during the Oregon boundary dispute by the British Hudson's Bay Company. Fort Hall was constructed as a commercial venture, situated on the Snake River north of present-day Pocatello, Idaho. It became an important stop in the 1840s and 1850s for an estimated 270,000 emigrants along the Oregon Trail and California Trail, which diverged west of the fort.

Day 53 – Marion Montana to Deer Lodge Montana – August 21, 2011

2011-08-21T15:06:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 230.6
Total Mileage to Date: 2863.1
Miles to Home: 1228

The low temperatures for the last several nights have been hovering at 31 degrees. After an enjoyable visit with our friends in Marion Montana including attending the Kalispell rodeo, it is time to head south before the snow begins to fall.

We are spending the night at Deer Lodge that is about 20 miles or so west of Butte Montana. We are parked in a large parking lot behind the Sinclair Station. Trucks spend the night on the south side of the lot and RVs spend the night on the north side. That puts just enough separation between the trucks and RVs so one does not notice the truck engines / reefers running all night. One cannot complain about the price, zero dollars.

The population of Deer Lodge is about 3,400. Deer Lodge is best known as the home of the Montana State Prison, a major local employer. Deer Lodge was also once an important railroad town, serving as a division headquarters for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("the Milwaukee Road") before the railroad's local abandonment in 1980. Deer Lodge is also the location of Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, dedicated to the interpretation of the frontier cattle ranching era. This site was the home of Conrad Kohrs, one of the famous "Cattle Kings" of Montana whose land holdings once stretched over a million acres (4,000 km²) of Montana, Wyoming, and Alberta, Canada. The Grant-Kohrs ranch was built in 1862 by Johnny Grant, a Scottish/French/Metis fur-trader and trapper who encouraged his people to settle in Deer Lodge because of its pleasant climate and large areas of bunch grass prairie, ideal for raising cattle and horses. The city's name derives from a geological formation known as Warm Springs Mound which contained natural saline that made for a natural salt lick for the local deer population.

Day 48 – Post Falls to Marion Montana – August 16, 2011

2011-08-18T14:24:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 200
Miles to Date: 2633
Miles to Home: 1461

Today’s route was along US 2 from Post Falls to Marion Montana where we will be staying five days with our friends on the shore of McGregor Lake.

The drive was very scenic today but unfortunately we did not stop to smell the roses or take any pictures.

I was finally able to upload the video of our passage through the Northern Cascades on Washington’s State Route 20. It can be viewed by going back to Day’s 46 blog.

Updates to our travel blog will be fewer as we will be traveling the same route that we have traveled many times before on our way home from here.

Day 47 – Carlton Washington to Post Falls Idaho

2011-08-15T18:41:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 195
Miles to Date: 2432

Although Washington was interesting, I am sure glad to be out of Washington State. It is the first state that I have been to in a long time where there were so many places without TV signals, poor internet and high fuel prices. Plus Washington charges for everything including river access parking areas and then adds tax on top of it.

We made the mistake to refuel at the Flying J in Spokane Washington. The diesel price was $4.35 per gallon. We then cross the border into Idaho and the Flying J at the Cabela’s exit on Interstate 90 was $4.04 per gallon.

Tonight we are staying at Cabela's in Post Falls, Idaho. At Cabela’s one can camp overnight for free in their parking lot for up to four nights. There are even pet cages and a horse corral for use by campers. Best of all we can receive the major network TV stations so we can catch up on what has been going on in the world.

Day 46 – Through the Northern Cascades – August 14, 2011

2011-08-15T07:21:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 168
Miles to Date: 2237

Today we turned east on Washington State Route 20 through the Northern Cascades. We are spending the night in the little town of Carlton Washington. We are again without any TV signal and have to rely on the internet for news.

The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington. The US portion of the North Cascades and the adjoining Skagit Range in British Columbia are most notable for their dramatic scenery and challenging mountaineering, both resulting from their steep, rugged topography. Most of the peaks are less than 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) in elevation. The North Cascades are sometimes referred to as America’s Alps.

The day started out with low clouds and periods of light rain. The low clouds persisted through lunch.

Lunch Stop

Skagit River running alongside our lunch stop

By the time we had finished our lunch, it appeared that the sun might come out so I set up the camera for the next leg of today’s journey. The rain held off and Raija was able to take footage of our trek through the Cascades.

About half way through the Cascades, the sky cleared and the outside temperature made it to 80 degrees.

Through the Northern Cascades on Washington Route 20

Day 45 – Mount Vernon Washington – August 13, 2011

2011-08-13T17:35:00.001-07:00

Tonight will be our last night just relaxing and doing nothing other than attending some of the social functions here at the RV Park. Yesterday was wine tasting and movie night. Today was a BBQ lunch and tonight will be dancing.

Mik has enjoyed his stay here as he has discovered that there are gophers and squirrels. He is anxious to go on walks and is constantly picking up their scent. He has even learned to look up in the trees for the squirrels. He is so excited about picking up their scent that he often forgets about the business purpose of his walk.

Friday was only our almost full sunny day and the temperature made it up to 70 degrees. The last two nights were in the mid-40s.

Tomorrow we will be back on the road for three days as we make our way to our Montana friends.

Our route tomorrow will be through the Cascades on Washington State Route 20. I believe that I have convinced my assistant grip to handle the camera again so hopefully we will get some scenic footage / pictures. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow so camera action may be iffy.

Day 40 – Mount Vernon Washington – August 8, 2011

2011-08-09T17:13:00.001-07:00

Mount Vernon's first industry was the logging camps set up to log the town site. The community grew quickly following the loggers and hotels and saloons that opened up along the Skagit River. While poised to grow, river access to the community was stymied by a massive and ancient log jam in the river which prevented large ships from being able to port. Mail carriers instead had to paddle canoes down-stream to nearby Skagit City. The mining activity at nearby Ruby Creek spurred growth for a short time in 1880, gaining the city a new hotel, but little else was accomplished when the mines proved to be shallow. More logging operations were established but were not profitable due to the low price of logs at the time. By 1881, Mount Vernon's permanent population was 75. The population today is around 32,000.

Our camp site is in a very quiet forested area and somewhat electronically dead, no TV and slow internet. Fortunately this was our planned week to kickback and just relax. So most likely I will skip some days on the blog.

There was some sun Sunday when we arrived but it has been overcast with daytime highs in the mid-60s.

Day 39 – Hoodsport WA to Mount Vernon WA August 7, 2011

2011-08-07T18:46:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 169
Miles to Date: 2069

Our trek from Hoodsport to Mount Vernon was uneventful and we made it past Seattle and Bellevue on I-5 and I-405 before some of the portions were closed down for the Navy’s Blue Angels airshow. We managed to be traveling on the annual Seattle’s Sea Fair weekend.

Today’s Route

In route we stopped at two rest stops both of which had free coffee and either pastries or cookies. A rest stop on the way to Hoodsport also had free coffee and cookies. My first thought was that Starbucks might be sponsoring the free coffee since I believe that Starbucks headquarters is in Washington State. I asked the people working the booth today and it turns out that my guess was wrong. The booths are run by various organizations. This particular booth was run by volunteers from the Masons. The volunteer group supplies the people, coffee and sweets. They do of course accept donations. Mik did not care for pastries but he did enjoy the cookies.

Display at the I-5 rest stop where we had lunch

As many of you that followed our far northwest travel blog last summer may have notice there have been no pictures / video taken from the coach this year. The reason for this lack of video is that I have been unable to get my best boy grip (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grip_%28job%29) to work with the camera on this trip.

I, as key grip, will need to work on this problem and see if I can come up with another solution.

Day 38 – Camp Day – Dow Creek Resort Hoodsport WA August 6, 2011

2011-08-07T16:13:00.001-07:00

Today is our last full day at Dow Creek Resort in Hoodsport Washington. It was very pleasant during the week as the campground was quiet and nearly empty. Friday brought a lot of younger campers with children and the peacefulness ended. It was quite noisy between the boom boxes and kids yelling at each other. The noise continued late into the night including well past the quiet hour, 10:00 PM.

It seemed that it that no sooner when things quieted down and we were finally able to fall asleep that we were awaken by loud talking, vehicle doors being slammed and loud engines being started and stopped. I checked the time and it was around 3:00 AM. This went on until well after 4:30 AM. The same noisy crowd was getting up to go fishing or at least that is what we assumed.

Needless to say we were happy to be leaving tomorrow.

Day 37 – Hoodsport Camp Day – August 5, 2011

2011-08-05T19:45:00.001-07:00

This morning we woke to the sound of rain and an overcast day. Not the sunny day that was forecasted in last night’s weather report.

Noon found us in the Hummer looking for the seafood restaurant that was recommended by the local information center. What we found instead was a seafood market that had local live crabs, clams and oysters. The only thing that they had ready to eat was oyster stew so we both had a bowl and ate it in the Hummer. Raija said that it was one of the best chowders that she has had so far on this summer’s trip.

The high today was 66 degrees. Warmer weather is forecasted for out next stop, Mount Vernon.

Day 36 – Hoodsport Camp Day August 4, 2011

2011-08-04T19:59:00.001-07:00

Today was a camp day except for a quick trip to the grocery store in the afternoon followed by huckleberry picking for Raija’s morning cereal and my pancakes. Raija has been eating the red huckleberries that grow here in Washington. There are several huckleberry plants around the RV so we shall see how they do in pancakes.

This afternoon’s temperature made it to 72° F. We are finally having a warm spell. Last night the low was 59° F.

Day 35 – North Along Hood Canal – August 3, 2011

2011-08-03T21:53:00.001-07:00

Today we drove north on US 101 which parallels Hood Canal.

View of Hood Canal from US 101

The Half-Way House was recommended to us as a must stop for their immoral cobber. Raija had the Marion berry and I had the strawberry rhubarb. Of course both were topped with ice cream that Mik got to share. Both were excellent.

Our turn around point was the View National Park where one can do a small hike to see the View Falls.

View Falls

Our next stop heading back was Mount Walker. Mount Walker is 2790 feet above sea level and one can see Seattle and Mount Rainier.

Panorama View from Mount Walker

It was just hazy enough that Seattle is not visible in the picture but one could see the Seattle sky line with the naked eye.

Mount Rainier from Mount Walker

Our last stop before arriving back at camp was Rocky Brook Falls. A small hydrologic project was installed at the falls in 1986 which supplies water for Brinnon a small community along the Hood Canal.

View Falls & Rocky Brooks Falls Video

Day 34 – Olympic Staircase – August 2, 2011

2011-08-03T09:29:00.001-07:00

In 1890, when Lt. O'Neil and his crew blazed their trail through the Skokomish wilderness, the rock bluff across the river across the Skokomish River was a major obstacle. To get over it they built a cedar staircase. The Devil's Staircase was the only path over the bluff until the Shady Lane Trail was built in 1911. The name, and O’Neil’s legacy remains as the area today is still known as the Olympic Staircase.

Douglas-firs dominate the forests on this side of the Olympic Peninsula. A tree that grows best on bare mineral soil with loads of sunlight, the Douglas-fir's survival depends on that most fearsome but respected of forces––fire. The eastern Olympics experience large scale natural fires every 300-400 years.

Thick bark protects mature trees, so they can survive to produce seeds that repopulate burned areas. Flames burn away organic forest floor debris, giving Douglas-fir seeds access to the soil they need. Fire also kills understory plants that may intercept the young sapling's sunlight.

Douglas Firs

Skokomish River Rapids

Skokomish River

Douglas Firs, Moss & Ferns

Washington Red Huckleberries

Skokomish River Video

Lake Cushman Panorama

Lake Cushman is a 4,010-acre lake on the north fork of the Skokomish River. The lake originally was a long narrow broadening of the Skokomish River formed in a glacial trough and dammed by a terminal moraine from the last ice age.

The lake was expanded after construction of the Cushman Dam. The lake is maintained by this dam and provides electrical power to the Tacoma Power system.

Lake Cushman was named in honor of Orrington Cushman, who served as interpreter for Governor Isaac Stevens during the Treaty of Point Elliott negotiations with Puget Sound Indians in 1854.

Day 33 – Hoodsport Washington – August 1, 2011

2011-08-01T16:48:00.001-07:00

This morning we finished setting up camp, relax, had lunch and then drove to Hoodsport to look around and see what there is to do in the area.

Hood Canal Panorama

Oyster Gatherers

One can gather oysters on the beach as the tide goes out. The oysters must be sucked and the shells left on the beach.

Hoods Canal at Hoodsport Video

Mik and I sampled the local huckleberry ice cream while Raija windowed shopped at the local merchants. The Washington huckleberries are not the same as Montana’s. Montana huckleberries are much better.

Day 32 – Copalis Beach to Hoodsport Washington – July 31, 2011

2011-07-31T15:30:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 88
Miles to Date: 1906

We left the Pacific Ocean and travel northeast to Hoodsport today. We will stay in this location seven days.

Today’s Route

Hoodsport is located along the Hood Canal, at the intersection of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 119. Lake Cushman is nearby. Hoodsport is the gateway to the Staircase area of Olympic National Park.

The first person to settle at Hoodsport was G.K. Robbins, a ship captain who had been transporting lumber along Hood Canal for years. Other settlers soon joined him, forming a small community. Most occupied themselves with farming or logging. The town was officially platted in 1890 by the Mason County Mine and Development Company, which owned manganese mines near Lake Cushman. Prospectors found evidence of copper in the area and over 400 mining claims were filed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nearly all claims failed to be profitable.

The Hood Canal is long and narrow with an average width of 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and a mean depth of 177 feet (53.8 meters) . It has 212.9 miles (342.6 kilometers) of shoreline. Along its entire length, Hood Canal separates the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.

The U.S. Navy's Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor Annex, is located on the eastern shore of Hood Canal near the town of Bangor. Hood Canal has several internal bays, the largest of which is Dabob Bay. Most of Dabob Bay is a Naval Restricted Area, and is used by the submarines stationed at the Bangor Base. Quilcene Bay is an inlet extending northwest from Dabob Bay.

Hoodsport is renowned among SCUBA divers as a staging area to view the giant Pacific octopus. Local marine preserves such as Octopus Hole and Sund Rock offer divers the chance to see octopus, as well as wolf eels, rock fish, plumose anemones and other marine life.

We passed the Hoodsport Winery on the way to the RV Park. We will of course need to check it out. The huckleberry wine that we purchased earlier turned was very good. It was a sweet wine that served as a good after dinner, desert wine.

We also passed several beaches so Mik will have another beach or two explore.

As you can see our new home is deep in the forest. Even through the sun is shining, we also need to turn the lights on inside the coach as it is fairly dark in the coach.

Day 31–Copalis Beach–July 30, 2011

2011-07-30T16:12:00.001-07:00

This is our last day on the coast, tomorrow we will head more inland and north to Hoodsport Washington. We took a short drive back to Ocean Shores to pickup some seafood for tonight’s dinner. I will have crab and Raija decided on clam chowder.

There is a strange tree growing on the property adjacent to the RV Park. Raija suggested that I post it to see if anyone could provide the correct name.

Can you identify this tree?

Day 30–Copalis Beach WA–July 29, 2011

2011-07-29T16:24:00.001-07:00

Today was just a quiet, restful day at the Dunes Resort RV Park. The sun came out after the morning fog burned off and the temperature made it to 70° F.

I took Mik for a run on the beach in the afternoon. He is getting a little braver about the water. He waded in a creek that was flowing on the beach. He still didn’t want anything to do with ocean even through the waves were very small.

Day 29 – Olympic Rain Forest Washington – July 28, 2011

2011-07-29T11:25:00.001-07:00

We spent the day driving and several small hikes in the Olympic Rain located in western Washington State. We drove the 31 mile loop around Quinault Lake. The lake is in glacial-carved Quinault Valley of the Quinault River. Lake Quinault is owned by the Quinault Indian Nation. Annual precipitation ranges from 141 to 165 inches (360 to 420 cm). Summers are relatively dry, but only by comparison to the rest of the year.

The dominant species in the rainforest are Sitka Spruce, Douglas-Fir, Western Red Cedar and Western Hemlock some of which grow to tremendous size, reaching 312 feet (95 meters) in height and 23 feet (7 meters) in diameter.

Nurse Stump

Lake Quinault

World’s Largest Sitka Spruce

Elk bedded down in Willaby Creek

Olympic Rain Forest Video

Day 28 – Ocean Shores Washington – July 27, 2011

2011-07-27T19:12:00.001-07:00

A short ride back down the coast took us to the town of Ocean Shores. There is an IGA Grocery store in Ocean Shores which is the closest grocery store of any size to where we are staying.

In route we stopped at two Washington State Parks. I have to say that Washington is ripping off both their own citizens and the tourist with their new $10 a day or $30 annual passes required to visit a state park. Several of the parks that we have stopped at only have a picnic table or two and a bathroom. One must have a park pass to see nothing at these parks. Who wants to spend $10 for a park that has nothing to offer? Also the state parks with RV facilities are more expensive then the private parks that offer more amenities plus you still have to add park pass fee that make it even more outrageous. I foresee a big decline in park visitors.

We scouted out the town of Ocean Shores, found the grocery store and an ice cream store. Mik needed some ice cream so we stopped and treated ourselves to raspberry cheesecake ice cream and vanilla for Mik.

After that it was time for a ride on the beach before going grocery shopping. I figured that I had better do a video of a Washington beach before we lose the sun.

Ocean Shores Beach Video

Day 27– Copalis Beach Washington - July 26, 2011

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The car / camper club left in the morning. Last evening they aligned their cars and trailers as if they would be ready for an early morning, quick departure but it took them until around 10:00 AM to depart. The engine start signal was one of the ladies waving her bra on a pole.

There was more entertainment after lunch. Two large fifth wheel rigs arrived and one of them had a very difficult time positioning his rig in the space beside us. It took nearly two hours for them to get set up. Just when it look like they were all set, they decided that they didn’t like it here and left. That was good news to us as they had crowded us in with very little space between our coach and their rig.

The sun finally came out and no rain. The high was around 62 F and the low 48 F.

Mik really enjoys running loose on the beach and checking out all of the smells. I tried to coach him down to the water but every time a wave heads in, he goes running to higher ground and even scowls me when I get to close too the water.

Day 26 – Copalis Beach Washington – July 25, 2011

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This morning we woke up to the sound of rain and 53 F. The rain turned to a drizzle and hung around to about noon. There has been some sun this afternoon and the forecast is for better weather later in the week.

There is a small group of people staying at the RV Park whose hobby is the rebuilding of late 30’s / early 40’s cars and a camper from the 70’s. The cars are not restored originals as most of the inwards are Ford parts whereas the bodies are Plymouths, Dodges and other makes. The group is from British Columbia.

The campers and cars are painted as a match set.

In the afternoon, we took a short ride to the beach communities to the north on Washington Route 109. The communities are small and sparsely populated. Most have seen better days.

This section of Washington is somewhat like Alaska, no TV, poor cell phone service but good Wi-Fi. While we are here, we will be relying on the internet for news.

Day 25 – Ilwaco Washington to Copalis Beach Washington July 24, 2011

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Today’s Mileage: 95
Mileage to Date: 1818

We were back on the road today for a short drive up the coast on Highway 101 to Copalis Beach. The drive was scenic along the coast but a little slow as the road has many sharp curves.

Copalis and Copalis Beach are named after the Indian tribe Copalis. The Copalis belonged to the coastal division of the Salishan language family that occupied the area of Copalis River.

The Copalis area is known as the "Home of the razor clam." The community sits near the northern end of probably the greatest razor clam bed in the world. During the commercial season, Copalis' normal population of about 350 persons increases fourfold.

The clam is not Copalis' only drawing card. The beach is ideal for bathers, and motorists can drive their cars along miles of hard packed sand. Before the highway came, all supplies were shipped by boat to Oyehut and hauled to Copalis using the beach as a road.

Day 24 – 27th Annual Long Beach Sand Sculpture Context July 23, 2011

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Today is our last day in the Ilwaco Washington area. The morning was spent at the Ilwaco Saturday market where Raija stock up on fruits and vegetables. Lunch at the market was smoked salmon chowder and desert was huckleberry ice cream.

The afternoon saw us back at Long Beach for their 27^th annual sand sculpture contest. Entire families / groups were busy working on their sculptures. The Kiwanis Club provided free hot dogs. The annual event is a weekend event with a variety of activities for the whole family including family pets.

Sculptures in progress

Completed Sculptures

Sculpture Work in Progress Video

Day 23 – Cape Disappointment – July 22, 2011

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There seems to be some confusion on just how Cape Disappointment received its name. One version is the cape was named by British fur trader John Meares who was sailing south from Nootka in search of trade. After a storm, he turned his ship around just north of the Cape and therefore just missed the discovery of the Columbia River.Alternatively, the cape may have been named by a member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, after have succeeded in reaching the Pacific, found no ships in the vicinity.

At any rate since most of Cape Disappointment is now a Washington State Park and we spent the $30 for the an annual state park pass, we explored some of the Cape’s highlights’ today.

One of the jetties built to control Columbia’s Bar

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

Fort Canby

Cormorants

North Head Lighthouse

Columbia River Jetties

Benson Beach

Along the trail to North Head Lighthouse

Cape Disappointment Video

Day 22–Camp Day at Ilwaco OR–July 22, 2011

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An easy blog day as we mostly spent the day at the RV Park expect for a quick ride to Ilwaco to see their Heritage Museum. Thursdays is free admission.

I did for to mention that yesterday we did see a little of the sun. Today is another overcast day with on and off drizzles. It did manage to get up to 60 F today. The nights are still in the lower 50s F.

Day 21 – Astoria and Cannon Beach – July 20, 2011

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We did a little back tracking today to tale in the sights of Astoria and Cannon Beach Oregon. As it turns out, Astoria was home to many Finns and even has a Finnish District. Many of the businesses bear Finnish names.

Our first stop was the Astoria Column that sits high on Coxcomb Hill where one can have a panoramic view of Astoria and the Columbia River.

The markers were the pet project of Ralph Budd, president of the Midwest based Great Northern Railroad.

The Astoria Column was the last of twelve built in the early 1900s between St. Paul, Minnesota and Astoria, Oregon. Ralph wanted to properly salute America’s early explorers and settlers.

Town of Astoria and Columbia River as seen from the top of the Astoria Column

Indian Burial Canoe

We also visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum. No pictures were allowed in the museum.

Retired Columbia River Lighthouse Ship

Our next stop was Cannon Beach. Cannon Beach was originally named Ecola, after the creek that empties into the Pacific Ocean to the north of the city. In 1922, it was renamed Cannon Beach at the insistence of the Post Office Department as the name was frequently confused with Eola. Cannon Beach is the beach adjacent to the town. The beach received its name after a cannon washed ashore from one of the many ship wrecks in the area.

Cannon Beach is its well-known landmark, Haystack Rock, located southwest of downtown Cannon Beach. This igneous rock has a height of 235 feet. Near Haystack Rock are the Needles, two tall rocks rising straight out of the water.

Haystack Rock and the Needles at Cannon Beach

Day 20 – Long Beach Washington - July 19, 2011

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Long Beach began when Henry Harrison Tinker bought a land claim from Charles E. Reed in 1880. He platted the town and called it "Tinkerville." Long Beach was officially incorporated on January 18, 1922. From 1889 to 1930, a narrow gauge railroad called the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company ran up the whole peninsula. A resort village from the start, Long Beach enjoyed summertime travelers on the narrow gauge “Clamshell Railroad” that ran up the length of the peninsula from 1889 to 1930.

For 41 years narrow-gauge railroad made thousands of journeys from one end of this peninsula to the other. The passengers were local residents going to “town” to shop, summer visitors coming to enjoy a vacation by the sea, and even students traveling to high school in Ilwaco. Freight hauling was important too, and the bounty of farm, forest, beach and bay started its trip to distant markets on the little railroad.

Like many other small railroads across the country, the Clamshell Railroad struggled to survive as automobiles and trucking lines became more dominant forms of transportation. The old tracks were pulled up and sold long ago but train buffs, history fans and curious visitors all enjoy retracing the route of the vintage train and recapturing a little piece of our past.

The Peninsula is also known for its cranberry industry. Cranberry farming in the SW corner of Washington State has a more than 100-year history.

Cranberry Bog

Driving on the beaches of the Peninsula is a tradition dating back to the early days of the automobile. For years, beachgoers have enjoyed a leisurely drive on the wide, hard-packed sands.

Long Beach Washington

North of Long Beach, in the mid-1800s, the village of Oysterville began to prosper after Chief Nahcati introduced the town’s founders, R.H. Espy and I.A. Clark, to oysters. The rich oyster beds of Willapa Bay were soon responsible for Oysterville’s growing riches, as the town became a major competitor with other oyster companies.

Oyster Beds

Oysterville

We stopped for lunch in Oysterville, Raija had clam chowder and I had oysters on the half shell.

To the Beach

Day 19 – Ilwaco Washington – Where the Columbia River Meets the Pacific – July 18, 2011

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This morning we had a break in the rain so I was able to take some pictures of where we are staying.

Eagles Nest Resort upper deck

Eagles Nest Resort Video

Mid-morning we explored downtown Ilwaco and Ilwaco Harbor.

Harbor Front Shops

Harbor

The harbor is filled mostly with pleasure, privately owned boats and tourist fishing boats.

A Comanche without wings

We had lunch at one of the local eateries on the boardwalk. Raija had halibut fish and chips and I had deep fried oysters. The oysters were some of the largest that I have had in a long time. It looks as if we will have ample chance to partake of seafood during our stay on the coast.

Ilwaco Harbor

After lunch we took a ride to Cape Disappointment and the mouth of the Columbia River. The first thing that we discovered is that Washington State Parks now we require a $10 day pass or a $30 annual pass. One cannot even take a picture or view an overlook without a pass. As we will be in Washington State several more weeks, we opted for the annual pass.

Sailing ships had a terrible time getting into the Columbia, since the two natural channels through the broad, sediment-choked river mouth, particularly the North Channel, forced ships to turn sideways to the wind and waves. Some 2,000 vessels of all types and about 700 lives have been claimed by the treacherous waters off the Peninsula over the past 300 years.

Some of the early shipwrecks are:

1792 Chatham British tender
1798 Small boat from the Hazard American brigantine, 5 lost
1811 Small boat from the Tonquin American ship, 10 lost
1813 Raccoon British sloop of war
1829 William and Ann British barkentine, 26 lost
1830 Isabella Hudson Bay Co., British supply brigantine
1839 H.M.S. Sulpher British Royal Navy ship
1841 U.S.S. Peacock U.S. Navy ship
1846 U.S.S. Shark U.S. Navy survey schooner, crew lost
1848 Maine American whaler
1848 Vancouver British barkentine
1849 Josephine British brigantine

Lighthouses Cape Disappointment, built in 1856, and North Head, 1898, drastically improved the safety of mariners near the mouth of the Columbia River. These two lights significantly reduced the number of vessels and human lives lost in the waters of the Pacific. This area is often referred as the Graveyard of the Pacific.

Cape Disappointment Light House

Waikiki Beach

Waikiki Beach is one of the few beaches in the area where it is safe to swim as the other beaches have strong undertow currents.

On the way home, we stopped at a seafood shack and purchased a crab for my dinner.

Mik checking out dinner

Day 18 – North Plains OR to Ilwaco Washington – July 17, 2011

2011-07-17T19:52:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 98
Mileage to Date: 1723

We woke to the sound of rain. It seems that this summer will be a repeat of last summer when the rain followed us for four months through Alberta, the Northwest Territories, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska.

We packed up in the rain and headed west and then north up the coast to Ilwaco, Washington. The rain followed us the whole way. We will be staying here at Eagle’s Nest RV Resort for the next seven days. I will try to take some pictures as soon as we get a break from the rain. The current temperature is 59 F, a few degrees warmer than North Plains, Oregon.

Ilwaco is where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Ilwaco was first settled by Henry Feister in 1851, and was named for Elwahko Jim, the son in law of Chief Comcomly a Native American chief of the Chinookan.Ilwaco was officially incorporated on December 16, 1890.

A narrow gauge railway, Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company, ran for over thirty years. The railroad ran north up First Street in Ilwaco.

Ilwaco became a favorite port of salmon fishermen and a transportation hub for all of Pacific County. Travelers from Oregon or inland Washington could take a steamer down the Columbia River to Ilwaco, where they could travel by stage, and later by the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company train, also known as the ‘Clamshell Railroad That Ran With The Tides’, to the ocean beach resorts on the Long Beach Peninsula.

Days 15 – 17 North Plains Oregon July 14 – 16, 2011

2011-07-16T10:53:00.001-07:00

We continue to enjoy the cool days and cooler nights. Friday we had a break from the clouds and the sun came out for a while. A few brave souls even went swimming but the pool was a little to refreshing for us desert folks. It rain all last night and is still raining as of 10:30 AM today. Hopefully we will catch a break in the weather today, at least long enough for me to stow the grill in preparation for tomorrow’s drive to our next destination, Ilwaco WA.

There has not been much to write about during our stay here. Due to the remoteness of the RV Park and the weather we have not taken any side trips. It has been very relaxing to just stay put and enjoy the facilities here. The residents of the park, those who have permanent cabins, are very friendly. We have attended several parties and are invited to a pot luck dinner tonight.

Day 14 - North Plains Oregon – July 13, 2011

2011-07-13T17:07:00.001-07:00

Today was a relaxing day in the RV Park. It has rain on and off throughout the day with the furnace cycling throughout the day. Who would have thought that we would be using heat during mid-day in the middle of July? The high today was 60 F.

The pool is covered and a little too refreshing for us desert people but the hot tub is nice. One can cycle from the hot tub to sitting outside especially when the sun peeks through the clouds. The Park also has a sauna which I am sure that Raija will get around to using before we leave.

The RV Park is situated on 104 acres of private forested land. There are large fir trees along with maple and other hardwood trees. To Mik’s delight there are hiking trails with lots of scents to explore.

Pool

Club House

Hot Tub

Sun Deck

Day 13 – Stanfield to North Plains Oregon July 12, 2011

2011-07-12T20:32:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 217
Total Miles to Date: 1625

We continued west from Stanfield Oregon to North Plains Oregon, a suburb of Portland Oregon. This stretch of I-84 runs parallel along the Columbia River. We will be staying in the Portland area until Sunday morning. Our travel days will now be shorter and our stays longer.

Today started out cloudy and just before Portland it started to rain. The mid-afternoon temperature was 59 F. For now at least we have found the cooler weather that we are seeking.

Columbia River

Power Turbines above the Columbia River

Columbia River Video

Day 12–Marsing ID to Stanfield Oregon July 11, 2011

2011-07-11T16:48:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 232
Total Miles To Date: 1407

We left the River Haven RV Park around 9:00 AM MDT after topping off the propane tank. We arrived at the Pilot RV Park in Stanfield Oregon around 1:00 PM PDT. The drive was all interstate and scenic as I-84 follows the Snake River and then winds through Oregon’s mountains.

The RV Park is next to a Pilot Truck Stop so we topped off with diesel before setting the coach up for the night. The park is well kept and has grass plots between each RV pad. There are full hookups including 50 amps for $25 per night. The only downside might be the noise as the park is adjacent to the Pilot Truck Stop’s truck parking lot.

Pilot RV Park – Stanfield Oregon

Today is a travel day so we will only be spending the night here.

Day 11–Marsing ID–July 10, 2011

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This is our last day in Marsing. The nights are still cool in upper 50s and the last two days have had highs of 91. We should be heading into cooler weather as we proceed west.

This afternoon, we visited the Ste Chapelle Winery and purchased a bottle of their Huckleberry Wine, visited the local farmer’s market and purchased some homemade goat cheese. Then it was off to the local market for a few groceries.

This evening I picked a bowl of mulberries for Raija’s cereal. The RV Park has several large mulberry trees. The grass is littered with ripe berries under each tree. When you touch a tree branch, the ripe berries rain to the ground. The trick is to put the bowl under the berries so that they fall into the bowl as it is nearly impossible to pick them before they fall.

Tomorrow we will continue our journey west on I-84 for another 260 or so miles which will leave 200 miles to go to our next multi-night stay.

Day 10–Marsing ID–July 9,2011

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It was just a quiet day spent at the RV Park. Raija has a book that she is reading and wants to finished it today. I passed the day catching up on some computer items.

This evening we went to town to try the local Mexican cuisine. We had dinner at Alejandra’s in downtown Marsing. The food was very good and there was enough leftovers for tomorrows dinner.

Day 09 – Marsing, ID July 08, 2011

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This morning we slept in past 10:00 AM. After a late breakfast, we took a drive around the area; a key landmark is Lizard Butte that towers above the Snake River near Marsing, ID.

Lizard Butte

Several churches and even the town library bear the Lizard Butte name. I am sure it was used as a landmark for those traveling the Snake River.

Next on our list was Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. Before settlements in the area, the area was a low-lying area with many springs. In winter, herds of deer and elk came from the mountains to eat the abundant grasses. Early settlers observing these herds dubbed the area Deer Flat.

Between 1906 and 1908, two large and two small embankments / dams, were built creating Lake Lowell.

After the reservoir was completed, President Teddy Roosevelt realized that the nearby 9,000 acre lake would be an oasis for wildlife. On February 25, 1909 President Roosevelt established one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System, Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge.

Lake Lowell

Marsing Park on the Snake River

Mik looking for gophers

Day 08 – Marsing ID – Camp Day – July 07, 2011

2011-07-07T15:18:00.001-07:00

Today started with a sleep in morning, 0630 instead of the usual 0500 to beat the heat. We will try to start to adjust our wake up time during our five day stay here.

The morning went by quickly doing house chores such as cleaning the windshield, cleaning the bugs off the front of the coach, emptying the holding tanks, laundry and cleaning the coach interior.

In the afternoon we went for a ride around Marsing to see where things were in town and what the town had to offer. A stop at the Napa Auto store to purchase 134a coolant for the coach’s dash air condition, the local post office to return a Netflix DVD plus a stop at a local winey was the order of the day. I purchase a bottle of Fujishim Family late harvest Chardonnay. Raija purchased local cherries and a can of Hell’s Canyon peaches. Hopefully the peaches will end up in a pie.

Our Marsing ID Home Site – The Snake River is just beyond the trees.

Snake River

Snake River & Approaching Thunder Storm

Day 07–Wells NV to Marsing Idaho–July 6, 2011

2011-07-06T19:52:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 284
Total Mileage To Date: 1176

We continued north from Wells Nevada to Twin Falls Idaho and then west on I-84 just passed Boise to Marsing where we will spend five nights by the Snake River.

The Boise area is having a two day run of the hottest days of this year. Last year the cold and rain followed us all summer, hopefully the heat does not follow us on this trip.

We plan to explore the area over the next few days. Tonight we will just relax after today’s long drive.

The City of Marsing, Idaho, is situated in the scenic Snake River Valley; surrounded by beautiful views, lush wine country, and expansive outdoor recreation areas. Cherry season is in full swing and many of the wineries will be open over the weekend so we should find plenty of things to do during our stay here.

Day 06–Caliente NV to Wells NV–July 5, 2011

2011-07-06T18:52:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 279
Total Mileage To Date: 891

Today we resumed our travel north from Caliente to Wells NV in the hopes of finding cooler days. When we arrived in Wells it was 90 F and we woke to a cool 51 F. Hopefully 100 degree plus days are behind us.

We will spend just one night in Wells and then continue north.

As it was a long driving day, we did not do any sightseeing, just dinner, catching up on email and some travel blog catching up but here is a little of Wells history:

The Wells began as Humboldt Wells along the trail to California. It was subsequently founded as a railroad town along the original Transcontinental Railroad, and was once a stopover for passenger trains. The Humboldt River has its source in springs and a swampy area just west of the city that today is called Humboldt Wells. In the late 19th century, Humboldt Wells was burning down, and in a frantic plea for help, a telegraph was sent that said, "Wells is burning". After the town was rebuilt it was simply referred to as 'Wells'.

Day 5–4th of July in Caliente, Nevada

2011-07-06T18:19:00.001-07:00

This morning at 6:00 AM the coach trembled and there was a loud explosion followed by three more a few seconds apart. Caliente has a tradition of starting the 4^th of July with setting off sticks dynamite at 6:00 AM. The awakening call is followed by a pancake breakfast.

At 11:00 AM there was the traditional small town parade.

Caliente 2011 4th of July Parade

We attended the parade and then return to the RV Park for lunch.

After lunch we drove to Kershaw-Ryan State Park. The park is just a few miles from Caliente. The canyon was settled in 1873 by Samuel and Hannah Kershaw, who operated a ranch called the Meadow Valley Wash Ranch. In 1904 they sold the property to rancher James Ryan; The Ryan’s donated the land to the state in 1926 to be a public park. They felt that more people could enjoy the canyon if it was a state park. The Civilian Conservation Corps developed visitor amenities in 1934. Kershaw–Ryan State Park was officially established the following year.

The park hosts four distinct plant communities, the riparian along the cool, moist canyon floor; the mountain brush which is found in shady pockets on the canyon walls; the cool desert shrub which includes sagebrush and rabbit brush found in dry areas and the pinion-juniper woodlands found in higher elevations. Gambel’s oak occurs in small groves near the pond along with apple, pear, and plum trees from the orchard planted by the Kershaw’s in the late 1800s.

At 9:00 PM, Caliente had their fireworks show that we were able to watch from the RV Park.

2011 Caliente 4th of July Fireworks

Day 4–Caliente Nevada–07-03-2011

2011-07-04T16:40:00.005-07:00

Our RV Park in Caliente

Today was spent exploring Caliente and the local area.
The area that now includes Caliente was originally settled in the early 1860's by Ike and Dow Barton, two Negro slaves who had escaped from Arkansas. In the early 1870’s the area was known as Dutch Flat, with Jackman Ranch being established. In 1874, ranchers Charles and William Culverwell purchased the Jackman Ranch and renamed it as Culverwell Ranch. It was later referred to as "Culverwell." Along with ranching, the family earned a living by providing hay for the mining camps in Pioche and Delamar.
Culverwell became "Calientes" (the Spanish word for hot) after the hot springs found in a cave at the base of the surrounding mountains. The town was surveyed, and on August 3, 1901, a post office opened and postal officials renamed the town Caliente, dropping the ‘s’. The railroad line was completed in 1905, and by 1910, Caliente was the largest town in Lincoln County with 1,755 residents.
A two-story wooden structure served as a train depot until burning down in one of Caliente's disastrous fires. In 1923, the impressive Caliente Train Depot was built, a classic Mission-style building constructed of tan stucco. This two-story building included the railroad station, private offices and a community center on the first floor, while the second level featured a hotel.

Caliente Nevada

After lunch, we toured Cathedral Gorge State Park.

The spires and buff-colored cliffs are the result of geologic processes occurring over tens of millions of years. The beauty enjoyed today had violent beginnings, starting with explosive volcanic activity that, with each eruption, deposited layers of ash hundreds of feet thick. The source of this ash, the
Caliente Caldera Complex, lies to the south of Cathedral Gorge.
About five million years after the eruptions ceased, block faulting, a fracture in the bedrock that allows the two sides to move opposite each other, shaped the mountains and valleys prevalent in Nevada today.
This faulting formed a depression, now known as Meadow Valley.
Over time, the depression filled with water creating a freshwater lake. Continual rains eroded the exposed ash and pumice left from the volcanic activity, and the streams carried the eroded sediment into the newly formed lake. The formations, made of silt, clay and volcanic ash, are the remnants of that lake. As the landscape changed and more block faulting occurred, water drained from the lake exposing the volcanic ash sediments to the wind and rain, causing erosion of the soft material called Bentonite clay.

Cathedral Gorge from Miller Point Overlook

Day 3–Bullhead City to Caliente, Nevada–July 2, 2011

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To days mileage: 346
Miles to date: 613

The Bullhead City forecast for the next couple of days is 115 to 119 F. The refrigerator temperature is 53 F. Time to change plans and move on to the next destination, Ely Nevada where the forecast is 91 F.

We got up a 6:00 A.M. and were on our way by 7:30 A.M. Even through it is the July 4th weekend traffic was very light even through Las Vegas. Nevada, outside of the Las Vegas and Reno areas is very sparsely populated. There was very little traffic on road and we went from a few hundred feet above sea level to several thousand. Altitude translates into cooler temperature so we traded the 115 to 119 temperatures for 90 to 100 F temperatures which make a big difference. The air conditioning can now cool the coach to below 80 F and the refrigerator is starting to recover.

Now the original route was US 93 to Nevada 318 and rejoin US 93 at Ely as US 93 as an easterly loop in it and 318 goes more directly to Ely. However Raija noticed that the easterly loop of 93 was marked as a scenic route. We mutually decided to try the scenic route as we now have some extra days to fill in before our reservations at the busier RV Parks start.

So that is now we ended up at Caliente and oops, Caliente is Mexican for hot! At least Caliente is not as hot as Bullhead City, it is 100 F outside at 2:30 PM. The RV Park owners say that the nights will be cool. The refrigerator is continuing to cool back down so if Raija finds something to explore here, we may do that tomorrow or we may continue to press on to the north and cooler days.

Day 2 – Bullhead City–July 1

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This morning we took a quick ride to Laughlin Nevada which is just across the Colorado River. We drove up and town Casino Drive to see if there were any interesting buffets be advertised. There were none and it was way too hot get out and walk around. So no pictures were taken either of Bullhead City or Laughlin. Maybe tomorrow.

In the afternoon temperature at the RV Park was 113 F. The temperature in the coach rose to 96 F and the refrigerator is struggling with a current temperature of 52 F. We will have to reconsider staying here to July 5th.

Here is a little background on Laughlin:

Laughlin was founded by Don Laughlin, an Owatonna, Minnesota, native who purchased the southern tip of Nevada in 1964 (informally called South Pointe). Don opened what would become the Riverside Resort, offering all-you-can-eat chicken dinners for 98 cents, 12 slot machines and two live gaming tables, plus eight motel rooms. Don wanted to call the community Riverside or Casino but the post office opted for Laughlin instead.

Today many casinos line the Colorado River are linked by a pedestrian thoroughfare known as the Riverwalk.

Even through the Bullhead City / Laughlin area has some of the highest summer time temperatures in the U.S., 100 F to 126 F, the area is a popular summer destination due to being located on the river which provides outdoor water family actives along with the casinos.

The winter seasons brings the American / Canadian snowbird RV population.

Day 1 Home to Bullhead City Arizona–June 30, 2011

2011-07-01T08:39:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage 330
Miles To Date 330

After a false start, had to return home to empty the ice maker in the refrigerator, we made it to our first destination, Bullhead City, Arizona. It was a hot, exhausting trip with outside temperatures over 110 degrees F most of the way. We will wait out the 4th of July Holiday weekend here at Bullhead City. Probably not the best idea as the forecast is for 115 temperatures over the weekend.

Bullhead City is a city located on the Colorado River at the southern border of Lake Mohave and the southern tip of Nevada. Laughlin Nevada is directly across the Colorado River from Bullhead.

Originally Bullhead City was founded as Hardyville, named for its founding father William Hardy, a New York native and an entrepreneur. Hardy established a ferry service across the Colorado River. Hardy was also the postmaster, county supervisor and a member of the Arizona Territorial Legislature.

From 1852 to 1909, steamboats made regular trips up the Colorado River, passing Hardyville regularly. The riverboats played an important part in the early development of the Colorado River and Hardyville. During its hay day, Hardyville had a general store, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, a quartz mill, a billiard hall, and a respectable public hall.

As mining became more profitable a railroad was constructed from Needles, California, through Yucca, Arizona, to Kingman, Arizona, bypassing Hardyville. Soon afterward Hardyville was abandoned and became a ghost town.

The construction of the Davis Dam resurrected Hardyville but under a new name. Bull's Head Rock is a landmark along the Colorado River. The old Hardyville site became the headquarters for the construction project, which was completed in 1953. The construction headquarters was referred to as Bullhead City and a new city was born.

The nearby Lake Mohave developed into a major tourism destination, and with the development of Don Laughlin's casino across the river, Bullhead City grew rapidly. Today tourism is by far the main economy in Bullhead City.

The 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 40,225. Combining nearby communities of Laughlin, Needles, Fort Mohave, and Mohave Valley bring the Bullhead area's total population to over 75,000. Bullhead’s International Airport estimates that more than 115,000 people flew to the city on casino-sponsored charters in 2010.

2011 Summer Travels

2011-06-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

We are starting our summer travels later then usual this year. The hot weather is here and it is past due to head out to the cooler country up north. Our travel plans will take us through the high desert of Nevada to southern Idaho where we will turn west to Oregon’s coast. We will then head north up the coast through Washington and the turn east on US 2 back through northern Idaho and Montana. We hope to be in Montana for huckleberry season. As you know, I love huckleberry pies and huckleberry ice cream.

Planned Route

Our 2011 travel postings should begin on July 1.

Day 120 - Cameron AZ to Home

2010-09-13T19:34:00.001-07:00

September 13, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 302
Total Mileage to Date: 10084

Home at Last!

10,084 miles and 120 days later we are back home to 100 F temperatures. Yes, today’s high here in Tucson was 100.8 degrees F. That is warmer than what we saw up north where the average high was 52 F and I don’t recall a high above 70 F. The average lows were in the upper 30’s and many nights were even below freezing.

Here are the final numbers:

Total Miles 10,084
Diesel – Coach 1,355 gallons
Gasoline – Hummer 68 gallons
Coach Engine Time 225 Hours
Average Coach Speed 45 MPH
Average MPG Coach 7.4
Total Cost of Trip $8857 or around $2214 per month

Day 119 - Junction of Utah 20 & US 89 to Cameron AZ

2010-09-12T15:02:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 234
Total Mileage to Date: 9782
Mileage to Home: 311

Well we finally made it back to Arizona and warm weather. It did get down to 29 F last night but here at Cameron it is 89 F and I am having to run the air condition for the first time in four months.

I was hoping to make it a little farther today but I was getting a little tried so I decided to stay at our usual stop either coming from or going to Tucson.

For more on Cameron, AZ see Day 1

We usually like to spend one more night just north of Phoenix so that we can arrive home just before noon. However, since we have been away from home for so long on this trip, we may just go all the way tomorrow.

Days 117 & 118

2010-09-11T15:37:00.001-07:00

Day 117- September 10, 2010

Day 117 was spent at Camp Charlie’s in Sunset Utah, getting the coach serviced. It took most of the day to get everything finished up but all is done and we are ready to get back on the road Saturday morning.

Day 118 – September 11, 2010

Sunset UT to the Junction of Utah 20 & US 89

Today’s Mileage: 264
Total Mileage to Date: 9548
Mileage to Home: 545

We were on the road by 9:30 AM this morning. We had a little delay as one of the coaches at Charlie’s had our shore power cable pinned to the ground with its mud guard. The coach was empty so there was no one to raise it but with the help of two other coach owners that are staying at Camp Charlie’s, we were able to free it. Then it was off to Smith’s to top the coach off with diesel. Smith’s was selling diesel for $2.729 a gallon, the lowest price on our entire trip.

Today’s run went well and we arrived at the junction of Utah Highway 20 and US 89 around 2:30 PM. Enough driving for one day, besides one can spend the night here free. There is an old abandoned trading post on the corner with a large gravel parking area in back. It makes a perfect place to dry camp for the night.

Tomorrow we should cross back into Arizona.

Day 116 - Idaho Falls, Idaho to Sunset, Utah

2010-09-09T15:59:00.001-07:00

September 9, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 184
Total Mileage to Date: 9284
Mileage to Home: 809

We are now one more state closer to home today; we arrived at Charlie’s Service Sunset, Utah around noon today. It looked just like old times as the parking lot was full of motor homes. Justin, Charlie’s son, came out to greet us and quickly parked our coach so we could set it up and have lunch.

The day started out cold and rainy. This afternoon the skies have cleared and the temperature made it to 72 F, one of the warmest days that we have had during our entire trip. The forecast for tonight is 46 F and for tomorrow sunny with a high of 66 F.

If all goes well they will service our coach tomorrow and we will be on our way Saturday morning otherwise we will have to stay at Camp Charlie’s through the weekend.

Day 115 - Deer Lodge Montana to Idaho Falls, Idaho

2010-09-08T14:11:00.001-07:00

September 8, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 233
Total Mileage to Date: 9100
Mileage to Home: 992

Today’s update is from the Idaho Falls, Idaho Wal-Mart parking lot where we will be spending the night. We are now two states south of the Canadian border and one more state closer to home. We are also less than 1000 miles from home.

The cold nights and overcast skies continue last night’s low was 31 F. It is warmer here at Idaho Falls, currently 78 F so that is an improvement; however, the forecast is for thunderstorms tonight and tomorrow.

Dinner will be a Wal-Mart roasted chicken and whatever else the deli has to offer. An advantage, besides being able to spend the night free, is a quick easy dinner from the deli that is usually good for two night’s dinner. Also one can replenish grocery supplies and other items.

Days 111 to 114

2010-09-07T15:39:00.002-07:00

September 3rd through 6th, 2010

The cold cloudy weather must have followed us from Alaska. During our stay in Marion with our friends, the nights went below freezing, one night was as low as 28 F and the days seem to hover around the typical 52 F that haunted us through Canada and Alaska.

The days flew by doing repairs on the motor home and helping Don with his projects on the new home they are building.

Of course the best thing doing our stay was Karen’s huckleberry pie that she baked. Evening meals were prime rib, halibut and steaks. As you can see, we ate well.

Day 114 - Marion Montana to Deer Lodge Montana

September 7, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 233
Total Mileage to Date: 8867
Mileage to Home: 1228

Today we are continuing our journey home. Today’s route took us south on Montana US 93 from Kalispell past Flathead Lake to Missoula MT. In Missoula we topped off the propane tank at Bretz RV for $0.99 per gallon. We then travel east on I-90 to Deer Lodge Montana. Deer Lodge has a Conoco / Pacific Pride Card Lock station with a large parking lot in back for truck and RV overnight parking.

There is even free WiFi here.

I filled up the coach with diesel and we will spend the night here dry camping. So far there is one other RV and two trucks.

Day 110 – Marion Montana

2010-09-03T16:41:00.001-07:00

September 3, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 61
Total Mileage to Date: 8634
Mileage to Home: 1461

Last night we dried camped at a pull off on US 93 between Eureka MT and Whitefish MT. In the morning we proceed to the new Super Wal-Mart in Kalispell to purchase in a few supplies for the remainder of the trip to home.

We are now at our friends’ home on McGregor Lake in Marion Montana. We will wait out the Labor Weekend here and then continue our journey towards home.

Our updated ETA home is September 14^th. This is subject to change of course, especially on how quickly the service on the coach proceeds at Charlie’s Service.

Days 108 and 109

2010-09-02T15:31:00.003-07:00

Day 108 – Radium Springs BC

September 1, 2010

Nothing new to report today, just more relaxing, cleaning, laundry and working on the trip’s DVD.

Day 109 – Radium Springs BC to the USA

September 2, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 185
Total Mileage to Date: 8573
Mileage to Home: 1521

We cross the US Border today and are now back on US soil about half way between Eureka and Whitefish, Montana. Tomorrow we will continue to Marion MT where we will spend the Labor Day weekend at with our friends on McGregor Lake.

Over the years of RVing, we have found it best to be setup before a holiday begins and stay put until after the holiday traffic is over. Campsites are difficult to find, especially on long holiday weekends plus driving a big rig in holiday traffic is not fun either. Labor Day is also a holiday in Canada and being this close the Canadian Border there is bound to be added traffic from the Canadians.

It is nice to be back in the USA again and be able to use my Verizon Data Card out in the middle of nowhere to connect to the internet.

Tuesday, we will resume our journey home.

Day 107 – Radium Hot Springs

2010-08-31T15:03:00.001-07:00

August 31, 2010

I decided to rent the internet cable modem for one more day to finish catching up on all the online necessities that were left unattended by nine days or so without internet access. Besides it was another rainy day so it was a good use of time indoors, in the coach. It should also be fast enough to watch an online Netflix movie tonight.

Nothing else to report on today, just a few minor repairs, laundry and other chores accomplished.

Day 106 – Donald BC to Radium Springs BC

2010-08-30T19:47:00.002-07:00

August 30, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 81
Total Mileage to Date: 8388
Mileage to Home: 1707

Day 95 was the last day posted until today so go back to day 96 for videos of bears and a cub catching salmon at Hyder AK and day 104 for howling wolves at Golden BC plus the other missed days.

I forgot to mention that the other night low was 30 degrees F and the high was only 47 F. Today was a little better, the morning low was 43 F and today’s high in Radium Springs was 59 F.

We are now back at Radium Valley Vacation Resort in Radium Springs, BC. Radium Valley Vacation Resort was our first stop in Canadian back in May when we started our journey. We will spend 3 nights here and then cross back into the US at Eureka, Montana.

We can even get Montana Kalispell’s NBC station here via the RV Park’s cable connection so now we are able to watch local and national news again.

Our WiFi luck continues to haunt us. The WiFi was fairly good in May but now the signal is weak and the data rate is very slow. Fortunately they had an alternative, rent a cable modem for $5 per day. It is not quite as fast as one would expect a cable connection, 1.39 Mbps download and 0.480 Mbps upload. Well at least I seem to be making some headway on uploading the blog videos and posting previous blogs.

Next diesel fill up will be in Montana, bye to Canada’s $4 plus diesel & gas prices.

Day 105 Campers Haven RV Park – Donald BC

2010-08-30T19:41:00.001-07:00

August 29, 2010

Today is our last day at Donald’s Campers Haven RV Park. I am not sure if Donald is even a town or just a dot in the road as we never did find a town. The RV Park is a nice place to stay. It has good scenery as it is surrounded by mountains although while we were here the mountains were hidden by low clouds.

In the afternoon, we drove 15 miles to Golden for groceries. I spotted a Best Western and a Ramada Inn so it was off to the Best Western’s parking lot to see if they had open WiFi. One needed a code from the front desk so it was off to the Ramada’s parking lot. WiFi luck at last, the Ramada’s WiFi was open to all. We downloaded our email for the first time in about nine days.

Next it was off to the grocery store and then back to Donald to get ready for a travel day.

Day 104 – Wolf Centre Golden BC

2010-08-30T19:37:00.001-07:00

August 28, 2010

Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre is located in Golden, BC. The Centre promotes wolf and bear conservation.

The wolves of Northern Lights have all been adopted from various facilities. Born and bred in captivity, the wolves are not candidates for release into the wild. Each wolf has been socialized (imprinted) from a very young age. This allows Northern Lights to use them for education and photography. It also makes their lives in captivity less stressful, since people do not make them nervous.

Tyler, Maya & Tuk

Wolves howling video

Karelian Bear Dog

Today Karelian Bear Dogs are used to protect bears by scaring bears away from urban areas. The Karelian Bear Dogs have no fear of bears as they were originally bred to hunt bears. In Russia and the Scandinavian Countries the dogs were used to locate bear dens in the winter while the bears were hibernating. The dogs would enter the den, attack the bear, waking it up, and chase the bear out of the den to the waiting hunters.

Click here to go to Northern Lights Wild Life Centre.

Day 103 – Lake Louise BC to Donald BC

2010-08-30T19:17:00.001-07:00

August 27, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 68
Total Mileage to Date: 8307
Mileage to Home: 1787

Still no internet service but at least tonight in the campground, we do have cell phone service.

Today was just a short hop over the mountains to Donald BC to see wolves. The RV Park advertised internet but for some reason it does not connect if one is running Vista. They have Hughes-Net and the company / person that configured the router is in Mexico and they have not been able to correct the problem. So it looks as if we will have to wait for Radium Hot Springs for internet service.

The drive was mostly through rain that limited some of the better scenic views. Below are pictures and video taken during today’s drive.

Day 103 Drive Video

Day 102 – Mount Robson BC to Lake Louise BC

2010-08-30T19:12:00.001-07:00

August 26, 2010

Today’s Mileage: 198
Total Mileage to Date: 8239
Mileage to Home: 1854

Still no internet service but at least tonight in the campground, we do have cell phone service.

We departed the Yellow Head Highway, 16, and headed south on the Icefields Parkway, Highway 93. The stretch of highway that we traveled starts in Jasper, Alberta and ends at Lake Louise. One passes down the center of the Canadian Rockies.

Columbia Glacier

Young Cow Elk

Bow Lake

Day 102 Video

Day 101 – Mount Robson

2010-08-30T18:40:00.001-07:00

August 25, 2010

Like yesterday, we are still without cell phone and internet service.

Today was spent just relaxing, a small hike and enjoying the view.

Mount Robson

Canadian Rockies

Tomorrow we will turn south at Jasper, Alberta and work our way a little farther towards home.

We should have at least some cell service along the way but probably will not have internet service for another day or two. It will be nice once we are back in the states where I can use my Verizon data card to connect to the internet.

Day 100 – Prince George BC to Mount Robson BC

2010-08-30T18:38:00.003-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 183
Total Mileage to Date: 8041
Mileage to Home: 1986

It would appear that we may not have internet service until we get to Radium Hot Springs unless we locate a WiFi hotspot in Jasper. We are now in Mount Robson Provincial Park near the base of Mount Robson. There is no cell service here either. We did have cell phone service along Highway 16 but lost it near the entrance to the park.

Mount Robson is the highest mountain, 12,972 feet or 3954 meters, in the Canadian Rockies.

Day 99 – Telkwa BC to Prince George BC

2010-08-30T18:38:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage: 219
Total Mileage to Date: 7858
Mileage to Home: 2168

We still do not have internet so this posting too will have to wait for another day. There are quite a few WiFi stations in the area but they are all secured. Gone on the days when one could tap into someone’s unsecured wireless router.

Today we continued east on BC 16, the Yellow Head Highway to Prince George where we will spend the night in the Costco Parking lot.

Today’s drive was somewhat smoky has BC has quite a few forest fires. Other than the smoke the drive was uneventful.

Day 98 – Hyder Alaska to Telkwa British Columbia

2010-08-30T18:37:00.001-07:00

Today’s Miles: 217
Total Miles to Date: 7639
Miles Remaining: 2385

August 22, 2010

No internet so this update will be posted another day.

We left Hyder Alaska and Alaska for the last time. Our route was back along BC 37A to BC 37, the Cassiar Highway to BC 16, known as the Yellow Head Highway.

Now just when one might think that we would be through with glaciers, I found one more to photograph along the way. It lies between Hyder and the junction of highways 37 & 37A.

Bear Glacier

The terminus of Bear Glacier is near the edge of Highway 37A. The lake is formed from the glacier runoff. There is a natural dam on the lake and the water then flows into Bear River. Smaller glaciers also add to the flow of Bear River as it makes its way into the Pacific Ocean.

We are just a little pass Smithers BC in a small community of Telkwa and are spending the night at Fort Telkwa RV Park.

Bulkley River views from our RV Camping Site

Day 97 – Camp Run-A-Muck Hyder Alaska

2010-08-30T18:33:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the start of several travel days so today is being spent as a camp day doing cleaning, laundry, emptying tanks and running the Reverse Osmosis to fill the fresh water tank. There is a fairly good chance that we will end up drying camping over the next several nights. We will also probably be without internet service for a while but hopefully we may have cell phone service once we get to Canada’s Yellow Head Highway.

Tonight we will have dinner at “The Bus” in Hyder. It is a very, very, old bus without tires, etc., but is reported to have very good fish & chips.

Day 96 – Salmon Glacier & Fish Creek

2010-08-30T18:30:00.001-07:00

August 20, 2010

In the morning we stopped at Fish Creek to see if there were any bears. As usual, we had just missed one.

Above & Below Fish Creek Bear Viewing Platform

We hung around to 11:00 AM but no bears so was it decided to proceed to Salmon Glacier. The road to Salmon Glacier is the same dirt road that starts in Hyder and goes to Fish Creek. Just a few miles farther up the road, one crosses back into British Columbia. There is just a sign that “Welcomes You to BC”. The road is an old mining road that was used to transport miners to and from the mines in BC.

Old mining buildings

There is some new exploration in progress due to the high price of gold.

The Salmon Glacier is the fifth largest glacier in North America. Salmon Glacier is a potential major natural hazard. Summit Lake is located at the northern end of the glacier and every year around mid-July the lake breaks an ice-dam and then flows under the Salmon Glacier into the Salmon River. This causes the river to rise approximately 4 – 5 feet for several days.

One Terminus of Salmon Glacier

Near the Peak of Salmon Glacier

Second Terminus of Salmon Glacier

Third Terminus of Salmon Glacier

Salmon Glacier Video

Smaller Glacier 17 miles up the road from Salmon Glacier

On the way back from Salmon Glacier, we again stopped at the bear viewing area. This time, we had better luck. Myra and her spring cub came to try their luck at salmon fishing. They were quite successful.

Myra and Her Cub

Cub decides mama’s fish is better

The cub has not been named by the Forest Service yet has they do not know its sex.

Myra is off to catch another salmon

Mira decides to depart the area to protect her cub from Dog Bear, a male grizzly.

As the bears move up and down stream looking for fish, the onlookers follow them on the platform. In the video you will hear people talking along with the sounds of the stream, the bears in the stream and even the bears crunching the salmon.

Myra & her cub video

Dog Bear

Dog Bear is a battled scared, adult, male grizzly. While he is in the area no other bear will approach. He picked up the cub’s scent and checked out the places where Myra and the cub fed on their catches in the brush. He caught several salmon and ate them in the brush along banks of Fish Creek. Male grizzlies will kill cubs if they catch them. The mother will send the cubs up a tree that the male is unable to climb and lead the male off. The cubs will stay in the tree until the mother returns.

Dog Bear wondered off and about five minutes later Monica made her entrance but left quickly without fishing as she must had caught Dog Bear’s scent.

A Blue Heron observing action from a nearby tree

Dog Bear, Monica & Blue Heron Video

Day 95 Hyder & Stewart

2010-08-20T16:02:00.001-07:00

August 19, 2010

In the morning it was off to see if there were any bears fishing for salmon in Fish Creek.

Blue Pond from glacier runoff by Fish Creek

Male Salmon left discarded by the bears.

Both grizzly and black bears often come to this area to feed on chum and pink salmon in the shallow waters of Fish Creek. The Forest Service built a platform over the creek so people can view and photograph the bears feeding on salmon. The bears generally only want the female salmon for the roe. They often only eat the roe and skin. They cannot tell the males from females until they catch a fish. If it is a male, the bears will discard the salmon but it is already fatality wounded.

We waited a couple of hours and when no bears showed up, we drove around Hyder AK and Stewart BC.

A central street in Stewart

Stewart Video

Stewart BC is a larger then Hyder. Stewart’s population is around 700 while Hyder’s is around 100. Stewart also has paved roads and Hyder does not.

Hyder Alaska

Hyder Video

We went back to Fish Creek around 4:00 PM and stayed until 8:00 PM. This time we had better luck. Monica, a female grizzly, came to try her luck. She caught one salmon, ate it in the brush and then left. I missed filming her catching and eating the salmon but I was able to film her entry and exit.

Monica’s Video

The Forest Service named her Monica as she hanged around a male grizzly for a while that was named Bill.

Day 94 – Rabid Grizzly Rest Area to Hyder Alaska

2010-08-19T08:21:00.001-07:00

Today’s Miles: 265
Total Miles to Date: 7422
Miles Remaining: 2602

The road was in fairly good shape so we made it to Hyder, Alaska today.

There has been no cell phone or internet service over the entire route of the Cassiar Highway. We are now at Camp Run-A-Muck RV Park in Hyder. There is no cell phone service here either but the RV Park does have a WiFi Internet service but it is extremely slow.

Steward British Colombia is at the head of the Portland Canal on the AK-BC border. Hyder is 2.3 miles beyond Steward. The only land access to Hyder is through Canada via Canadian Highway 37A, a spur of the Cassiar Highway 37. One must pass through Steward to get to Hyder. There are no banks in Hyder so people and businesses in Hyder, bank in Steward. Therefore Hyder uses Canadian currency. There is a U.S. Post Office in Hyder.

A narrow saltwater fjord approximately 90 miles long forms a national boundary between Alaska and Canada. Prior to the coming of the white man, Nass River Indians new the head of the Portland Canal as “Skam-A-Kounst”, meaning safe place.

In 1896, Captain Gatland explored Portland Canal for the U. S. Corp of Army Engineers. The Stewart brothers arrived in 1902 and in 1905 Robert M. Steward, the first postmaster, named the town Steward. Hyder was first called Portland City. It was renamed Hyder, after Canadian mining engineer Frederick B. Hyder when the U. S. Postmaster told residents that there were already too many cities named Portland.

Gold and silver mining dominated the area and Hyder became an access and supply point for the mines while Stewart served as the center for the Canadian mining activity. Hyder’s economy today is mainly tourism with a little mining and forestry.

Day 93 –Cassiar Highway & Alaskan Highway to Rabid Grizzly Rest Area

2010-08-19T07:35:00.001-07:00

Today’s Miles: 128
Total Miles to Date: 7157
Miles Remaining: 2887

There is no cell phone service or internet service at this overnight location, so like yesterday, today’s blog will have to be posted another day.

We lucked out and were able to join the 10:00 AM convoy through the forest fire area.

Convoy starting to enter heavier smoke

Convoy is entering burned area

Now in burned area, small fires are still visible on both sides of road

Starting to exit burned area

Out of burned area

Pilot car has left convoy and vehicles are spacing apart

Convoy Video

Our first stop after we were free from the convoy was Jade City, population 50 in the summer and around 10 in the winter months. Jade City earned its name as a commercial outlet for Jade mined from the nearby mountains. The Princess Jade Mine located just 90 miles from Jade City in the Cassiar Mountains, accounts for 90% of world’s jade supply. One can purchase jade jewelry, jade carvings and jade rocks at Jade City. Jade rocks are sold by the slice or any tonnage you desire.

Jade City Video

After lunch and some purchases, we traveled another 50 or so miles to the Rabid Grizzly Rest Area that overlooks Dease Lake. We are now within striking distance of Hyder, AK provided the remaining portion of the highway is good. One never knows about the highway conditions or delays due to construction here until you come upon them. Maximum speed on the Cassiar is 80 KMPH. Frost heaves often slow you to less than 40 MPH.

Day 92 – Whitehorse Yukon to Junction of Cassiar Highway & Alaskan Highway

2010-08-19T07:27:00.001-07:00

August 16, 2010

Today’s Miles: 254
Total Miles to Date: 7029
Miles Remaining: 2995

There is no internet here and most likely we will not have internet access until we get to Hyder.

Lunch Stop Teslin Lake

We traveled a little farther than usual today. We originally planned to stop and spend the night about midway between Whitehorse & the junction of Cassiar Highway and the Alaskan Highway. When we stopped for lunch, we had 147 miles left, so we decided to just drive the rest of the way.

We are now dry camping at the junction along with many others waiting for the pilot vehicle in the morning. The Cassiar Highway is closed for approximately 71 kilometers due to a forest fire. Attempts will be made to pilot traffic between 09:00 and 18:00. There is no guarantee of any openings due to erratic fire behavior and heavy smoke. If there is a convoy in the morning, we will be back on track for Hyder Alaska.

Fellow Travelers Line Up Waiting for Tomorrow’s Convoy

Others Join the Wait behind Us

The sky is hazy due to the smoke in the air. It was much worst about 25 miles before the junction when we were in a valley. The forest fire started over three weeks ago. The fire is lightning caused.

Day 91 – Whitehorse Yukon

2010-08-15T15:15:00.001-07:00

It is just a quiet day in Whitehorse doing a few chores in the motorhome and washing the windows on the Hummer and the front windshield on the motorhome. It seems just about impossible to get the windows clean on the Hummer and motorhome. The glacier flour coating seems to have imbedded itself into the glass.

This afternoon was grocery shopping for supplies for the return trip. Whitehorse has a Real Canadian Superstore (RCSS). The RCSS is a cross between a Costco or Wal-Mart Sam’s Club and a grocery store.

The sun is out and it made it to 81 F today. Last night’s low was 47 F. It appears that we will have warmer and clear days as we head south.

Yesterday’s BC Highway 37 report that it was still closed due to the lighting caused forest fire. It is a two days drive to the Junction of the Alaskan Highway and 37. If Highway 37 is still closed, we will continue on to Watson Lake and bypass Hyder AK and the bears.

Day 90 – Destruction Bay, Yukon to Whitehorse Yukon

2010-08-14T17:54:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage 167
Miles to Date 6775
Miles remaining to home 3249

In memory of Charlie who kept the Alfa Coaches in top condition.

I forgot to mention that the other night in Tok was 32 degrees F. Fall is here in the north and the colors are changing.

Our route today took us from Kluane Lake’s Destruction Bay, around the southern tip of the lake and then on to Haines Junction and to Whitehorse.

Fall Colors – Southern Tip of Kluane Lake

At last a sunny day – South Beach Kluane Lake

Kluane Lake is Yukon’s largest lake.

Massive Sheep Mountain, now called Tachal Dhal

Tachal Dhal is home to Dall Sheep. In the summer, the sheep feed high up on the mountain. The winter months brings them down to the valley floor and they are often seen feeding by the roadside.

We will spend two nights in Whitehorse before continuing our journey home.

Day 89 – Tok, AK to Destruction Bay, Yukon

2010-08-13T18:35:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage 224
Miles to Date 6608
Miles remaining to home 3416

We made a little more progress today. We have crossed back into Canada’s Yukon Territory and are now more than halfway to Whitehorse, Yukon. There were no problems at the Canadian Customs. Just the usual questions about firearms and what do you do for a living. Answering “retired” prompted “What did you do before you retired”. So I said that I worked for HP and he said that “we were good to go” and wished us a good day and welcome us to Canada”.

The ride was a little rough to this point. I missed seeing a series of frost heaves. They were spaced just right to bounce the coach up and down hard enough to shake the washer/dryer loose and bow the crossbar rod in tow bar. I was able to get the washer/dryer back in place and have it secured the way Alfa secured it. There is not much to do about the tow bar. I have a spare at home and I should be okay until then as long as I take it easy to Haines Junction. At that point the frost heaves will behind us and we should have good roads the rest of the way.

We are spending the night at Destruction Bay. Destruction Bay is located on the shore of Kluane Lake. Destruction Bay is one of several towns that grew out of the building of the Alaskan Highway. It earned its name when a storm destroyed buildings and materials here. Destruction Bay was one of many relay stations spaced at 100 mile intervals to give truck drivers a break and a chance to repair their vehicles. Given the present road condition, I think nothing has changed as one certainly needs a break from be bounced around and I certainly needed to do some repairs.

A repeater station was also located here, providing telephone and telegraph service. Today the RV Park that we are staying at is providing WiFi service and microwave repeater towers provide cell phone service.

We do have a good view of Kluane Lake put I am a little pooped after today’s drive and repairs to take pictures of the lake. Besides, I think that I posted some of the lake on the way up.

Day 88 – Tok, AK

2010-08-12T16:53:00.003-07:00

It has been a quiet somber day reflecting of the days spent at Camp Charlie and how helpful Charlie was. He was always there to answer your questions either by phone or in person. He treated all of his customers and friends like family. The Alfa Motor Home Family has truly lost one of their own.

This is our last day in Tok. As mentioned before, one must pass through Tok twice when driving via road to and from Alaska. There is only one route to take and it passes through Tok.

Tomorrow we will cross into Canada’s Yukon. Normally it is a two day drive to Whitehorse from Tok but due to the road condition between Tok and Haines Junction, most likely it will require three days. Coming up we had to drive 35 mph or slower because of the frost heave road damage.

We will most likely not have internet access until we reach Whitehorse unless we end up spending the night at a place that has WiFi. We should have cell phone service most of the time unless we end up spending the night in a deep valley.

Days 87 – Chistochina River to Tok, AK

2010-08-12T10:13:00.002-07:00

Today’s Mileage 89
Miles to Date 6384
Miles remaining to home 3640
We arrived in Tok around noon, top off the coach with diesel and gave the coach a quick wash. We are parked by behind the Chevron Station that provides free parking and dump station if you fill up your vehicle.
We will spend two nights here before proceeding back down the Alcan Highway. Tomorrow will be spent doing more cleaning on the outside of the coach and grocery shopping.
We have a very slow internet connection and were able to receive email for the first time in two days. Sadly it brought a notice of a dear friend's passing, Charlie, owner of Charlie’s Service in Sunset, Utah. Charlie will be missed by his many friends.

Days 86 – Sutton AK to Chistochina River

2010-08-12T10:11:00.001-07:00

Today’s Mileage 172
Miles to Date 6295
Miles remaining to home 3729

There is no internet where we are spending the night, so hopefully I will be able to post this in Tok tomorrow.

Well we did not quite make it to Tok today. The mountain grades / curves, narrow road and frost heaves made a rough, tiredly long driving day so we stop about 88 miles short of Tok to relax and spend the night. This will put us into Tok tomorrow before lunch.

The drive was very scenic, especially the portion along the Matanuska River and views of the Matanuska Glacier and Chugach Mountains. This time the clouds were high and we were able to see the glacier much better.

Matanuska River

The Matanuska River is created by the Matanuska Glacier.

Matanuska River Drive Video

Matanuska Glacier

As you will recall from the our travel log going the other way, the Matanuska Glacier is over 27 miles long, with an average width of 2 miles (4 miles wide at its terminus) and 18,000 years ago it terminus was at Palmer, 53 miles from the present terminus. The glacier head is in the Chugach Mountains.

Chugach Mountains

Matanuska Glacier & Chugach Mountains Video

View of Chistochina River from our Overnight Parking Site

Our Mountain View from Chistochina River from our Overnight Parking Site

Days 84 & 85 – Kenai AK to Sutton AK

2010-08-11T20:35:00.001-07:00

Day 84:

Today is our last day on the Kenai Peninsula. Most of the day was spent in preparation for the return leg of our trip such as laundry, vacuuming and storing items that were left out during the last couple of weeks. The evening was spent enjoying giant, fresh Alaskan King Crab legs and relaxing.

Day 85:

Today’s Mileage 205
Miles to Date 6123
Miles remaining to home 3901

We left Kenai and made our way up over the pass and then back down to the Turnagain Arm.

Turnagain Arm Video

Lunch at Turnagain Arm

A little farther up the arm we top off the coach with diesel at the Essential Diesel station, price $3.519 a gallon, the lowest price we have found since crossing the 49^th parallel. We than maneuvered our way through Anchorage to AK 1 Highway and are spending the night at a roadside pullout just a few miles before Sutton Alaska. We are about 250 miles from Tok, so it may be possible that we will make it to Tok tomorrow unless we slowed too much by frost heaves in the highway.

There is no internet access here, so this posting will need to wait for another day.

Days 82 & 83 – Clam Gulch

2010-08-07T20:47:00.001-07:00

Well we have a winner in our search for the bakery that makes the best Cinnamon Buns. The winner is the Moose Is Loose Bakery in Soldotna AK. Not only do they have the best cinnamon rolls, they also bake excellent Russian bread.

There is a big forest fire in British Columbia that has closed BC Highway 37, part of our return path. If 37 is still closed when we get to it, we will have to give up on Jade City and Hyder Alaska and back track all the way back down the Alcan Highway. It is still about a week before we get to the junction of the Alcan Highway and BC 37 so hopefully 37 will be back open by then. Of course there is the chance that the fire will make it to the junction. If that happens and they close the Alcan Highway, then we are trapped here until one of the highways is reopened.

DAY 82:

Day 82 was another rainy day and ended up to be another good day just to relax in the coach.

DAY 83:

It was partly sunny this morning so we decided to drive to Clam Gulch. Clam Gulch boasts the finest clamming in the world. It is famous for its razor clams. We arrived late morning. It is a good beach for clamming but it is not suitable for a motor home. The beach requires four drive vehicles to drive on it as the beach comes all the way up to the cliffs. There is a state campground just off the beach but the campground is only suitable for small campers and tents. The only campground on the beach to accommodate large RVs on the Kenai Peninsula that we have found so far is the Deep Creek State Park one in Ninilchik.

In the afternoon the blue sky yielded to the clouds and the rain started to fall again. Tomorrow’s forecast is for more rain. It will be a good day for housekeeping in preparation to the start of our return to the lower 48 on Monday.

Day 81 – Aug. 5, 2010 Kenai, Nikiski & Captain Cook State Park

2010-08-05T20:20:00.001-07:00

At last a break in the weather, so we toured Kenai, Nikiski and Captain Cook State Park.

Kenai is one of the older permanent settlements in Alaska. The area was first occupied by the Kachemak people from 1000 B.C., until they were displaced by the Dena'ina Athabaskan people around 1000 A.D.

Before the arrival of the Russians, Kenai was a called Shk'ituk't, which means "where we slide down." When Russian fur traders first arrived in 1741, about 1,000 Dena'ina lived in the village. The traders called the people "Kenaitze," or "Kenai people."

In 1791, a Russian trading post, Fort St. Nicholas, was constructed in the middle of the village for the purposes of fur and fish trading. It was the second permanent Russian settlement in Alaska.

Hostilities surfaced between the natives and settlers in 1797 when what is dubbed the battle of Kenai, an incident in which the Dena'ina attacked Fort St. Nicholas, resulting in over one hundred deaths from all involved parties. Later, in 1838, the introduction of smallpox killed one half of the Dena'ina population.

In 1869, after the Alaska Purchase the United States Army established a post called Fort Kenay. It was soon abandoned.

In 1888 a prospector named Alexander King discovered gold on the Kenai Peninsula. The amount of gold was small compared to the later gold finds in the Klondike, Nome and Fairbanks.

The Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church and a chapel were built in the 1894 to minister to the growing Orthodox congregation. It is the oldest Orthodox Church in Alaska. For the Kenaitze Indians, it was the major institution for the assimilation into the western culture when the Russian fur traders first came to the area. The church also served as the first school in the area and as a judicial center acting as arbiter between the Russian-American Fur Trading Company and the Natives.

Chapel

The establishment of shipping companies in the early 1900s broadened Kenai into a port city. Canning companies were established and helped fuel the commercial fishing boom that was the primary activity through the 1920s. In 1937, construction of the Kenai Airport began.

In 1940, homesteads were opened in the area. The first dirt road from Anchorage was constructed in 1951; pavement would not arrive until 1956 with the construction of the Kenai Spur highway.

The city of Kenai is named after the local Dena'ina (Tanaina) word 'ken' or 'kena', which means 'flat, meadow, open area with few trees, according to the Dena'ina Topical Dictionary by James Kari, Ph.D., published in 2007. This describes the area along the mouth and portion of the Kenai River near the City of Kenai.

We passed through Nikiski on our way to Captain Cook State Park. Nikiski has several major oil owned refineries and related petroleum product plants to process the Cook Inlet oil wells.

Captain Cook State Recreation Area is named for Captain James Cook, the famous English mariner, who in 1778 explored what is now known as Cook Inlet. At that time the area was occupied by Taniana Indians who harvested seasonal runs of salmon and other wild foods.

We had hope it would be a nice place on Cook Inlet for the RV but the campsites are too small for anything but small campers and tents.

It is a very scenic area through and we did see a large cow moose and her calf. No luck through in getting their picture. They disappear into the thick woods before one can even get the camera out.

Stormy Lake – Captain Cook State Park

Yes, the lake’s name is Stormy Lake.

Stormy Lake

Day 80 – Soldotna Camp Day

2010-08-04T15:26:00.001-07:00

Well it rained throughout the night and there is still a steady downpour today. Us desert folks are not use to rain so we are having another camp day just relaxing and watching the locals from inside our coach. It is now 2:00 PM and the outside temperature is 58 F. The forecast is for more rain for the next couple of days so we may have to just bite the bullet and do our day trips in the rain.

There has been one benefit to the rain; no glacier flour has appeared throughout the coach on this trip as it did during our 2005 Alaskan trip.

There was a large solar flare a day or so ago and it was predicted that the northern lights would appear. I was hoping to see them but with continued overcast skies here, I think that I will be out of luck.

Days 78 & 79 – Kasilof Beach & River

2010-08-03T16:52:00.001-07:00

Day 78 was spent doing laundry, housekeeping and minor electrical repairs. The sun did come out in the afternoon.

Today, day 79, we had hoped to take a drive along the beach to Cook Inlet but as you might have guess, we woke to rain and low clouds. By lunch, there was a break in the clouds so we decided to explore the Kasilof area.

The Russian leader of the Lebedef-Lastochkin Company, Kolomin, built a stockade at the location of Kasilof in 1786. It was called Saint George, probably after the name of one of the ships of the company. An agricultural settlement of Dena'ina grew around the stockade. The area came to be called Kasilof after the Kasilof River in the 1800s.

The Kasilof River is a river on the western Kenai Peninsula begins at Tustumena Lake and flows northwest to Cook Inlet near Kasilof. The upper section of the river is very swift. Due to the silty nature of the glacial runoff that comprises most of the river it is idea for salmon fish wheels as the salmon cannot see the fish wheel as they swim upstream to spawn.

The first fish wheel was probably invented in China. They have been used in countries all over the world including China, Japan, France, and the United States. Fish wheels were being used to catch fish in North Carolina as early as 1829. This technology was in use in the Columbia River drainage by 1879. Gold stampeders brought the technology to Alaska in the late 1800's where it quickly caught on along Interior river systems.

Fish wheels consist of two large baskets that turn on an axle. They are rotated by the river current and scoop up passing fish as they turn. Captured fish slide down a chute into a holding box that is emptied several times a day.