October 11, 2013

On the road again today.  We left Tillamook OR, stopped through Salem, the Capital and ended up in Bend.  Weather today was much more pleasant after we got a few miles away from the coastline.

The temps have been cooler for a bit and the trees are finally beginning to change.  We know that for you Mainers out there, this doesn't look all that great but for us, we have been waiting to see some color.

This is actually a National Government site that was right next to the road, so we really couldn't be stopped from looking.  Canada Geese and many more than what the picture shows.

Oregon became a state in 1859.  The Capitol building burned in 1935 and the new one was finished 3 years later.  It is more simple in style on the inside.

The current Governor's portrait is certainly a step outside the box.  He was first elected in 1995 for 2 terms, was termed out and reelected in 2010.  Prior to becoming a governor, John Kitzhaber was a practicing physician.

This is the site where Oregon's first provisional government was formed by a historical vote in 1843.  The area in now a state historic park.  This painting is on the front wall of the state's house chamber.
Today, when a bill comes up for a vote, everyone has one minute to vote and it has to be a yea or nay.  There is no provision for abstention.

The Capitol Dome

This is a view of one of the buildings across the street.  It is on the Willamette University campus.

Tom treated Alice to lunch.  When is the last time you enjoyed a roll?

This Elm tree brought back memories for Tom.  At the age of 6, he fell out of a tree like this one that was on the front lawn of the house on Main street.  Mom was pregnant with J. Edward at the time. You know how kids are...3 days later Doc Herring had to break it and reset it.

Fill er up.

Leaving Salem, we enjoyed a nice ride to Bend.  Along the way, we drove further south than Newport, ME., and we went from about 300 feet in altitude to almost 4900 feet before we settled back to the high plains area around 3500 feet.  More coloring in the leaves.

Mount Washington, west of Bend.

The beginning of the high plains ares with a few trees still around.  Not many shrubs.

A different view of Mount Washington, 7794 feet.

These 3 mountains are called the Sisters.  They are all just oven 10,000 feet.

The Middle Sister and the North Sister.

While Tom was taking these pictures, he met a woman that used to live in Portland.  She used to work at B&M Baked Beans.  Wonderful day, wonderful ride.

October 10, 2013

As we were leaving the State of Washington, we would like to share one of the better pictures of the day.
This is the bridge across the Columbia River, a 4 mile span that finishes in Astoria Oregon which is the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies.  The Oregon coastline is open to all, similar to California.

 Haystack Rock

 

In many places along the coastline, the drop off is quite steep.  This one was at least 300 feet down.

Fishing is very popular along the upper part of the coastline although the size of the operation is sometimes small.  We saw many boats out today.

After spending a good portion of the day weaving in and out of small resort towns, we arrived in Tillamook, OR.  We visited a cheese factory and a Quilt museum.

The vats each holds over a 53,000 pounds of milk and the plant takes in 1.7 million pounds of milk a day to make on average 167,000 pounds of cheese daily.

Can anyone guess what this does?

Tomorrow we make the big turn east and are starting to long for home.  We were on facetime with Garrett and Emmett. 

 Tomorrow, going through Salem  Governor John Kitzhaber's budget.  There is a lot to like here.



Take care all.

October 9, 2013

Today was a lazy day just taking a ride here and there.  We took a little 18 mile drive down the coast to Ocean Shores.  It turned out to be a neat place.  There are lots of resorts to stay in, a Casino nearby and lots of busy Salons.  Grammie couldn't find a place to get a haircut anywhere as 5 places where we stopped were booked for the day.  We finally went to Aberdeen and got Grammie all fixed up.

It really wasn't much of a picture day but we got 2.

Brown Deer, Brown Deer, what do you see?  I see Grammie looking at me.

After we got back to the room, we headed down to the beach for a walk.  The tide was heading out and there was no wind today.  Grammie with a handful of Sand Dollars, what fun.  Does it really get any better than this?

Tomorrow we leave, headed for the Oregon coastline.   After 42 days, the turn around starts.

October 8, 2013

Today we took off to Quinault Lake on the western side of Olympic National Park.  This is the beginning of a long stretch of Rain Forest that extends several hundred miles into Canada. The dominant species in the rain forest are Sitka spruce and western hemlock. Some of the trees grow to 300 feet in height and 23 feet in circumference.  Douglas-fir, western red cedar, bigleaf maple, red alder, vine maple, and black cottonwood are also found throughout the forest.

 Douglas Fir

 This one was about 25 feet in circumference.

The downed trees laying on the ground are called nurse trees because they provide food and nutrients for new life.  All of these small plants are growing out of a nurse tree and not the soil.

 This one is a source of nutrition for many insects. Almost large enough to crawl through.

 Many good pictures of the sky through the trees.

 Plenty of moss growing from the trees...sort of reminds us of Savannah.

Vine Maple grows close to the ground and the tree is covered with with sharp barbs similar to a Black Raspberry bush.  This leaf was about 22 inches wide.

 

 A strange formation of a tree growing on a trunk.

Rhododendrons still in bloom.  The hardwood trees here are still predominantly green and haven't started to turn colors.

 Lake Quinault

 The Lodge at Lake Quinault.

 Grammie holding a Broadleaf Maple leaf.

 A world record Sitka Spruce Tree.  191 feet tall, 59 feet in circumference and about 1000 years old.

 We can't imagine what a Giant Sequoia would be like.

 Cascade Falls.

 Beautiful falls that we didn't have to walk to.

 Back at Pacific Beach.  Our room is up over the cliff about 100 feet higher.

 Grammie wasn't sticking her toes in the water but she came close.

 Still plenty of wind today but at least it was on the coast and not inland.

 

All in all, a good weather day...lots of beautiful sights.

October 7, 2013

Today was our last day in Seattle and we finished our time in the city visiting with Corinna native John Coons.  As with any visit with someone who lives a great distance away, it is always special to make contact when you are in the neighborhood.  John is doing well and enjoying his busy life in Seattle. His work day starts late and finishes late. He is enthusiastic about the contacts he has made with people from many varied occupations and it suits him well.
 Seattle is a city where there are great views of the sun, the water and a blend of many people who are slower paced and yet more helpful than one would find on the east coast.  Sometimes people complain about the traffic but they haven't driven in Boston yet.

We headed to Olympia, the state capital and did a tour of the capital building.  Washington became a State in 1889 but the Capitol building wasn't finished until 1929.  The inside has a lot of marble from, Italy, France and Germany.  Several of the lighting fixtures are Tiffany and are really amazing.  The one in the Rotunda is said to be large enough to fit an older VW, without bumpers, inside the cage.

Can you find the shape of a dog's head in this piece of Italian marble?

 

Five tons of Tiffany lamp.

After 6,282 we finally reached the Pacific Ocean where we will make do with whatever National Park opportunities we might have.
Pictures, oh yeah.  Let me start by testing your mind.  Imagine the best ocean sunset view you have ever seen.  You know, the one with the sun just going down and the sky ablaze with the sun shining on the clouds in an array of reds, yellows, oranges and pinks.  Got the image, now cover over it with grays  hiding the Sun behind the clouds, tossing in occasional bouts of rain and penetrating wind.  Does is sound a lot like Monday's Maine weather.  The picture wasn't all that great but I'm sure you got the picture.

Today's Where's Grammie picture is of Grammie standing barefooted in the cold ocean water. Well you must have just lost your mind because that didn't happen.  Maybe tomorrow we can get that picture.

October 6, 2013

Our plans for the day were changed a bit.  We were going to see the Locks that separate the sea from Lake Washington.  Instead of taking a tour boat through the Locks, we decided to drive down there because there was a walking trail along with the Botanical Gardens.  When we got there, the sign on the fence read US GOV Property.  You can imagine the rest of the story.
We decided to go to a nearby State Park that had a walking trail.  The trail was 2.8 miles so away we went.  The trees are a lot older and taller than Maine trees.  I guess it makes sense...in Maine the larger trees would have been long gone for firewood.
After the walk, we drove to downtown Seattle and started walking the streets.  It was Sunday and no $20 parking spaces.

On the Discovery Trail, we caught another view of the Olympic Range.  Hopefully the park will be open early this week even if the weather isn't supposed to be so hot.

 Oh, the great outdoors.  This place had a good view of Elliott Bay but certainly not much outdoor space to move around.  We both noticed that many people were either out walking or cycling and it certainly shows in their fitness level.  Even grandmothers were seen out running.

 We know that at least one of our daughters would have liked this Balsamic Vinegar tasting room.  There is also a tea tasting shop right next door.

A great outdoor day.  Lots of people enjoying temps in the mid 70's.  We are certainly glad that we are beyond South Dakota and the Yellowstone areas.  Lots of snow there that would have stopped us in out tracks.

Miniature flower displays.  Note their size compared to the paper on the table.  They were not real.

Back to Pike's Place (outdoor market).  A great place to people watch.  This car was just double parked in the street shopping a bit.  Because it was an Antique, no one seemed to mind.

 Just a dressed up Mannequin above the street.

 

 There is a lot of neat art work on display.  A lot of it goes for a great price.

 Other people play for money to help them to make it from day to day.  The homeless are very obvious here.

 Grammie was seen in an alleyway.  This is called the Wall of Gum and is on Lower Pike St. For more pictures, Google Gum Wall.

 

Tomorrow we are headed to the State Capital of Olympia and will finish the day on/in the Pacific Coast.  This made our 39th day gone and over 6100 miles on the van.