Northern California

We are biding time in northern California only miles from Napa Valley.  There is a mountain pass between our campsite and the fabled wine country though even here we are surrounded by vineyards and some well known wineries.  Just a hundred yards from our mother ship is a lake inhabited by thousands of birds and yesterday we kayaked among the egrets, blue heron, coots, ducks, pelicans, etc.
Our tour through the Redwoods left us with little doubt that Mother Nature has an eye for the dramatic.  We walked, biked and drove through the giants, gawking, entranced and humbled by the history surrounding us.  Two thousand years old and still healthy, vibrant and prolific.  A three mile hike took us three hours and seemed timeless.  Always looking up makes it difficult to move forward.
In the late 1800's and early 1900's countless pioneer environmentalist took it upon themselves to buy up thousands of acres of these treasures.  Fortunate are we who still have the opportunity to visit and enjoy the gift of the old growth Redwood forests.  National Geographic recently studied the tallest of the tall which is a tree mentioned with frequency but its location never disclosed.  What a fascinating secret.
We spent a great deal of time in Eureka, California, epicenter of the Redwoods.  Quaint towns like Arcata and Ferndale with their stunning Victorian architecture and artistic communities are just are minutes away.   The pace of life in northern California is much slower that other locales in the state and we found the people to be engaging and friendly, anxious to have a conversation with strangers from Jackson Hole.
Lyle McReynolds gave us a tip about a drive that should be kept a secret too but if you go to Eureka we'll be glad to give you directions.  It passes through Redwoods and large family owned ranches sprawling from the mountains to the ocean operated by the fifth to eighth or tenth generation of the family lineage.

Down Highway 101

Along the Columbia River

We pointed the mother ship south after our Olympic Peninsula experience and stopped in Portland, Oregon to regroup for a few days. While we were there we caught up with some of Toni's extended family. Chris and his wife Nita gave us a great tour of this vibrant metropolis where the old and new are juxtaposed in a symphonic style that is pretty unique.

Regrets to Frank and Cathy, we hope to see you along the road since Portland didn't work out. We look forward to meeting up again one day.

From Portland we headed east into the Columbia River Gorge. Our good friends Rhys and Kelly have created a beautiful home there that sits above the headlands across the Gorge from Hood River, Oregon. Surrounding their home are timbered hills interspersed by meadows, orchards and vineyards that erupted with fall colors during our visit. Good timing.

The community is filled with an eclectic group of baby boomers that seem intent on enjoying friends, food and the pursuit of wind. This is windsurfing central after all and as well known among those enthusiasts as Jackson Hole is to the ski world.

A surprising bonus for us was the number of quiet, nearly traffic free, paved roads that provided us lots of scenic road biking miles.

We are giving the Gorge a ten on our travel meter but of course friends are ninety percent of any adventure. Thanks Rhys and Kelly for a wonderful time.

Portland and the Columbia River Gorge

Toni, Chris and Nita in Portland

Rhys and Kelly's back yard

Vineyards and orchards above the Columbia

The mighty Columbia River Gorge

Kayaking the sea stacks in La Push, Washington

Empress Hotel in Victoria B. C.

Royal British Columbia Museum Totem display

Around the Olympic

Fair weather and incredible scenery met us at every turn during our tour of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Rain forests of old growth Cedar, Douglas Fir, Red Alder and giant ferns crowd the roads and trails giving one the feeling that a hobbit will appear at any time.

Port Townsend, lying on the passage between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, kicked off a very memorable trip. This town is the essence of quaint having held firm against the big box stores and brand name hotels. Instead it is a mom and pop burg with a sailing heritage and a non-profit school where kids or adults can learn the art of building wooden boats.

Next stop, Port Angeles where we took the Coho ferry to Victoria, Canada for a day trip. The unexpected surprise there was the Royal British Columbia Museum that overflowed with native art ranging from intricate stone carvings to totem poles hundreds of years old. Unfortunately the ferry returned before we could experience “High Tea” at 4:00 at the Empress hotel. We did get a chance to gawk at the magnificence of this historic treasure however.

Sekiu, a sleepy little fishing port was our last stop before Cape Flattery on the northwestern tip of the peninsula. Here we got our sea legs, kayak style, paddling out into the Strait and riding the incoming ocean swells. Adrenaline extraordinaire.

Then it was onward to La Push, located on the western coast of the Peninsula. Waves from the Pacific pound the endless beaches and break against fortress like sea stacks. Seals, sea lions and native Quileute fishermen compete for the salmon that make their run to spawn in the Sol Duc River. Tide pools abound and the beach extends a far reach when the tide recedes. Had to caution Toni about the additional weight the collected sea stones would add to the already burgeoning mother ship. Here, seals and sea lions peered at us in our kayaks wondering about these strange intruders.

Olympic Peninsula Photos

A classic in Port Townsend

The ferry Coho docked in Victoria, British Columbia

The Mother Ship lying at anchor in Sekiu

Cape Flattery

La Push sea stacks and endless beach

along the way

Seattle with Daria

Team Spokane

Rails to Trails around Lake Coeur d'Alene

Susan and Jack

The Hiawatha Trail's tunnels and trestles

Northwest

After a leisurely and scenic drive to the Pacific Northwest we find ourselves anchored at the home of Charles and Daria who live just outside Seattle. Sunday we toured the city a bit hitting Pikes Market for some fresh halibut and some people watching. Later in the day we were fortunate to spend a little time on the fabled sail boat "Journey" whose owner's, John and Carol, gave us directions to "bust in" to the marina where she is docked.

Our personal journey has taken us through Phillipsburg, Mt., Missoula, Mt., Harrison, Idaho, Lake Coeur d'Alene and Spokane. While on Lake Coeur d'Alene we parked at Brian and Susan's home which sits at the shores of a tranquil bay on the south end of the lake. While it's obvious waters-sports are a big part of the lifestyle there the road biking too is endless. The Rails to Trails program has turned miles of old train track beds into incredible bike paths. The Hiawatha Trail that passes through multiple tunnels and over trestles as high as 230 feet was one of the more interesting bike paths we've seen. Quite a ride.

Our stop in Spokane was blessed by beautiful weather and a great stay with Linda and Charlie. I learned never say never (again) because we played golf and enjoyed the day greatly. Spokane is hooked into the same rails to trails bike paths as Coeur d'Alene and it parallels the Spokane River for a scenic ride.

Though enjoying our adventures and our freedom we are missing Jackson Hole and savoring the time we had there over the summer. Happy Trails to all, we'll see you soon.

Photos of the Hole

On the road again

As the autumn sun begins to cast its soft rays of light across the palette of fall colors flooding into the valley we take to the road for the second year of our journey, sojourn, sabbatical, whatever. Our summer in Jackson has been filled with friends, family and good times but also mourning for friends who were taken from us much to early in their promising lives. Questions are many, answers are few.

Knowing the people of this community, being part of the matrix that is Jackson Hole is rewarding at a level that cannot be explained, only felt within the souls who enjoy the connection. Toni and I know where we belong and look forward to returning to our home a year from now.

That said we are excited about the coming year of travel which will take us to the northwest then down the coast of California. Beyond that, who knows?

Our hosts this summer provided us with the most incredible campsites available in the valley. All those great evenings of conversation and good times will carry us through until we catch up again.

Vacationing in Jackson Hole, I must say, was a real treat.

Baby Update

A healthy, beautiful, Hailey Lee Farmer arrived yesterday at approximately 9:40 A. M. Eastern time weighing 7 lbs. 1 ounce.  

Locations

Hello all,

Just a short note to catch up a little.

I labeled this entry "Locations" as Toni is in Fayetteville, NC while I am settled in JH with the mothership.

Toni awaits the birth of our second grandchild. Traver, Toni's oldest son, and his wife Amber will welcome a daughter any moment now, probably before I finish this writing. Wow, in so many ways!

After our departure from Zion we spent time in Salt Lake City where we, of course, parked the ship in the yard of our dear and patient friends Jim and Dora. It's good to have friends. You know the danger of treating us to well is that we will return so, just a caution. We also got to catch up with another of our scattered to the wind children, Ryan, who is in her junior year at the U of U and thriving.

Most of you know that the weather in the Hole has been spectacular and I feel fortunate to be here for such a unique spring experience. Currently I am anchored just to the west of JH in one of those sites that isn't listed in the KOA or Good Sam catalogue of campgrounds. Where? Well I'll keep that a secret as the sites are limited.

The blog may be a little more neglected until we up anchor and head off for the next round of travels but with luck we will catch up in person before that day.

Happy Trails,

Zion National Park

Kolob Arch in north Zion

Zion Canyon from Angels Landing

On the way to Angels Landing and Lava Point

Artwork from the 1930's

Bridge to somewhere, Lake Mead, Zion

Bridge over the Colorado River

Lake Mead showing drought results

Next stop: Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.   The pictures above tell a story that is a bit of a paradox.  The bridge being built will allow the ever increasing population of the southwest to travel between, say, Phoenix and Las Vegas without having to slow down to cross Hoover Dam.   The question we were asking ourselves was; what will be left of Lake Mead within ten years if the growth continues?   An expected thirteen foot drop in the water level this year added to the sixty foot decline over the previous ten years is a significant loss.  It is still a huge body of water but when compared to the growth in the area the term "drop in a bucket" sounds ominous.  

Boulder City, Nevada sits just above the dam and has maintained its charm with a healthy downtown versus glitzy casinos or even a Wal-Mart.  It is an historic and quaint place originally built to provide the construction workers and families with the necessities needed while building the dam.  

The biking was the best with long well maintained bike paths that overlooked the desert scape and looped  in and out of the arroyos .  Obviously water sports are a big attraction too and one day we drove south to an access point on the Colorado River known as Willow Beach. From there we kayaked up river toward Hoover Dam.  We felt like we had the Colorado to ourselves as we paddled between  the high canyon walls without another boat in sight.   During the first part of the day we pushed against the flow of the much subdued Colorado, calmed as it exits the dam.  Late in the afternoon we turned down river and allowed the flow to carry us back to Willow Beach.  Lots of great stuff to see and do every day so Lake Mead gets four stars.

Then it was on to Zion National Park, a jewel.  The hiking and biking are great but just looking up is all one really needs to do when you visit this wonder.  One day we hiked to a place called Angels Landing where a narrow ledge skirted by 1200 foot drops delivered us to a view spot well worth the effort.  The number of people making their way along the route was amazing and the determination of some of those folks was inspiring.  Flat landers on a mission mostly undeterred by vertigo inducing drops only inches away.  Good for them.  

Plants and Animals

The Experience

When you spend some time in sunny southern California its easy to understand why so many have chosen to live here.  Within a radius of one hundred miles are the desert, snow capped mountains,  picturesque rolling hills covered with oak and rocky outcroppings, the endless beaches, etc.  Its too much to describe.  

California also offers some of the best State Park camping we have enjoyed thus far.   Two of our campsites sat on overlooks above the Pacific and at night the rhythm of the wave sets provided the original white noise.   We even braved the water, wet-suits, ice cream headaches,  to do a little body surfing one day.    

Again it seems that no matter where we go we are fortunate to have friends and sometimes family to visit.  Jacqueline and Dennis, wow, great times, great rides along U. S. 101.  Thanks for showing us  your home grounds via road bikes and for guiding us safely through, frequently, heavy traffic without a hitch.  Another notable attraction in San Diego is the zoo which is very much worth the time.  Their effort to protect all endangered species world wide is a pretty amazing story.

We also caught up with Dominic and Michael, two of Toni's nephews one evening.  Dominic has made San Diego home for now and he, girl friend Ally and Michael all joined us for a bite to eat in ritzy La Jolla.   We fed'em burgers and micro-brew but hey, it was still La Jolla.  

For the last week we have been exploring Joshua Tree National Park, a climber's mecca of renown with its wild rock formations.    To the desert wanderers like us who are in great appreciation of Mother Nature the sights are endless.   The bike riding among the alien looking, Dr. Suess like landscape is spectacular with great highway miles to be had.   

Next week we will make our way to Parker, Az and the Colorado River where the kayaks will finally see some water time.  More then.  Happy trails to all.  

Beach Time

Captain's Blog, Star Date: 4/4/09-16:45 hours.

My Navigator/First Mate, Toni and I are exploring the California Galaxy within the solar system of San Diego near the orbit of Planet Carlsbad.   An unusual effect of the time continuum seems to have occurred  here and we find ourselves "groovin".  The 60's culture has survived the great expansion of matter in this system and it is profoundly evident among those who initiated the "peace and love" revolution.   Many of their offspring exhibit the same characteristics so we can only assume that this "righteous" way of life will endure.  Some examples we have taken note of are the surfer, the hippie, the Volkswagen Beetle and van driver and the sun worshiper.  These specimen are in generally good condition save the few who may have experienced to much "Space".   That "space" condition can be encountered in many regions we have traveled and even within our star cruiser from time to time.   More on this later.  

Palm Canyon Anza Borrego State Park

Just some picts of a beautiful day in a desert oasis.