Try this again – driving and typing isn’t always mutually compatible. I had a great blog written but the fickle finger of fate and the moving target caused me to erase everything.
Now we are parked in Lodi at Flag City RV Park after a nine hour (approximately) voyage…made exciting by a high headwind for most of the time through Oregon and half of California. But I am ahead of myself…
we started the Next Grand Adventure heading in the Great White Beast ( haven’t come up with a better name so will just call the unit GWB) towards Seattle, where we overnighted in a truck stop so we could get up early and head into Seattle before the traffic. Didn’t quite work out that way but we managed to miss the worst part of it, and found Hatten marine in time to grab breakfast from the neighbouring Cafe ( fantastic!) while Lawrence procured the parts we needed.. then we were on the road and heading to Bend for two days with the Dents of Colibri. Our ultimate goal is La Paz, where Northern Ranger languishes waiting for us to appear, address some maintenance is
sues, and ready her for a three week cruise around the Sea of Cortez… this time we will be towing our Grady White, hence the truck and camper.
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Our adventure just became more exciting, as we decided to drive to La Paz! We will also have crew members Tom and Phyllis meet us, friends from cruising many years and several boats and two kids ago – they moved their Krogen Cocoon to the Caribbean for their cruising adventures while we stuck to the West Coast. Now they are boatless in Port Alberni and willing to hang out with us as we further explore more of the Baja Peninsula. Should be fun!! But in the meantime…
Arrived
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at Casa Dent in good time, just as they got home from work – and settled into some cheese, shrimp dip, wine, good conversation, and then some spectacular borscht ( hooray, I got a tupperware full of it for our dinner tonight, it’s in a pot heating even as I type).
Anyway, the next day was full – Lawrence had work to do, some of it including unpacking and stowing the numerous boxes of boat and camper goodies we had had shipped to Bend for pick up, so Diana took me to Trader Joe’s so I could provision for the trip… then home, and our outdoor portion of the program began.
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We did a walk along the Deschutes river and rapids, which was pretty amazing.. then drove to the lava beds where we walked up to the top of yet another lava cone… cinder cone… considering the elevation we were at ( 5000 feet???) we did pretty darn good!
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Then home again,
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more work for the guys and mani/pedi’s for the girls. Lovely! Arrived home in time to head out for dinner at Joo
lz, an amazing restaurant in downtown Bend that combines eastern food ( falafel , lamb kebabs, etc) with western fare. ( nope, didn’t see anything western…. ) but it was amazing food and a great evening!
Home for a nightcap chocolate and a cup of tea and early to bed – this morning, we were treated to another Diana Breakfast to see us on our way, and then we were gone. What a wonderful break from the road, and an opportunity to make more memories with great friends.
The trip from Bend was OK, scenery wise it was spectacular – but the wind kicked up ( difference between boating and campering? we don’t check for weather – I knew something was brewing out on the coast but had no idea what was happening inland… obviously, something was heading our way!)
and the wind was on our bow the whole time. Not a problem with just the truck, or a car – but add the tall camper and a boat and the whole effect was one of a huge ship at sea.
Luckily most of the freeway was two lane, with trucks and trailers restricted to 55 – however regular cars could do 65 or even 70 at times, so there was some frustration obviously when single lane traffic restricted everyone to the lowest common denominator.
But the scenery was worth everything… it was nice to see Mount Hood yesterday, but today Mount Shasta absolutely shimmered in the sun and left us speechless. It was overall one of the most beautiful trips I have taken, maybe because it’s been 40 years since I did it!
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Lots of rest stops later ( America has the right idea when it comes to rest stops…Canada needs to learn some lessons)… we got through Sacramento ( oh, and lots of fuel stops too…. made even more interesting by the need to find relatively affordable diesel, not always possible… ) we docked in our slip at the Flag City RV stop in Lodi, just off Hwy 12..which will be handy tomorrow when we have to fuel up (again???? what happened to our 3000 plus mile range?? oh wait, that’s the boat!)…and make our way south through San Francisco and Los Angelos to San Diego. Another long day… but I hear rumours of wineries along the way, so maybe instead of truck stops we can park at wineries for our pitt stops! Sounds like a plan!
Even as I type, the captain is checking the charts for another way around LA rather than through… at my request. Not sure there is a fast way to do that… but we shall see.
Maybe a few wineries will soften my resolve… hard to say! But hopefully this time tomorrow night we will be safely anchored in chula vista.. wait, this a camper… safely tucked into a slip in Chula Vista for a few days as we prepare for the voyage down across the border and into Mexico!
Good times!