Sunday Oct 11 - Seattle - Longview - Vernonia - Forest Grove - McMinnville

List of items from my journal for this day:
(items are in order, making the list first from the road logs...and later will expand)

Up at 845 am, packed, took carol for eats at Leena's Cafe, took her home after and I left about 1215pm, got tank filled. 

Tacoma Storage Court in Tacoma off I-5.

Elmer's Restaurant.....well that was better than Glue and Cow....

New York Ave by McChord base. 

155pm past Olympia now. 

Centralia Hwy ...work there, new bridge, likely because of the recent past flooding. And new frontage roads. Just kills off freeway swimming. 

Mattress Ranch with cow statue and art painted on it. Yea...I'm not even gonna say what goes on there. 

97 mi point. 

Uncle Sam sign on Bush Road...good to see. Eat your heart out Texas!
  Big Foot Burritos. Roadside comedy at its best. 

Hot cooked food says the sign at a sushi place in Kelso.

In Kelso 3pm. 

Homes by Lake Sacajawea are nice, older 40s 50s midwest style, tree lined street (Kessler) peaceful, serene. I like it. Streets are made out of 6-sided like laid down blocks lined up to each other that no doubt will prompt later scuba divers to think aliens lived here. 

A lot of the houses here are very much what I remember in Livornia, Michigan back in the mid-60s....also similar to Riverside ...a suburb of Chicago. The energy here is very good throughout this particular neighborhood. There are a lot of churches. I should open Confession Realty here. 

Wiggled through town to cross the Columbia River over the Lewis B. Clark Bridge to get to Highway 30 on the Oregon side. This bridge is very tall, old style with all that silvery metal. Very cool. 

Lots of log mills looking west from the bridge along the river. 

Headed up the hill with the intent of going to Clastkani. Stopped first at a viewpoint...what an incredible view looking at the bridge and all north, northwest and northeast.

I skipped going to Scapposse....the east direction on Hwy 30. 

You can see Mt. St. Helens from this viewpoint....like most of it is missing...and it looks way bigger from here then when you are up at the Johnston viewpoint up there. 

Skipped Clastkanie...took another road to the left near the top of the hill to go to Vernonia...lots of farmland up here. 

Boat in a yard about 45-feet long north of Karr Road.....small town ark project.

Saw a number of hot rods, RVs and campers.....all out in the middle of nowhere....perhaps waiting for a flood or these are the testing grounds for survival software games because I hardly saw anyone around. 

Saw big bell in top floor open area of a house at Simmons Road. Maybe that's the time clock.

Dirt bike and RTV kids and dad doing it in a pen of manure and dad in camouflage. I have arrived in the country....those places you see from an airliner wondering what folks do down there. All this wilderness around them and it's the fenced in manure yard that's a hit. Now you know what prompted fenders on your ATV and dirt bike.

Teentrees...log truck garage. 

Did not stop at Camp Wikerson. Did drive thru part of the Big Eddy County Park RV Campground....imagine the current there. 

On 47 now.  Got to Pittsburg. Go ahead you try it...go to 47 and you'll be in Pittsburg. Pioneers moved their beginnings to other places that are now 'small towns'. 

Little building says Dept of Forestry of Oregon....the Pittsburg Guard Station is 5 miles north. Talk about a rivalry!

Sleepy Lane of Vernonia as if they needed one. 

Crossed the Nehalm River. 

429pm 

Houses in Vernonia are elevated about 6 feet, flat valley area must flood easily here...see marks about 2-3 feet up the walls of houses. I wonder if that's because of the high costs of ground level property insurance. 

Birch Street area - north about 1000 feet of Vernonia Lake - a small elevated kind of lake. I spent a little time there. 

Saw this white picket fence with birdhouses on it and this guy on bicycle with rainbow wheels looking like he was in mid-air above another bicycle. So many places so far and yet Halloween was in full swing. Really nice to see that. 

There is a town north of Pittsburg toward Clakstanie called Mist. 

Must have been a logging town for workers and their families. No mills here. 

Pioneer Museum area...small....housing by the lake...not on the lake, further is the main town, schools, yard. It's a real cool town....Pioneer 1891 on a sign of an enclosed area that has a black old style (perhaps steam) train engine in it... local bar is the Black Iron Grill - likely the best place in town with all the motorcycles parked in front of it. 

Lots of silver SUVs on 47, pickup trucks in Veronia. SUV for passing by or visiting.....pickups for those who live here. Makes it easy to figure out who's from out of town. 

28 miles to Forest Grove where there are less trees than here. 

Happy smile Easter Island statue at addy 54658 on 47. Must be the island's earlier design concept.

Entering Banks Fire District...smells like a fire is in gear, but get down the road 500 more feet and the smell is gone. High up RR trestle bridge ....it's a 'life after people' at the top hill trail. 

Drove by a hillbilly Hollar Ranch, Buxton is 5 miles west. 

At 16 miles to Forest Grove sign I could see a very long trestle fully intact winding through the trees. 

47/26 - on that now...got on at Fisher Rd. 

Manning has a Diary Creek Tavern. I guess folks these parts of the country prefer to get milked. I should put up milk tolerance signs around town. 

Stopped at place that sells Jerky...many types: salmon, buffalo, elk, venison, kangeroo, antelope, wild boar, ostrich, reindeer, wine...more than 60 varieties and varietals. 

47/70 NW Sunset on 47/26. It's called Sunset Produce Market in Banks, Oregon....with all the Jerky. Got Mountain American venison from Colorado and Josephsons wild caught salmon from Astoria, OR... $14.80.

Drove past Jim Dandy Farm. 

Got off 47 for Forest Grove. 

Best damn salmon jerky ever. 

535pm Banks, mill town. 

Kansas City is 2 miles from Banks. I guy can really get around these parts and feel like they've been all over the country.

Can see lots of Hood from Banks going SE. 

Turned on Sunset Dr, Forest Grove, saw Pacific University, and the highway to McMinnville. 

Quaint nice little town for a college area. Home to Theatre in the Grove playhouse. Hardly anyone around in town or near the college. It's a whole lot smaller than I thought. 

Farming here, christmas trees, vineyards. Near Hines Grocers and off Pacific Ave. is the very cool haunted house home (corner of B St and 18th Ave) with a 'Mary Quite Contrary' tombstone. My friend Mary, who had passed, 'Mary Quite Contrary' was her nickname online. So she was there with me because this just doesn't happen out of chance. 

Nice old fashion detailed houses in Forest Grove. Dilly School on Dudney Drive. 

Oregon Wine tour route now and then signs. 

621pm....Gaston, Tualatin River. 

Small towns here have that 'take care of your man' king of ladies....Gaston yes. Couples hold hands here. 

Not much in Gaston...but they have a Kramer Winery....imagine their delivery. And there is the Gaston Auto Repair WAREHOUSE style....yo Bobby...ya think you can fix my car this year sometime....

Barrel of Monkeys Child Care sign. 

Streets in Yamhill are girl names. Very small town. And as usual in Oregon....home to lots of dead possums.....'how come that possum isn't dead yet?'. 

Kookoolan Farms....

Skipped Newburg to go to Carlton and Mac. Winemaker's studio here. Sign: Carlton: A great little town......and it is. Left at Jct....by Seven of Hearts. Who writes this stuff?!

Lefty & Co...jewelry. 

They also do Carlton Haunted Halloween - big banner across the street. 

There is a house here almost identical to the one Mr. Miller lived in. The energy here is incredible...as if his spirit is here...I was very emotionally moved by it....at N. Kutch and Monroe. The roses are perfect just as if Mr. Miller (a really great lifelong gardner) took care of them. There is magic here....I could feel a number of spirits living here. I sense images here of happiness....see outlines of spirits walking here. It's early eve, after sunset some. 

A lot of new houses here, wine, eats...it's very nice here. 

Rustic town and bit secluded here. Scott Paul Wines. Streets named after Presidents...Polk, Cleveland, and....709 Dork. 

Got to Mac...ate 2 jumbo jacks at Jack in the Box. 

Saw a most cute (so attracting) transwoman at the Safeway here...staff...told her so when she was outside on a break. Her name is Jennifer. She appreciated my comments very much. 

Got a caramalized mocha at McD 840pm. Will likely sleep somewhere around here...will see. 

There is a historic town here south of the main drags. Will check out later on Monday. Like it lots. 

Crashed in a Walmart parking lot at about 4am. 

Read This First ....and Updates

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Jan 1, 2015

I am rewriting about the road trip I took from October 11-21, 2015. The problem I had with the first one was trying to write it in the morning before traveling for each day. It was taking too long to edit pictures and finding interesting websites to include in the blog. I quickly found I wanted to spend more of my day traveling, take notes and pictures, write down some highlights about each day in the evenings and then, after getting home,....write the detail for a blog. The only other option would be travel a day and then write for a day.

On Who Made This Road Trip Possible

My long time friend Mary was battling a rare stomach cancer. Before she passed...she wanted to give some of her inheritance to her close friends. I was one of those. She had a simple request: "Use it to go to your magical places and should I be around still...maybe you can find a cure for me." Unfortunately, she passed before I went on my road trip. She was with friends tho at her passing ....and before she did pass....she was able to travel to see all her friends and family including trips to her home in Hawaii and to friends in the UK. I thought that was gracious and wonderful of the time she had...she didn't miss anyone. Bless her...Mary...I will miss you dearly....this trip ...thank you so much for making it possible as well as means to pay for other things.

I used my inheritance to:
* pay off my taxes that I had been spending years paying through installments.
* have about a thousand dollars of work done on my car to prepare it for my road trip: rear brakes, rear shocks, rear tires, cabin and air filters, oil and oil/filter change, new belt, and three lights replaced.
* get some household things my partner Carol and I needed for our home:  bug bombs for our place to rid of the flies due to the weather we were having, new garbage cans with flip tops and the stand to put them on.
* pay for some personal expenses:  new sneakers, new socks, haircut, groceries and taking my Carol to breakfast on the day leaving on the trip.
* buy some accessories for my Chromebook computer:  'USB to MIDI adapter' so that I could play the synth sounds on my music production software Soundtrap using my Alesis Micron synth, and an 'Ethernet to USB connector' to connect to my Ethernet cable to be wired in for using the Internet.
* buy some herbal supplements for me and my Carol that we use maintain our health, rash meds for me, and test strips to test my glucose levels (I'm diabetic type 2).
* buy some things after my trip:  gas, food, dinners for my Carol and goodies at Starbucks...my favorite place to work on my computer.

I used just under a thousand for my 2036-mile road trip that paid for food, gas, maps, munchies, showers at truck stops, Starbucks goodies while writing about the trip, etc. I bought gas about every two days, gone 265 to 336 miles between fill-ups, and averaged 33.6 MPG overall. Trip expenses total was at $760 including the $134 for gas. Not bad! I had about $800 left after the trip.

I did go to magical places laid with memory markers to complete with those I carry. And Mary (who had passed before I went on this road trip)....she was with me at each of them....I felt her presence and her smile and saw the twinkle of eyes....so happy I had come to visit each of them.

This trip is dedicated to Mary:  'Thank you Mary for making this possible. Each and every day...I hold your picture close to my heart, close my eyes and remember.....and every time I do this Mary ....I feel you are there with me. I feel you now just writing this.'

Jan 29th, 2016

There are advantages to writing this during the trip and after. After is proving longer to do with my schedule. During the trip would still be better, but use 'after' to put in associated websites and do updates or put in things I didn't remember while on the trip that I remember thereafter.

Planning for the Trip

I did some of that because I did have a choice.....I could have gone to Colorado.....butttttttttt....it was past summer and into late October....and I thought...I'm gonna be that guy with a waving flag sticking up out of the avalanche at some mountain pass between here and Colorado. So nope....not doing that. And I am not sleeping in the car that far inland....I'd be the one of those guys that Jeremiah Johnson would find frozen in the snow.....but in his car with a note saying 'If you can get it running again...it's yours'. So I chose to stay closer to the Pacific Coast....doing places I hadn't been too for a very, very long time...places in southern Washington, Oregon, northern California.

I had a general idea of the route to take...Kenmore down to Kelso, Longview, over the Columbia River, through the mountains in Oregon to Forest Grove (thereby skipping highway I-5 in that area), down to McMinnville, over I-5 by way of Salem, over the Cascades to Sisters (seeing Dee Observatory made out of lava) and into Bend, Oregon (to visit Mt Bachelor where I learned to ski when in college back in 1978 with the Ski Club), down to Crater Lake, Klamath Falls (to see the train station where we got off to bus up to Bend to go skiing at Mt Bachelor), then the backway to Mt. Shasta (where I used to live), then down to Redding to west to Weaverville and up highway 3 (into the Trinity area where I had once backpacked) to see the Great Cats before getting to Yreka to I-5 to then pass through Ashland and go up to Grants Pass and take highway 199 back down into California toward Crescent City and wiggle up to Fort Dick and over to the coast to go north on the Oregon Coast taking that through Astoria, crossing the Columbia River into Washington and driving up that coastline to Westport to Olympia and up to home again in Kenmore.

HOWEVER...I ended up skipping the Mt. Shasta to Redding to highway 3 route, the 199 to Fort Dick route, and going past Lincoln City, Oregon to go further up that northern coastline into Washington's coastline....skipping Westport to go home from. Instead, I had traveled up I-5 from Grants Pass to Winston and headed west to Charleston, Oregon and had gone up the coast to Lincoln City and then headed inland to McMinnville and through Newburg wiggling into Tualatin to I-5 and up to Kenmore WA to home.

Toward the end of the trip I was growing home sick....and tired of my feet freezing and general discomfort of sleeping in my car at night. I could have gone the rest of the route...but I really was feeling that need to get home.

I probably could have stayed in some hotel/motels along the way...but I am bit frugal and always thinking if it would have been worth it...and I wanted to have some funding by the time I got home. I certainly didn't want to run out of money on the trip. I watched my spending because my focus was saving if anything serious happened to me or my car and for anything I might be getting along the trip.

The other thing to check before leaving was the daily and nightly temperatures and general weather along the trip. So I picked out a few cities and checked for general forecast for Oct 9 to 16 time period including high and low temps....(low temp important because I would be sleeping in my car):

Detroit, Oregon - sunny, clouds mix, low 45-48F, high 70-75F
Bend, Oregon - sunny, clouds mix, low 41-43F, high 68-76F
Mt Shasta, California - sunny, low 41-48F, high 78-89F
Weaverville, California - sunny, low 42-48F, high 82-93F
Grants Pass, Oregon - sunny, cloudy, low 50F, high 77-90F
Fort Dick, California - sunny, cloudy, low 50-55F, high 62-65F
Oregon/Washington coastlines - all good.

So it looked reasonable and that bringing blankets and foam padding (to lie down on, if needed) would be fine ....along with pillows and my goose down sleeping bag too. Any colder I think would be too hard to stay warm at night. And rainy wouldn't be so great. Tho rain did happen, but wasn't too bad...that was between Grants Pass and Winston...but nothing on the Oregon Coast as had been suspected by weather reports...but I bet the locals know better.

Definitely considering a board with foam on top with sleeping bag or blankets on top to sleep on that fits from the back to front (on the passenger side) to lay down on so I can lay down flat and be more comfortable. I think it would fit over the full down front and back seats and over the back area. That way I won't feel the rolling uneven surface.

I also had checked for where rest stops were to sleep in and wash up, Walmarts to sleep at and use the bathroom, and truck stops (like Pilot) to sleep at, use the bathroom and to take showers. Other places to use a bathroom such as public restrooms and those at coffee shops and grocery stores. A blessing too to find were single user restrooms where I could lock the door.....there were a few of those I did use and which were quite clean inside.

I estimated gas at 30mpg average at $3.00 per gallon and doing about 1600 miles....which came to about $160. I did better at the average mpg than I expected at 33.6 mpg, fuel average at $2.44/gal, and distance total of the trip at 2036 miles.

There were some memory things to bring that were about Mt. Shasta (where I lived in 1984) and the bed and breakfast there (where I used to live before it became a B&B) and the health food store off Lassen across from the cemetery (I used by organic bread at that store....apparently it has moved into town and is now called Berryvale Grocery), info on the 1978 San Jose State University Ski Club skiing trip to Mt. Bachelor and location of the train station in Klamath Falls (east of S Spring St, end of Oak) where the train from San Jose had dropped everybody off at where Trailways buses would take us to Sunriver Resort (south of Bend-OR) where we stayed in townhomes and would also transport us from there to Mt Bachelor (by going through Bend because the road from Sunriver to Mt Bachelor had not been built yet), and some writings I had of trips I took to some of the areas I would be visiting.

And a few other places to note that I wanted to see on this trip included the Dee Wright Observatory near Sisters-OR where the viewing area is built out of lava rock, Maples Rest Stop on the way east before crossing over the Cascades to get to Sisters-OR, and Crater Lake north of Klamath Falls-OR. I especially wanted to visit Charleston-OR on the coast south of Coos Bay.

What I've learned on writing during a trip now that I am back and doing this ....
Take notes I do when traveling, and when it's time to write....write those notes in a blog....note where in them to add websites....write themes or notes on what to add later....put in the pictures I took that day (after editing) where they match the passage of the trip. Then when I get home....add the stuff I noted and polish the day of traveling. That way I'd have more time to travel instead of spending so much time adding my thoughts and looking up the sites on the web. Looking up sites on the web takes a immense amount of time to find then say only looking up the usual stuff typical of travel blogs.