Good day to you all from the Southern Oregon stronghold of Klamath Falls.....or it should be Good evening seeing as though for the second day in a row, we didnt check into our motel until after 8pm.
We departed the golden shores of the Northern Oregon coast at Gearhart and proceeded down the 101 which runs pretty much straight down the coast to California. We unfortunately, by chance, happened to pick a Saturday morning during summer to do our drive. Well Osama Bin Laden could have his way with central and Eastern Oregon this weekend as it seemed as though every single inhabitant of the Oregon state region was either driving or walking along the 101 today. Millions of the bastards.....so a leisurely planned 130 mile 3-4 hour swing down the coast took over 6 and put us behind the 8 ball. Couple that with the fact that from Florence where we headed inland towards Crater Lake another 150 miles of bitumen awaited us and we were starting to depair. Eventually arrived at Crater Lake about 5 pm but boy oh boy was it worth the wait. A pure self contained 1900 foot deep lake in the middle of an extinct volcano was a sight to behold I can assure you. The water was a brilliant blue unlike anything else we have seen on this trip at least. Though we were finished with the park inside 45 minutes and on the road to Klamath Falls.....where we found a Oregon 8 Motel for $60 inc tax, including a seperate bedroom, seperate kitchen and free wifi. Sure it was last decorated in 1977 or thereabouts but hey for 60 bucks it may as well be the Hilton.
Tomorrow we head for Lake Tahoe via Lassen Volcanic National Park. Hopefully by then, the Fat arsed Wombat would have conceded and let King Tony move into the Lodge
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Day 9 of 16 on the road.
Good evening to you all from Gearhart Oregon. On the Pacific coast just past Astoria, but before Seaside......google it. Went through 5 hotels all booked out (Trev...."Why are you all sold out FFS??.....It's summer on the coast Sir"), before striking paydirt with the Windjammer Inn here in Gearhart. $119 inc tax gives us a suite with a seperate bedroom and a kitchen.....splendid!!!
Left the hotel in Seattle by 830 this morning for the 5 minute drive to the Boeing factory. Our tour was booked for 930am and we spent time looking at some of their displays. The tour began with a 6 minute introductory video, before we boarded the bus for the trip to the World's largest building...the aircraft hanger at Boeing. It has 98 hectares under One roof.....yes thats 98 hectares....not 9 or 8 but 98 hectares under one roof. They employ 29,000 people in 3 shifts at the factory, with 29 dining rooms serving 17,000 meals a day. The production line has to be seen to be believed. 747, 767, 777 and the new Dreamliner the 787 are all built and assembled in the hanger. This is definately a tour not to be missed if you ever find yourself in Seattle. Only $16.50 for almost 2 hours of tour is truly ripping value.
From there we set out for Mt Rainier National Park as we plow onto our goal of 16 in 16. Coming in from the North we thought that there was something somewhat lacking in the park. But like it's northern neighbour, North Cascades yesterday, a few waterfalls, a magnificent snow covered Mt Rainier itself, and some tremendous afternoon sun shining through some thick undergrowth brought the park to a terrific conclusion. From there a 3 hour trip to the Oregon coast, and an 8pm check in to our hotel rounded out a great day.
Tomorrow we take a leisurely drive down the coast before we cut inland to Crater Lake National Park. From there who knows. By then we'll know whether to bother coming home if the Conservatives have triumphed, or whether to bother staying here if the Commo's get up.
Time will tell........
Left the hotel in Seattle by 830 this morning for the 5 minute drive to the Boeing factory. Our tour was booked for 930am and we spent time looking at some of their displays. The tour began with a 6 minute introductory video, before we boarded the bus for the trip to the World's largest building...the aircraft hanger at Boeing. It has 98 hectares under One roof.....yes thats 98 hectares....not 9 or 8 but 98 hectares under one roof. They employ 29,000 people in 3 shifts at the factory, with 29 dining rooms serving 17,000 meals a day. The production line has to be seen to be believed. 747, 767, 777 and the new Dreamliner the 787 are all built and assembled in the hanger. This is definately a tour not to be missed if you ever find yourself in Seattle. Only $16.50 for almost 2 hours of tour is truly ripping value.
From there we set out for Mt Rainier National Park as we plow onto our goal of 16 in 16. Coming in from the North we thought that there was something somewhat lacking in the park. But like it's northern neighbour, North Cascades yesterday, a few waterfalls, a magnificent snow covered Mt Rainier itself, and some tremendous afternoon sun shining through some thick undergrowth brought the park to a terrific conclusion. From there a 3 hour trip to the Oregon coast, and an 8pm check in to our hotel rounded out a great day.
Tomorrow we take a leisurely drive down the coast before we cut inland to Crater Lake National Park. From there who knows. By then we'll know whether to bother coming home if the Conservatives have triumphed, or whether to bother staying here if the Commo's get up.
Time will tell........
Friday, August 20, 2010
Day 8 of 16 on the Road
And a fond welcome to our newest follower John R Goodby!!!
And on the 8th day the Lord rested........but Trev and Wayne kept on bloody driving!! An early morning departure from Wilbur in Eastern Washington State, with Trev taking 10 minutes to drop the key off to the Zucchini bread queen, and we took off Westbound. After an hour we arrived at Grand Coulie Dam where we marvelled at the amoint of apple trees under irrigation.....America's largest Apple growing region. Crap out of luck if you hate Apples though.
From there we tackled North Cascades National Park. The initial drive in from the East is a bit average with not a great deal to write home about. But it definately improves towards the end. A brilliant turquoise blue lake called Lake Diablo was the undoubted highlight. Problem is the terrifically photogenic power lines that they have erected right across the lake and up the river which flows from said lake. Guarantee it wouldn't happen at the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone!!
An hour later and we were southbound on the I-5 heading towards Seattle. An afternoon spent perusing the former home neighbourhood of John and Karen Imgrund in Redmond (and getting lost....but that's another story).A visit to the free wifi at McDonalds and Trev booked a couple of tickets to the Boeing tour Friday morning at 930am. Then a quick burn up the highway to the factory so we actually knew which way to go and then the trauma of finding an affordable hotel room in Seattle began. $135 plus tax at the Hilton next to Boeing looked like the go after Staybridge Suites quoted $160 plus tax. But an eagle eyed Wayne spotted an Extended Stay Apartments one street off the main drag 5 minutes from Boeing for $110 inc tax. Seperate kitchen, microwave, fridge the size of Julia Gillards arse and a location right next to every imaginable type of food, both fast and ordinary and the lads are in heaven.
After Boeing in the morning, we will attack Mt Rainier national Park before we head for the Oregon Coast. Will update tomorrow night with any luck!!
Go the Conservatives tomorrow!!!!!
And on the 8th day the Lord rested........but Trev and Wayne kept on bloody driving!! An early morning departure from Wilbur in Eastern Washington State, with Trev taking 10 minutes to drop the key off to the Zucchini bread queen, and we took off Westbound. After an hour we arrived at Grand Coulie Dam where we marvelled at the amoint of apple trees under irrigation.....America's largest Apple growing region. Crap out of luck if you hate Apples though.
From there we tackled North Cascades National Park. The initial drive in from the East is a bit average with not a great deal to write home about. But it definately improves towards the end. A brilliant turquoise blue lake called Lake Diablo was the undoubted highlight. Problem is the terrifically photogenic power lines that they have erected right across the lake and up the river which flows from said lake. Guarantee it wouldn't happen at the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone!!
An hour later and we were southbound on the I-5 heading towards Seattle. An afternoon spent perusing the former home neighbourhood of John and Karen Imgrund in Redmond (and getting lost....but that's another story).A visit to the free wifi at McDonalds and Trev booked a couple of tickets to the Boeing tour Friday morning at 930am. Then a quick burn up the highway to the factory so we actually knew which way to go and then the trauma of finding an affordable hotel room in Seattle began. $135 plus tax at the Hilton next to Boeing looked like the go after Staybridge Suites quoted $160 plus tax. But an eagle eyed Wayne spotted an Extended Stay Apartments one street off the main drag 5 minutes from Boeing for $110 inc tax. Seperate kitchen, microwave, fridge the size of Julia Gillards arse and a location right next to every imaginable type of food, both fast and ordinary and the lads are in heaven.
After Boeing in the morning, we will attack Mt Rainier national Park before we head for the Oregon Coast. Will update tomorrow night with any luck!!
Go the Conservatives tomorrow!!!!!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Day 6 and 7 on the Road
Day 6 dawned bright and early as we made an early morning getaway from Bozeman MT. On the road nice and early in order to make the long trek north to Glacier National Park. Open plains, wheat fields and plenty of long, straight poor quality roads, interspersed with some miles of excellent quality roads. A 3pm arrival at the park, setting up the tent right next to a berry patch which we were informed by the helpful ranger is the snack food of choice of the black bear....which according to the very informative movie at the visitors centre, they need approximately 100,000 berries a day to satisfy their hunger. The bush next to our tent site had about 3000 berries. We were hoping that it still had 3000 berries on it when we left.
After setting up the campsite we headed for the visitors centre and then a 40 minute drive to the Many Glacier portion of the park. It quickly became apparent that 1 day is grossxly insufficient to do this remarkable park justice. The photos and videos will have to try their best. A close encounter with a baby black bear as it crossed the road in front off us, and the telephoto was going ten to the dozen as the little fella clambered up the hill at the side of the road.
Trev was dropped off at 715 for the 730 rangers presentation whilst Wayne went off partway up the Going to the Sun road to take some late afternoon shots. After an hour of photgraphing the park, Wayne returned to find Trevor freezing his nuts off in the car park because the presentation was actually at another location. Trev's lack of foresight in not taking a windcheater with him to the talk was shall we say regretted, as the 30C evening temps of Vegas were replaced by 30F temps in St Mary.
A night spent with one ear focusing on anything resembling berry chewing noises, and the resultant prick of a nights sleep culminated in waking up with the tent covered in condensation causing the air mattress to come close to floating in the tent. A 715 wake up and on the road by 745 led us to take the most magnificent 51 mile drive you are likely to take. Vistas everywhere you looked....each one outdoing the previous one.....mountains, rivers, waterfalls, islands, glaciers, wildlife....the list goes on and on. An encounter with a deer by the side of the road was a particular highlight as well. Add in road works at three seperate locations and 4 hours later, we had traversed the length. Magical!!!!
From then on we took turns driving as far as we could before we stopped for the night....and the luckt town is.....Wilbur in Washington State. About 150 miles past Spokane. $69.95 incl tax in a delightful little farming town and the (single female) manager was suitably impressed by her 2 Australian lodgers (especially the Senior single one), to bring out her home cooked Zucchini and Walnut bread for us to try. Trev needed little encouragement to happily return the plate to the office. But I digress.....
Tomorrow we head to North Cascades and onto the Seattle region. Mt Rainier will possiblt also get a guernsey depending on our route.
After setting up the campsite we headed for the visitors centre and then a 40 minute drive to the Many Glacier portion of the park. It quickly became apparent that 1 day is grossxly insufficient to do this remarkable park justice. The photos and videos will have to try their best. A close encounter with a baby black bear as it crossed the road in front off us, and the telephoto was going ten to the dozen as the little fella clambered up the hill at the side of the road.
Trev was dropped off at 715 for the 730 rangers presentation whilst Wayne went off partway up the Going to the Sun road to take some late afternoon shots. After an hour of photgraphing the park, Wayne returned to find Trevor freezing his nuts off in the car park because the presentation was actually at another location. Trev's lack of foresight in not taking a windcheater with him to the talk was shall we say regretted, as the 30C evening temps of Vegas were replaced by 30F temps in St Mary.
A night spent with one ear focusing on anything resembling berry chewing noises, and the resultant prick of a nights sleep culminated in waking up with the tent covered in condensation causing the air mattress to come close to floating in the tent. A 715 wake up and on the road by 745 led us to take the most magnificent 51 mile drive you are likely to take. Vistas everywhere you looked....each one outdoing the previous one.....mountains, rivers, waterfalls, islands, glaciers, wildlife....the list goes on and on. An encounter with a deer by the side of the road was a particular highlight as well. Add in road works at three seperate locations and 4 hours later, we had traversed the length. Magical!!!!
From then on we took turns driving as far as we could before we stopped for the night....and the luckt town is.....Wilbur in Washington State. About 150 miles past Spokane. $69.95 incl tax in a delightful little farming town and the (single female) manager was suitably impressed by her 2 Australian lodgers (especially the Senior single one), to bring out her home cooked Zucchini and Walnut bread for us to try. Trev needed little encouragement to happily return the plate to the office. But I digress.....
Tomorrow we head to North Cascades and onto the Seattle region. Mt Rainier will possiblt also get a guernsey depending on our route.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Day 5 of 16 on the Road
Well things change at the last minute. Thought we would be preparing to rough it for the night at our prepaid campground at Rainbow Point Campground in Gallatin National Forest in Montana, but due to a dodgy looking dashboard light rearing it's ugly head, and a decision that it is better to be safe than sorry, Trev and Wayne decided to head North to Bozeman Montana to attempt to rectify said dashboard light and bunk down at a Motel 6. Free long distance calls and some procious time on the phone with the 2 bosses, and free wifi and life's OK.
Wayne was up early at 5am to head out from Jackson WY to take some early morning shots of the Grand Tetons. Returned to pick up Trev at 730 and we hit the road for the day at Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is a BIG park measuring at least 60 mile by 60 mile and there is usually a ton of wildlife to be seen. Well today we spotted a grand total of 4 bison, 20 elk all gathered at the same place (Mammoth) and zero buffalo. Actually saw more roadkill than bloody animals.....all squirrels of course!! Then the dashboard light reared it's ugly head and we headed a hundred mile north to the nearest Renatl car depot to sort it out. Hopefully it should disappear in the next day or two!!
Tomorrow we plan to head to Glacier National Park right on the canadian border....but of course whose to say things mightn't change!!! Hope not!!
Until later............
Wayne was up early at 5am to head out from Jackson WY to take some early morning shots of the Grand Tetons. Returned to pick up Trev at 730 and we hit the road for the day at Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is a BIG park measuring at least 60 mile by 60 mile and there is usually a ton of wildlife to be seen. Well today we spotted a grand total of 4 bison, 20 elk all gathered at the same place (Mammoth) and zero buffalo. Actually saw more roadkill than bloody animals.....all squirrels of course!! Then the dashboard light reared it's ugly head and we headed a hundred mile north to the nearest Renatl car depot to sort it out. Hopefully it should disappear in the next day or two!!
Tomorrow we plan to head to Glacier National Park right on the canadian border....but of course whose to say things mightn't change!!! Hope not!!
Until later............
Monday, August 16, 2010
Day 4 of 16 On the road....
Left Roosevelt UT about 9am headed for Jackson Hole WY, the gateway to Yellowstone. We were across the border into Wyoming within 90 odd miles and had about 3 hours to Jackson. The 191N through WY is one boring as all f**k piece of highway let us tell you. Great condition and as safe as houses, but just as monotonous as all buggery.
Arrived in the tourist mecca of Jackson spot on 3pm after a picturesque last 20 miles heading into town running alongside the river. Got a carpark around the Town Square and decided to stroll the Inns and Motels in search of a reasonably priced room for the night. Started at the Ranch Inn where Wayne and the Cricket lads cracked rooms in Sep 06 for $55 inc tax......ha not anymore sunshine. $160 inc breakfast.
A short stroll across the road to the Antler Inn and the only room left was a double bed only above the office for $100 + tax. After initially deciding against the room, a quick re-think and the fact that we had a twin air mattress in the car, and we got the last cheap room in Jackson for the night. Not the Hilton but perfectly comfortable and ESPN as well!!!!
A late afternoon dinner at Billy's Hamburgers and a last minute decision to drive out to the Grand Tetons for a sunset photo op, and back in the room by 930pm (late sunsets in this part of the world at this time of year!!).
Tomorrow Yellowstone and hopefully no close encounters with Smokey the Bear. Our 2nd night of camping at the Rainbow Point campgrounds in the Gallatin national forest, and then our 3rd night on Tues at St Marys campgrounds at Glacier National Park in Northern Montana, means a couple of days until our next update.
Until then......
Arrived in the tourist mecca of Jackson spot on 3pm after a picturesque last 20 miles heading into town running alongside the river. Got a carpark around the Town Square and decided to stroll the Inns and Motels in search of a reasonably priced room for the night. Started at the Ranch Inn where Wayne and the Cricket lads cracked rooms in Sep 06 for $55 inc tax......ha not anymore sunshine. $160 inc breakfast.
A short stroll across the road to the Antler Inn and the only room left was a double bed only above the office for $100 + tax. After initially deciding against the room, a quick re-think and the fact that we had a twin air mattress in the car, and we got the last cheap room in Jackson for the night. Not the Hilton but perfectly comfortable and ESPN as well!!!!
A late afternoon dinner at Billy's Hamburgers and a last minute decision to drive out to the Grand Tetons for a sunset photo op, and back in the room by 930pm (late sunsets in this part of the world at this time of year!!).
Tomorrow Yellowstone and hopefully no close encounters with Smokey the Bear. Our 2nd night of camping at the Rainbow Point campgrounds in the Gallatin national forest, and then our 3rd night on Tues at St Marys campgrounds at Glacier National Park in Northern Montana, means a couple of days until our next update.
Until then......
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