26 August
Trinidad, CA to Newport, OR 285 miles- route map added
Travelled 285 odd miles today,
doesn't seem like a lot but with stops for stretching, food, photo ops it
stretches out to a long day. I'm keeping speed to 55mph to save gas and keep
my wonderful old motorhome going for a year. Fuel economy still sucks
though and I might try a day at 50mph to see what difference it makes. Hey,
after 5 hours travelling it's only 25 miles! Now in Oregon and already
noticing changes. California has excellent road signage, so when you see
those corner warning signs saying "25" or "40" they are spot on when
travelling in a top heavy motorhome. Not so many of these signs in Oregon
and have had to be more careful in some of the long windy stretches. You see
some strange sights of course, like a full sized ship 1/4 mile inland, now
used as a cafe I think. Signs everywhere hint to how it got there - "Tsunami
Warning Zone". Mostly great travelling so far but have been through two
small seaside towns that gave me the creeps, so much so that my gut felt
sick as I passed through them, some weird energy there! Keep seeing signs
saying "watch for elk" or just plain "elk" so I did but I'm beginning to
think it's just a ploy for the tourists, not one single elk yet! Crossed a
very high bridge just after entering Oregon, 346 ft it said, highest in
Oregon. Gave me vertigo just glancing out the window. A lot of these very
high bridges everywhere, rare in NZ but common here. Hwy 101 runs along the
pacific Coast and as such the Oregon area has some nasty crosswinds, warning
signs like "wind gusts next 26 miles". With a high top vehicle like mine
that is a handful. Think I'll keep my eye out for a cheap "rear sway bar
kit" which will reduce body roll as well. Another strange sight; a
specialist Sleep Disorder Centre, right next to the motorway - what's wrong
with that picture. New smell for the day, a sort of Cypress Fir, subtle and
very pleasant. Stopped by the beach for lunch (pics) and ran the generator
for 3 minutes, just long enough to thaw out a bread roll for my lunch; neat
toys in these motorhomes.
Before leaving camp each day its check water, oil, trans fluid, clean
windows. Munchie of choice as I drive along is California seedless grapes. I
was worried they might have a "flow through" effect but nothing tragic so
far. I keep a small bowl of them on the floor next to seat and pick one off
as required. In jest, its has always puzzled me - how do you grow seedless
grapes? where do the seeds to start with come from? :)
Finally found a nice campsite for the evening. I was feeling
the need to park near the sea so wandered into one of Oregon's State Parks.
Fully paved driving and parking areas, grass and trees the rest of the
space, water & electricity for RVs. Hundreds of campers, RVs, tents and
Yurts. Walked 1/2 mile to beach, 1/2 of that in soft sand and was nice to
feel sea spray on my face. Ended up doing some TaiChi on the waters edge,
very centering. Got back to motorhome and made hearty meal then just "hit
the wall" and crashed early.
