Seattle To Sultan. WA

Thursday, 4-23-10

I go for a morning walk while Jack makes Mexican hot cocoa.  No, Jack is not jobless.  He and Sarah own a Bark Buster franchise in the Seattle area.  Jack “trains” people on how to manage their dogs.  So, fortunately, he has arranged his training schedule around our stay.

We roll out the awning on the van, lay out our beautiful new mat, set up some chairs, and we all drink hot cocoa as we look out upon the view from their hillside.  It’s our last morning here and it’s time to pack up.  As we are packing our stuff, I turn around to see Rex lying on the bed on top of our clothes.  His head is resting on his paws and his eyes are saying, “Please, don’t leave.”  (Photo Below).

The four of us (not Rex) have lunch at our favorite dim sum restaurant in Seattle’s Chinatown district at the “Jade Garden”.  If you have never had dim sum, this is a MUST.  And if you are ever in Seattle, the “Jade Garden” is a “HAVE TO.”  The waitresses push little carts around and stop at your table and pop the lids off the steamed goodies, or BBQ’d, or baked specialties.  You pick what you want and they mark your tab.  It is absolutely to die for.

We say goodbye to our dear friends, leaving Rex behind as we wave goodbye.  

Our first stop is in the small town of Sultan, WA, at the information office.  We gather up our brochures and head for a campground she recommends outside of town.  It’s “Leisure Time Resorts – Thunderbird Campground” on the Sultan River – kind of pricey for camping ($40) but we have only one other option down the road and it looks evil so we pay up.  It’s the off-season and we pretty much have the place to ourselves, right on the river. 

Sarah has packed us some ham and we make sandwiches for dinner.  I journal while Fred does something on the computer.

Seattle Some More

Wednesday, 4-22-10

First words out of Fred’s mouth this morning, “I want Krispy Kreme donuts!”  While Fred and Rex drive down the hill to get donuts, I eat a bowl of Jack’s homemade granola and Sarah gets ready to go to work.

Later in the day Jack, Fred, and I (and of course The Wonder Dog) go to Fry’s to find a GPS suction mount (we left ours home and it keeps annoyingly falling off the dash).  We eat lunch at “Ivars” on the lake after which we check out a couple steamboat hobbyists and their cute little 20-foot boats.  One is over 100 years old.

We pick up Sarah and head to the Eddie Bauer Outlet looking for a jacket for Fred.  He actually finds one he likes (we have been searching for over 10 years, I kid you not).  I buy a couple sweaters on sale ($8.99 ea) and Sarah buys a pair of $80 shoes on sale for $17.  Jack buys a cap with an LED light built into the bill.  Fred now wishes he had bought one for himself.

Ham sandwiches for dinner and we all cheer when Tim Urban is finally voted off Idol.  We check our group lottery numbers and must face the harsh reality of continuing to live among the common folk.

Seattle Still

Tuesday, 4-21-10

The sky is once again overcast and drizzly.  Gray skies, no “Dutchmen’s Britches” (patches of blue sky)).  The five of us (yes, including Rex) pile into their “Bark Busters” SUV and head north to the tulip fields.  We drive quite a while along Highway 5 until finally taking a turn off down a country road.  For miles all we see are empty, brown dirt farm fields – no tulips.  When we do see tulip fields they are past their prime – all the blooms have been cut off and all we see are patches of color from blooms that have fallen on the ground.  We have obviously missed the height of the tulip season.

We stop at “Rozen Gaarde”, one of the major tulip growers in the area, and pay $4 each (thank you Sarah) to walk through their tulip gardens.  There is a vast variety of shapes, color, and sizes.  Some of them are truly spectacular.  We take lots of photos.  Fred gets some great ones, mine are so-so.

We head back for Seattle and stop at the little town of LA Conner, named after Louise A. Conner, a woman who evidently contributed a lot of money to the town.  We have lunch at the Waterfront Café on the Sammamish River.

It’s raining all the way home as Fred and I doze in the back seat.

In the evening we watch American Idol and all agree Crystal Bowersox should win.  Then we accidentally catch an episode of “Glee” and their tribute to Madonna.  We are surprised because it is actually really good.

Lights out around 10:30.

Seattle

Monday, 4-20-10

The hippie van is in the auto repair shop.  Jack takes us for a drive around Lake Washington and we stop to throw the ball for Rexy.  Then it’s back to their condo while Fred takes a nap, Sarah goes to work at “Dragonfly” and Jack and I make cookies.  But not just any cookie, chocolate covered Ritz Crackers cookies.  You won’t believe these (food again!).  It is such a fun recipe and Jack and I get carried away with experimenting with different toppings.

Jack and Fred go to pick up the VW while I take a nap.  Then we head out to pick up Sarah at “Dragonfly”.  It’s an adorable shop with unique and interesting Asian imports:  jewelry, scarves, some small furniture, etc.  We walk upstairs and have drinks and appetizers for dinner.

It’s back to the condo where we visit on the balcony until the mosquitoes drive us inside.  Fred reads us the latest headlines from his laptop:  the volcano in Iceland, who got kicked off American Idol, Carrie Underwood winning a CMA award, and the fact that married people live longer than single people.  Then we do a “brainstorming” session on what time to leave for the tulip fields in the morning.  Sarah’s suggestion wins:  8:30 a.m.

Rex jumps up on the bed with us.  Fred scratches his ear as I doze off to sleep.

Cannon Beach to Seattle, WA

Sunday, 4-19-10

Ok, as I am typing this today is actually 4-29-10 and we have been gone 3 weeks and our blog is still only up to the end of the first week.  This blogging thing is not as easy as it sounds.

So, on Sunday, 4-19-10, we leave Cannon Beach and look for a good hamburger somewhere.  We stop at the little town of Elma, WA, and come upon “Betty’s Kitchen”.  There are several cars in the parking lot so it meets our first criteria for whether or not go in.  We decide yes.  Inside there is a long bar, a dance floor, booths to the side, and as we sit down we notice there is a man and three women playing poker at a table near us.  Great burger and fries, highly recommend it if you are ever in Elma, WA.

I’m starting to notice a pattern here.  I write a lot about the food we eat.

Anyway, finally at the end of week one we arrive at Jack and Sarah Knudsen’s in Seattle.  Jack and dog Rex (a McNab breed – photo at beginning of blog) are in the driveway as we drive up.  We’re still parking on uphill slopes so we back the van into their driveway.  Tomorrow we have an appointment to get a new starter installed.

Jack and Sarah’s place is fabulous with a wonderful view of Issaquah below and Lake Washington in the distance.  Jack has prepared a surprise dinner for us:  baked ham, scalloped potatoes, coleslaw and corn muffins, accompanied with a bottle of Malbec wine.  Dessert is his homemade pear tart.  Dinner is wonderful!  Notice I’m talking food again.

We get the guest room downstairs and Rex the Wonder Dog joins us at the foot of the bed (when he’s not between us).

Cape Lookout to Cannon Beach

Saturday, 4-18-10

We awaken to the sound of light rain pitter pattering on the roof.  It's cold out so we go back to sleep.  At 8:30 a.m. we walk to the showers.  They are the water conserving-type and turn off ever couple minutes, but no problem, just hit the button again and it turns back on.  Except it comes back on cold and then heats up just in time to turn off again.

We drive up the coast and watch clam diggers searching for clams in Netarts Bay.  Suddenly I am craving clam chowder for lunch.  But first we stop at Point Mears Lighthouse.  It's still raining as we walk the sloping path to the lighthouse.  We notice some tire tracks in the grassy area and wonder who would have driven their car off the pavement.  Once we reach the lighthouse we are told the stairs to the tower are closed because vandals drove their car down to the overlook and with a high powered rifle shot out the 100 year old light.  A $5,000 reward has turned up a couple suspects.  They estimate it will cost about $500,000 to repair it but some of the original-type glass is no longer available.  Fred and I actually get teary eyed and we make sure to put some money in the donation box when we leave.

On the road again, we head toward Tillamook, OR where we will search down clam chowder for lunch.  It's not a big town but we find an interesting old tavern called the "Rendezvous Restaurant and Lounge" complete with brown naugahyde seats and dim yellow lamps hanging over the booths.  The waitress swears they have the best clam chowder around so somewhat skeptically we each order a bowl.   When it arrives Fred puts his spoon in it and it stands up without assistance.  But amazingly it is very delicious and surprisingly satisfying.  We are happy.

A quick stop at the little bookstore nearby and Fred find some more Louis Lamour books.  I find a Carol Burnett biography and a book about women of the wild west.

We also dash into the Blue Herron Cheese Store just out of town and buy a fabulous pepper covered brie for cocktail hour at Jack and Sarah’s.

Finally we make our way to Cannon Beach and the Sunset RV Park.  We meet some nice neighbors and share notes on camping in Baja.   I fix a mew camping recipe “Camp Au Gratin Potatoes” that are made with top secret ingredients.  If you want to know, just ask and I’ll share the recipe.

Honeyman to Cape Lookout

Friday – April 16, 2010

Once again we are in search of that wonderful restaurant.  I check out the Auto Club Oregon Tour Book and it seems to be the “Local Fish” restaurant in Newport, OR on historical Bay Street.   That sounds like the place.  Sure enough, it is.  We park on a downhill slope  -  just in case.  We share a  Shrimp Louie salad and fish and chips.  Lin cod sautéed in panco crumbs with fries and a great slaw.  The food is just as good as we remember.

We return to the van hoping it will start.  The engine barely turns over and then quits.  This time Fred thinks it’s the battery and not the starter.  It’s an old battery and maybe time to replace it.  The closest Sears is in Salem, OR, an hour away and we decide it’s worth the trip.  It takes only 30 minutes to get a new battery and we drive back to the coast.  We are hoping this has solved the problem, but Fred still thinks the starter needs replacing and that can’t be done until we reach Seattle.

The Oregon road map has a little green tent near the town of “Netarts” so we decide to search for the campground.  We wind along a narrow road above the ocean that finally ends at a magnificent view of Cape Lookout (photo below).  We find the Cape Lookout campground on the beach.  This is now one of our favorite campgrounds.  It is a short walk to the beach where we take photos until sunset. 

Dinner is grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup – fancy, huh?  No forest tonight, just coastal waves and stars.

Smith River to Honeyman Campground, OR

Thursday – April 15, 2010

We drive along Hwy 199 following the Smith River.  We are looking for the Wagon Wheel Motel where my family always stayed.  We find it CLOSED and dilapidated.  Looks like it has been this way for several years.  Kind of sad but still a place that provides fond memories.

We drive north along the Oregon Coast.   We have lunch in a little café bakery in Bandon Beach.   As we drive onward we decide to look for one of our favorite restaurants for dinner.  Only problem is we can’t remember the name or what city.  We remember it was on a waterfront after we crossed a bridge.  In Florence, OR, we cross a bridge and we turn down to the waterfront.  We are excited, we are getting closer, and we are hungry.  Only to realize this is not the city.   Where is it?

We back track and find a campsite at Honeyman Camp Ground by the Oregon Dunes.  Lots of dune buggies everywhere, but it is relatively quiet on a weekday.  It’s a pretty spot like most of the Oregon State Parks.  They are always so green and clean.

We have chicken noodle soup for dinner and I steam a chocolate camp cake for dessert.

Redwoods to the Smith River

Wednesday – April 14, 2010

Morning in the redwoods.  A soft rain drops through the thick forest.  We’ve picked a sloping site just in case a push is necessary, so we spend the night crawling back up to the end of the bed.  It’s cold outside our cozy van.  I fix fried eggs and ham sandwiches and coffee for breakfast.  We pack up and take Hwy. 101 toward Garberville on our way to the Smith River.  Three years ago we stopped at a café in
Garberville on our way to Canada and the owner lady told us to buy every gold maple leaf Canadian coin we can get our hands on.  We bought one for $367.  It’s now worth 4 times that.  We should have listened more seriously to her.

We take a side road off the 101 and find ourselves at the Klamath River Overlook.   It is a spectacular view and we stop to take some photos.  We plug in “Jill” our GPS lady and head back to the highway towards the town of Ferndale.  It’s a charming little community of dairy farms and long lost hippies with gingerbread houses dating back to the early 1900’s.  We take photos of houses, doorways, and old cemetery headstones.

Our stop for lunch is at the Samoa Cookhouse just outside of Eureka.  It was recommended to us by sister Ramona’s friend Pam and was part of a Huell Howser “California Gold”.  Served family style, the menu for lunch is salad, chicken fiesta soup, chicken fried steak with masked potatoes, fresh peas, BBQ beans and pineapple upside down cake for dessert.  What a feast.  We highly recommend it if you are ever up that way.  Delicious! 

Our destination for the day is the Smith River, designated as one of California’s scenic and wild rivers.  We arrive at early evening, plenty of time for a walk along the river.  It is such a magnificent river.  Huge gray boulders, emerald water, white rapids.  I fondly remember it from my childhood.   Our family winter vacations were along this river as Dad fished for steelhead and Mom fried fish for dinner.

Tonight we eat lightly and I look forward to a drive along the Smith River in the morning.

The Redwoods

Tuesday, 4-13-10

On the road, destination redwoods.  We take the 880 around San Francisco to San Rafael.  Stop for a quick bite at McDonald's.  Get back into the van to leave and IT WON'T START!!! Not again! Why does our faithful VW Vanagon only do this when we go on vacation?  Doesn't she know we got a personalized license plate for her that reads GUD HPNS (Good Happens)?  I get out and push and Fred pops the clutch.  We find our way to the local VW dealership.  Of course now she starts up each time.  Nothing to do but go on our merry way.  We'll just have to make sure to park on a downhill slope each time.  No bid deal, we've done this before on vacation.  Besides, we are heading for the redwoods and life is good.

It's now pouring as we drive north (see photo).  We arrive at the Avenue of The Giants and find our way to Burlington Campground in Humboldt Redwood State Park.  It's only raining slightly now.  We find a good downhill sloping site.  Fred builds a fire and I pour a couple cocktails - margarita for him, cosmo for me.  It's soup & crackers for dinner.  Some warm Cafe d'Vita while we read.  Lights out.

Gowesty and Monterey

Monday 4/12/2010 - Gowesty
Gowesty is probably the largest VW Vanagon shop on the West coast, maybe even in the US. They are installing an awning and a set of lift-assist struts for the pop-top. Turns out that one of our rear springs is broken, so we have them  replace both rear springs. The van rides like a dream now, we just didn't realize how bad it was getting.

We head for Monterey around 1:45 and it's beginning to sprinkle.  We arrive at our favorite little historic hotel the Monterey Inn.  It has lost some of it's charm.  The elevator no longer works and we haul our luggage upstairs.  The carpet in the lobby could use cleaning.  Our favorite Room 212 overlooking Alvarado Street seems to have shrunk and the walls seem to be thinner.  Or did we just not care in the past?  Is it our age?

We have dinner on Cannery Row at our favorite Paradisio.  We ask for a table by the window but it is too chilly to push them open for the usual bay breeze.  We always look forward to the bread but this time it is disappointingly ordinary and the parsley pesto tastes odd.  We enjoy a cold artichoke appetizer with aioli and Fred says the clam chowder is the best he's even eaten.  We share the $26 special of sole stuffed with lobster and mushrooms and it seems a little bland.  We decide next time we will enjoy the fabulous view and be content with wine and appetizers.

In spite of some minor disappointments in hotel and food, we enjoy our stay.  We were able to take several photos along the coast in Pacific Grove - Fred took this one.

Baywood Inn - Los Osos

Sunday 4/11/2010 - Los Osos
Meeting Julie and Delaney for dinner tonight at the Bayside Cafe in Morro Bay. Have to get some of the Green Chili soup.
Will spend tonight at the Baywood Inn in Los Osos and take the van to Gowesty Monday morning to have them install a roll-out awning on the van.

Baywood Inn - Los Osos, CA

Off to see the Wizard.

Sunday April 11,  2010. Finally leaving for our Spring Vacation. We will be writing the next several posts in catchup mode because we didn't have the blog setup before we left. Now that we are in Seattle with Jack and Sarah and Rex, we will have some time to post some entries and get caught up with our days. More later.

Rex photo from 2009

Rex the Wonder Dog

Can't wait to see him, he is an awesome dog.