My beloved sister's hubby has a sister in Portland who
was getting married at a little place on the Oregon coast called Yachats. My
sister, her hubby, and my two nephews sojourned from distant North Carolina to
attend the wedding. I drove down from Seattle to the Oregon coast to rendezvous with
my sister's family the morning after the wedding. My sister's group loaded into
Bigfoot and we spent a couple of days along the Oregon north coast before I
dropped them off at the Portland airport for their return flight to Charlotte.
Friday, July 31, 2009
After work on Thursday I drove down to Tacoma from Redmond and put in there
for the evening. Friday morning started at the Wingfoot garage across the street
from the Flying J at the entrance to the Port of Tacoma, where Bigfoot was to
undergo an alignment job. After checking Bigfoot in at the garage I strolled
over to the Flying J where I enjoyed a hearty trucker's breakfast...
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Bigfoot in the Wingfoot garage... |
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I-5 South through Tacoma... |
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Traffic was thick and slow through south Tacoma but that was
fine, as the Blue Angels were practicing overhead and coming in for
landings at
McChord
Air Force Base. The Blue Angels were preparing for shows at
Seattle's
Seafair
Festival...
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Cabela's, in Lacey, WA. My favorite store...
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South of
Olympia, Gospodor Monument Park... |
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I followed the Columbia River and the moon on in to Portland,
Oregon...
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Instead of stopping in Portland for the night, I pushed on to the Oregon
coast at Cape Kiwanda. From Portland I traveled Highways 18 and 22, then the curvy
and dark
Little Nestucca Highway
(130).
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One of several one-lane bridges on the Little Nestucca Highway...
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The intersection of the Little Nestucca Highway and U.S. Route
101. I reached Cape Kiwanda, 6 miles to the north, around mid-night.
I had a reservation at the Cape Kiwanda RV Resort & Market Place for
the next 2 nights, but as it was too late to check in early, I
parked Bigfoot across the road near the beach and had a pleasant
night's sleep there...
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Saturday, August 1, 2009
I awoke Saturday morning to a nice view of
Haystack Rock, at
Cape
Kiwanda. I stayed around this area until the office at the RV Park across
the street opened for business...
After checking in at the Cape Kiwanda RV Resort & Market Place, I spent the
rest of the day walking on the beach and riding my bike...
Back on June 13, 2003 while on a trip down the Oregon coast, my Ford
Explorer became stuck in the sand on this very beach. Click
here and scroll down to "Day 3." Visions of rogue waves produced a few
tense moments and the pull-out cost $90.00. I won't do that again...
Sunday, August 2, 2009
I awoke early at Cape Kiwanda and started down the Oregon coast for the
rendezvous with my sister's family at Yachats...
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The much anticipated rendezvous at
Yachats! Notice
the surprised looks. This was the first time they had ever seen me with a full beard... |
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My young nephews...
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My sister Jan with my brother-n-law Matt's newly married sister and parents...
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My sister's family with the bearded Bigfoot Thompson...
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My nephew and his grandparents...
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My sister's family loaded their gear in Bigfoot and from Yachats we headed
north up the Oregon coast toward Cape Kiwanda (where my reservation was still
in effect)...
At
Cape Kiwanda...
A
Dory boat comes in...
Haystack Rock was completely obscured by fog on this day. I kept telling
Sister Jan and her crew about the great rock almost a mile off shore, but I
don't think they believed me...
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My young nephew warms his bones after dinner at the local pub...
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Back at
the Cape Kiwanda RV Park, firing up the s'mores... outside
Bigfoot... |
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My sister's family pitched a tent near Bigfoot...
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Monday, August 3, 2009
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Morning coffee in Bigfoot...
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On the beach at Cape Kiwanda. Haystack Rock was visible again. The previous
day Haystack Rock had been shrouded by fog, and my sister and her crew had even
questioned its existence. On this morning they learned - once again - to never
doubt Uncle Steve.... |
Watching a Dory boat launch...
Heading up the Oregon coast, toward Astoria...
Seaside, Oregon...
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Fort Clatsop,
near Astoria, Oregon. Fort Clatsop was the Lewis & Clark encampment
during the winter of 1805-1806 near the mouth of the Columbia
River...
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We crossed the Astoria Bridge to the Washington State side of the Columbia
River... |
We spent about 10 minutes in Washington State then doubled-back over the
Columbia River to the Oregon side...
Proceeding eastward to the Portland airport...
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Dropping my sister's family off at the
Portland airport for their flight back to the east coast... Our time together had been wonderful, but
far too short. I had anticipated this visit for so long, and then,
suddenly, we were saying goodbye again. I drove away from the
airport, northward toward Seattle...
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Some of my camping gear needed a good drying out after being in
the Cape Kiwanda fog, so the following weekend I spread things out
in the sunshine at Marymoor Park, in Redmond. Ai-chan made herself
comfortable and supervised the operation...
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