Chapter 31 - First Time Road Trip to the Pacific Northwest - Part 2

 

North face of Mount St. Helen's.

Hi,

On June 4, 2024, we embarked on a three-week road trip to the Pacific Northwest, a new destination for both of us.  We covered a lot of ground in three weeks, so we've decided to split the blog into two parts.  We already release Part 1 a few days ago.  Below is Part 2.

On June 12, we left Olympia, WA and headed to Winstock, WA to see the Worlds Largest Egg....another Atlas Obscura suggestion. 

 

Nothing remarkable about the World's Largest Egg.

 

Our next stop....Mount St. Helen's to see the blowout on the north side of the mountain.  Before we arrived at Mount St. Helen's we saw Mount Rainier. 

 

In the distance, Mount Rainier is 14,411 ft above sea level and is the tallest mountain in Washington State. 
Mount St. Helen's is 8,363 ft above sea level.  

And we also stopped at the Yale Reservoir for lunch. 

 

What a beautiful body of water surrounded by mountains. 
Mount St. Helen's is in the background in the upper left of the photo.

 

We have always wanted to see Mount St. Helen's.  I can still remember when it erupted catastrophically on May 18, 1980, marking one of the most significant volcanic events in U.S. history. After over a century of dormancy, the volcano reawakened with a series of earthquakes in March 1980, culminating in a massive landslide on May 18.  The explosion destroyed the north face of the mountain, sending ash and gas at speeds up to 300 miles per hour.  The ash plume rose 15 miles into the atmosphere and spread across 11 states.  The eruption melted snow and ice, causing destructive mudflows that obliterated infrastructure.  The disaster claimed 57 lives. 

Before reaching the north face, we had to cross a partially flooded road that was recently washed out.  Happy we had the Toyota 4Runner because my Nissan Maxima would not have made it through.

The blowout is in the center of the photo.  Although you could still see some of the devastation from 40 years ago, it was amazing to see how nature adapts with the large trees and plants. 

 

We drove up to McClellan Viewpoint to see Mount St. Helen's from further away.

The blowout on the north face of the mountain is easier to see from further away.

Our next stop was visiting our friends Mike and Barry who live in Happy Valley, OR.  They were our next door neighbors in the Seven Seas Resort in San Pedro, Belize in 2017.  They also recommended an excellent travel resource: GetYourGuide.com. It is a travel and tour aggregating and booking platform that enables you to discover and book a wide range of activities, tours, and experiences worldwide. It offers everything from guided tours and attraction tickets to unique local experiences.  Although we didn’t book any activities through it on this trip, we did use it as a research tool while exploring a new location and found the reviews and ratings helpful.

It was fun catching up with them and hearing about all the changes in San Pedro.

On the morning of June 13, we explored Portland. We visited the Wishing Tree, a unique spot found through Atlas Obscura, strolled along the Willamette River, and shopped at Cargo, a cute and entertaining retail store in Downtown Portland.

 

The Wishing Tree....I was shocked at all the wishes that have been tied to the tree branches.

My wish.

Outside of the Cargo store.  There were so many cools things inside.

 

Portland has a ton of murals.  

 

Portland also has lots of graffiti tagging and visible homelessness. 

 

There was graffiti on all the major roads. 
I don't think we have ever seen so much graffiti.

On the afternoon of June 13, we arrived in Astoria, WA.  

 

Astoria was incorporated in 1811 and it is set on the banks of the Columbia River. 
So much history there and lots of historic buildings to take in.

We started with a great lunch of fish and chips at Port George Brewery.  

 

The brewery had a super cool light fixture made of mason jars.

Fish and chips were so yummy!

 

Astoria has a cute trolley that was built in 1913 and runs 5 miles along the Astoria Boardwalk.

While in Astoria, we discovered that Astoria is home to the Goonies movie house. The movie is about a band of adventurous kids who take on the might of a property developing company which plans to destroy their home to build a country club. When the children discover an old pirate map in the attic, they follow it into an underground cavern in search of lost treasure but come up against plenty of dangerous obstacles along the way. 

 

Goonies was a kid favorite movie for us, so Corp couldn't resist doing the Chunk "truffle shuffle" in front of the Goonies house.

 

Next stop was the Peter Iredale ship wreck.  The Peter Iredale, a four-masted, steel ship, ran ashore in 1906 and is now one of the most accessible shipwrecks on the West Coast. It has remained here, slowly decaying on the shore for more than a century.

There is not much left of the shipwreck.

Our next beach town was in Seaside, WA.  This town was a big surprise and we really liked the quaint beach town vibe of the town and the 1920s promenade.  We would definitely like to go back and check out the area more.

 

 

At Dundee's Bar, they had an ice bar to keep our drinks cold. 
That was a first for us!

We found the trunks of this tree amazing.

The Lewis & Clark Salt Works was a neat discovery.  On December 28, 1805, the Lewis & Clark Expedition sent out a detachment of five men in search of a good place to make salt.where they set up the salt processing camp.  Salt was important for meat preservation and thus for the expedition's survival.  Making salt required a bit of planning and a lot of work. Sea water had to be collected and allowed to sit till the sand sank to the bottom. Then the men had to collect a large supply of firewood and build a stone furnace, on top of which they placed five kettles that had to boil 24 hours a day to produce the salt.

 

Historical accounts say "the group left with 3.5 bushels (about 28 gallons) of excellent, fine, strong & white salt.

On June 14 we left Seaside and had a full day of stops.  

 

People told us to stop at Haystack Rock. 

 

First stop was Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach.  It is an iconic rock that sticks out of the ocean and is a very popular photography spot.  We didn't see what all the hype was about.  Maybe we should have viewed at ground level to see the tide pools that are reportedly full of marine life instead of from a nearby hill.

 

Along the way we saw a cool tunnel in the side of the mountain. 

Next stop was hiking out to Short Sand Beach. 

 

We were amazed at the diameter of this tree. 
We assumed it was a sequoia or redwood tree.

Short Sand Beach. 
I can't imagine how beautiful it would be with the sun shining!

Next stop was the Town of Rockaway Beach.  

 

It was fun stumbling upon the kite flying at the beach. 
We wished we had kites to fly.

Our fourth stop of the day was at the Devils Punchbowl.  It is centered on a large bowl naturally carved in a rock headland which is partially open to the Pacific Ocean. Waves enter the bowl and often violently churn, swirl, and foam.  The bowl is thought to have been created when two caves carved by the ocean collapsed.

It was mesmerizing watching the waves go in and out.

We think we were there at a higher tide, but you could still see the opening out to the Pacific Ocean.

Our last stop of the day was the City of Newport, OR.  After checking into the hotel, we headed down to the Newport Historic Bayfront and we were surprised to see sea lions on the docks!

I loved the sea lions in the Newport harbor. 

Our first stop on June 15 was Nye Beach.

 

The oceanfront houses on the hill were beautiful!

Next stop was Thor's Well, known as the drainpipe of the Pacific Ocean.  The well is actually a hole in the rock that only appears to drain water from the ocean.

 

Corp is just a little speck on the photo in the lower right. 
The photo definitely doesn't give you the full experience.

Our next stop was Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.  Little did we know that we would soon be driving...yes driving...the Toyota 4Runner on the beach and in the dunes.  

 

First, we began with a beach walk and found it to be an excellent spot for shell hunting. I even discovered a fascinating empty crab shell that I had to bring home. We also spotted a few seals near the water's edge, though we kept a respectful distance. To our surprise, we saw people driving 4-wheelers, razors, trucks, and cars right on the beach.

 

Corp's wheels started turning, and he wondered if we could drive on the beach. So, we asked Gary, the parking lot attendant/volunteer. He confirmed that we could, but we needed a red flag. Since we didn’t have one, he kindly let us borrow his. With the flag set up, Corp got us on our way.

 

Driving on the dunes was a really unique experience and a lot of fun!

 

Our Toyota 4Runner's second time on the beach. 
The first time was in Mexico.

 

Below are a few videos featuring Corp driving on the dunes, heading out to the beach, and cruising approximately 6 miles along the shoreline.

 

On June 16, we visited the Prehistoric Gardens by Ophir, OR.  Prehistoric Gardens is a roadside attraction that was founded in 1955.  The gardens feature 23 life-sized sculptures of dinosaurs set among the lush foliage of the area's temperate rainforest. The gardens are the work of amateur paleontologist E.V. "Ernie" Nelson; the site is run by Nelson's granddaughter. 

Prehistoric Gardens was corny and quirky, but I still thought it was a great roadside attraction.

 

As we were driving we came across Arch Rock State Park and a beach with a ton of driftwood.  

 

We went on a short hike hoping to get closer to the rock arch, but ran into a dead end.

I couldn't resist going driftwood hunting. 
I found a few pieces that I brought home and put them in my flower beds. 

 

We were excited to be finally be entering the Redwood National and State Parks.    

 

Our next stop was the Trees of Mystery.  The highlight was the Redwood Canopy Trail, a walk through aerial netted suspension bridges through the majestic old-growth redwoods at mid canopy level with viewing platforms from 50-100 feet high in the trees.  We walked 10 platforms, 2 of which are connected by a spiral staircase, and 8 suspension bridges.   

 

We were surprised to see Paul Bunyan and Babe when we arrived at the Trees of Mystery. 
We thought they were only a Minnesota thing.

 

Bench carved out of a redwood stump.

 

Corp walking across the first suspension bridge. 
We were at least two stories up in the canopy.

 

The suspension bridges were really long.

Here are videos of Corp and I walking on the suspension bridges.

The red outline shows Corp up in the canopy. 
Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience!

The suspension bridge were double deckers.

This is the Brotherhood Tree. 
It is over 2000 years old, 19 feet in diameter, 60 feet in circumference and 297 feet tall.
It was awe inspiring to stand next to this massive living entity and realize it was here and growing for much of recorded human history.

Look at the size of this chainsaw bar...wow!!!

It's not everyday you can do yoga (tree pose) on the stump of an enormous redwood.
I'm not going to lie, I was a bit nervous trying this because I was pretty high of the ground.

Our last stop of the day was the Klamath Tour Thru Tree, which is a massive redwood tree and tourist attraction with a drive-thru tunnel carved out of its trunk.

 

 

Here is a video of Corp driving through the tree.

 

On June 17, we entered Northern California and noticed a significant increase in the number of homeless people.

The Avenue of the Giants was incredible.  It is a famously picturesque 31-mile stretch of former historic Highway 101.  We took a walk on the 2 mile Drury-Chaney trail and enjoyed lunch among the towering trees. 

 

This tree is so big!

Videos of the massive trees.

We were so excited about the trees that we bought a small one to take home. 
We will grow it indoors until its too big because it will never survive a Minnesota winter.

 

Our last stop of the day was Fort Bragg, CA.  It is still one of my favorite Northern CA towns.  The succulent plants were so much bigger than at home.  They had lots of fun murals throughout Downtown and we also came across salsa dancing lessons at the Tall Guy Brewing.   

 

 We were told to get the clam chowder at Angelina's Restaurant and so we did.

It was delicious! 
We were surprised when we saw the price tag....$11 for a bowl...that was before the tip.

The rugged coastline in Fort Bragg is so beautiful!

 

We met Randy Hopper at the Tip Top Lounge.  He had been traveling for about three weeks, like us, hoping to reach Nashville to sell some of his country songs.  We wished him the best of luck! 

He even sang a song for us.

 

On June 18, we visited Chico, CA, a city we visited over 10 years ago.  Along the way we saw some wild fires.  The map below shows how many were burning at the time.

 

 

These fires are still burning almost two months later and covering a much larger area.

We went to the Sycamore Pool in Bidwell Park in Chico, which is a super unique swimming experience. It is a concrete pool built around Big Chico Creek, depths range from the shallow wading end to 6 or more feet near the dam.

 

It was perfect activity on a hot 90 degree afternoon!

 

Downtown Chico was much as we remembered it, retaining its charming, college-town vibe although there was a presence of vagrancy in the main plaza, which had not been there during our last visit. The historic architecture, from elegant old storefronts to stately buildings with beautiful facades, continues to provide a glimpse into the town's past while blending seamlessly with its modern-day energy.

I love these kind of murals!

 

On June 20, we arrived in Reno, NV for a one-night stay. The highlight of our visit was the surprisingly nice room we had at the Circus Circus casino, which cost $80 for the night. We placed a $30 bet on black in roulette and ended up losing so that was it for gambling. We also took a stroll along the Truckee Riverwalk and found both of the "Welcome to Reno" signs. 

 

 

On June 21, we explored Salt Lake City, UT. 

 

The salt flats were pretty neat to see.

 

As for the city itself, it was okay. Our impression might have been influenced by our brief visit or simply a personal preference. Downtown was overrun with construction, which may have affected our experience. We visited the State Capitol, Tabernacle organ and checked out some historic houses. 

 

Utah State Capitol.

Here I am making my political debut....not!

We also stopped by In-N-Out Burger, one of Corp’s favorite burgers, before leaving town.

Our next stop was Park City, UT, which is described as a charming alpine town renowned for its stunning natural beauty and vibrant culture.

 

On the way, we saw Utah Olympic Park, which was a sports venue built for the 2002 Olympics. 
It hosted the bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, and ski jumping.

 

The tiered housing and historic Main Street were neat.

It was really cool to see this eagle owl up close. 
Its wing span was huge when it shook its wings.

 

We had price tag shock when I saw a super cute leather and fur coat...$4,000.   The people vibe there felt very waspy (people perceived as snobbish and exclusive) and every woman had the same cookie-cutter look.  We left Park City just in time because it rained the next 4 hours and semis and poor wifi were very frustrating.  

 

We stopped at the Sunset Bar & Grill in Wyoming and discovered the bar walls were covered with $1 bills. 

 

This bar & grill was a fun end of the day find! 

On June 22, we headed back to see Devils Tower in Wyoming, even though we had visited it before. The drive was unique as we spotted a remarkable number of pronghorn antelope—nearly 50 in total. It was a fun challenge to keep an eye out for them along the way.

 

Devils Tower turned out to be a disappointment due to the large crowds. We estimated a wait time of at least two hours to get in, so we decided to take some photos from a distance instead.

 

Devil's Tower in the distance.

Our next stop was Bridal Veil Falls and Spearfish Canyon in South Dakota. Bridal Veil Falls turned out to be rather unimpressive, so we decided to head over to Devils Tub. Despite not being dressed for hiking, I thought it would be worth a try. After crossing five creeks and growing increasingly frustrated, I gave up and walked back through the water even thought I was worried about ruining my favorite sandals.  It seemed better than risking a fall on rocks or tree limbs.  Side note.....I was really happy my sandals were not ruined after they dried out.  

 

Corp continued to the end and said it wasn’t worth the effort.  We had just spend the past three weeks seeing a lot of waterfalls of various sizes so the ones in South Dakota were not very impressive.  We then headed to Wall Drug for a beef commercial dinner, only to find out they had stopped serving them half an hour before we arrived. On the bright side, we did get a free Wall Drug bumper sticker for our troubles.  Finally, when we checked into our hotel room, we were met with a terrible odor. Corp went to the front desk to request a different room. They offered us a room with a hot tub, but it didn't come easy.  Overall, it was a pretty disappointing day.

 

We arrived home on June 23 after Corp drove 108 hours and 5,490 miles.  Whew...that's a lot.

 

Miscellaneous random cute/funny/interesting/weird pics/videos below…

 

A tree full of boat buoys in Northern California.

 

Corp caught this awesome shot of an airplane landing at the Salt Lake City airport at sunset.

 

 

Welcome to Beaver, WA, where you can grab your groceries and your guns all in one convenient stop!
Talk about a full-service experience!

Me taking on a lion at the Circus Circus.

Sign on the back window say "Just Married!  Honeymoon Around the Country!  Gas $!"
with their Venmo username.

Well that's it for our 3-week Pacific Northwest road trip!

Until next time, we wish you safe travels and happy exploring!

Corp & Tammy