Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Ahhhhhhhh Peace And Quiet!!

You can probably guess my destination from this first picture.  This is Cow Country ... Tillamook  Cheeeeeeeeese and of course Ice Cream!!  Right up my alley!!
The interesting thing I noticed upon leaving Long Beach yesterday is that I wasn't nervous about it and didn't need two sleeping pills.  One did the trick just fine!!  I must be getting used to the routine. It was sad however, as I pulled out on the highway.  I certainly wasn't going to miss the fishermen or the crowds, but I will definitely miss the company, including the Chances who left the week before and Terry and Nick Russell that I left in the morning.  Alone again ..... sniff sniff!!
No worries, I've got lots of adventures left to experience and my puppies provide lots of love, even if they DO drive me crazy!!!  I crossed the Astoria Megler bridge amid fog and clouds, but no traffic.
The fishermen were out early as usual.  I understand they can catch two salmon per day per person.  Although some use spoons and different types of lures, many try shrimp or herring for bait.  Most, if not all the fishing is done in the river as the salmon head upstream for spawning.
Here comes the tallest part of the bridge.  The construction continues, but I got lucky this time and didn't have to stop ... at the top ... on the steep hill ... where I worry my brakes will fail!!
On down the road, it was a slow trip.  The roads are really rough in this section with 30mph corners every half mile or less.  This 92 mile trip took me over two hours to complete.
Part of that was because of the new Oregon Highway Patrol.  I bet you didn't know they changed their uniforms to lime green and black.  If the speed limit was 25, he went 15.  If it was 45, he went 25, leaving a string of cars behind him 20 or more long!!
 As I came into Garibaldi, I almost missed the train that appeared out of nowhere around this corner!!
I was a happy camper when I pulled in to the Tillamook Elks RV Park.  Not the cheapest I've stayed at, but the $20 per night is worth the peace and quiet.  My nearest neighbor is at least 30 feet away and there's not a fishing boat in sight!!  Lucky me, just as I was coming in, the guy on the end pulled out from the only available pull-through site.  In fact, there is only one space left in the park.
I learned something about the wind yesterday after settling in.  With lots of open fields and a little breeze, I got out one of my kites to practice.  Having last flown in a gale on the beach, when I unwound the lines, they immediately tied themselves up into knots.  They have a strong twist in them, that when stretched due to too MUCH wind, go crazy wonky!!  Next time, move those lines further out on the leaders so as not to stretch them so much.

Try as I might, once untangled, I couldn't fly worth a darn.  As the wind travels over the corn fields and trees here, it moves in gusts and eddies making flying nearly impossible.  I really need a steady wind, so I put it all away.  This week I'll go to the beach where there is nothing but water to interrupt the waves of wind.

In the meantime ..... I think I hear the ice cream bell ringing!!!




9 comments:

  1. We love that Elks camp.So quite. Heading south there is a park,with a nice waterfall after a nice hike. Can't remember the name darn.

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    1. Munson Falls ... that's on my agenda in the next day or so. Thanks for the tip!!!

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  2. Woudl that park happen to be Munson Falls State Park with Munson Falls?

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  3. Nancy, how many days are you staying at Tillamook? I mean how many trips thru the ice cream line at the creamery are you going to take? Yeah, ice cream!!!! If theirs is not the best it is close to it. Enjoy. Jim

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    1. My plan is to go every single day (9 days) Jim!! I'll wear a disguise or two so they won't recognize me!!!

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  5. Are you trying to say that you're in a real RV park we know how much you missed thousand trails I know it's a joke
    howeverLet me ask you a Question about your kite lines
    When you're through flying your kite do you disassemble the four leads for The kite
    and then roll the leads up
    Or do you leave the leads attached and folded it up and put it away
    If the answer is the ladder that is probably why you're getting the kinks in your lines
    On the 4 leads that attached to the kites bridal you should have a larks knot (cows knot )
    On a two line kite it's best to take the kite folded put away and then wind up your two lines in a figure 8 configuration
    On a four line kite do the right 2 in a figure 8 and then do the left 2 in a figure 8 starting at the handle end also while you're doing that walk backwards slowly that all allow the line to run out straight A figure 8 is the least likely way to get kinks
    On my 4 line Power kite I do this and I never get kinks
    Although I do have a secret weapon I use a 200lb stainless steel ball pivot
    On all my Kites i've only broken two of them so far
    This way if there's any twists in the lines Once the kite leaves the ground the swivels undo it
    If you want to do a test find somebody that will help you
    Find a fisherman that will give you a ball swivel there like $.50 each
    Attach that to a pole you stay by the pole hold the line have them walk all the way back with the line Till its all the way out pull it tight and watch how that swivel will spin ( don't try to grab it)
    OK with all that work I need ice cream have a good day


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    1. So you fly kites?? That's awesome!! You've given me some great information ... thank you!! I do detach the 4 lines from the kite and wind up on a "card" in a figure 8 fashion. This is the first time I've ever had a problem and really, it wasn't too bad. I'll look for some swivels though! By the way, an ice cream a day keeps boredom away!!! Hahaha

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