My Tip For The Day

If you are heading to Oregon/Washington in the next couple months, do NOT take Highway 101.  A much better trip would be had going through Redding to Medford and North, then heading over to the coast.

Here's why ... Highway 101 is falling off into the ocean along the entire route beginning in Eureka.  But first, my early morning alarm clock ... the CO2 alarm on the floor ... went off at 3:01 am.  Okay, I'm up.  Might as well hit the road on my hunt for fuel.

I hung a U-turn and landed at my favorite gas station, only to find that all the diesel pumps were out of order.  OH NO!!  Where am I going to get fuel?  My stress level rose to 395!  There was a guy there with a diesel tanker truck, so I asked if he was dropping any.  No, sorry honey, but you can go to the CFN Renner station at the other end of town and fill up with any credit card.  He knoweth not what he speaketh.  It rejected every credit card I carry.

Back on the freeway, I spotted a Union 76 station with diesel and an easy on-off ramp.  Okay, it was a little tight, but at least I got the Jeep out of the middle of the road.  The girl in front of me who couldn't speak English, tried to use her credit card on diesel for her gas car.  I jumped out to stop her, and with sign language, we reran her card at the gas pump.  See Cashier.  I told her she needed to go inside.  She drove away.

Okay then .... forty five minutes later with the slowest pump in the West, I had a tank of fuel.  Just as I was pulling out, I heard my antenna hit the roof of the station.  I about had a heart attack!!  I didn't hear anything else, so I just kept going.

Not far down the road, the unstable mountains began to make their appearance.  Stop light number one.

Stop light number two.

Stop light number three.

Stoplight number four.  

Stop light number five.  Most were not really long waits or long areas of construction, but there were a LOT of them, slowing traffic down to a crawl.

Stop light number five.  At least this time I was in front!!

This was a fun hoochy-goo in a big rig ......

Stop light number SIX!!  In between all the stop lights/one lane road sections, there was evidence of major repairs, making for the roughest ride I've ever had.  Again, my advice is NOT to go this way.  If you come across from Eugene to Florence, it should be much better.

It should have been a five hour drive to Bandon.  It took me six and a half hours, but I made it.  Bandon By The Sea RV Park is not cheap at $42.00 a night, but with full hookups, very wide spaces (there is that much space on both sides of my rig) and concrete parking pads, it's worth every penny.  It's also very QUIET!!

In no time, I was antsy.  It was bad enough that I had to pass by the Safari Wild Animal Park (I'll stop on the way back) but to pass up the best halibut fish and chips on the West Coast??  I couldn't do it.  With no intention of unhooking the car, I unhooked the car and drove to town.  I figured at 2:00 they would be done with lunch and it would be a quick trip.  WRONG!!

I was lucky at number five in line.  There were ten people behind me!!  Yes it's worth it.  These are the biggest pieces you've ever seen, cooked to perfection, with the best cole slaw EVER and yummy fries!!

Just because I was so tired and needed sustenance, I got a side of fried clams.  These tender, delicious, crunchy BIG strips of clams were just amazing.  I have enough of both left over for three more meals.

So this morning I'm off for another record-breaking five hour drive to Tillamook where I can finally rest for two days.  I usually linger along the way, stopping at all the local attractions.  This driving for long hours every day in order to GET THERE, is definitely not my idea of fun.  Once I arrive at my final destination, I'll have lots of time to relax and maybe fly a kite or two ... that is if I can remember how.  Honestly, I haven't flown them once since last year.  Sad, I know.

And so I'm off again ...............