My Journey

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

At one point in our travels I pulled over onto a random side road and we got out of the truck and just started to walk along that road.....just to see what we could see.....



We came across one farmers' field that interested me.....so we trespassed just a little bit because there was something in his field that I wanted to see a bit more closely.....



We hiked up the hill through the newly planted fields to admire his collection of old farm machinery. I liked the way he used the relics like a city dweller might have used them for landscape enhancements in their yards.....




While we were standing there, I noticed that we had great views looking westward down into the valley where we had just been walking along that random roadway.....



On the way back to the truck we stopped at a small stream that we had crossed earlier so that the dogs could cool themselves and have a drink of the cool stream water.....



Less than an hour after our stop, we were back on the road again.....



.....passing through miles and miles more of farmland.....and many grain silos too.....



......the fields mostly green now but not always of course.....



And again nothing special was seen here but everything was indeed very special.....the world is truly an amazing place to see.....no matter how it presents itself.....

 

[Mekcanix]

soo ........ why is this your last time taking this route?

 

[ITTOG]

soo ........ why is this your last time taking this route?

I had the exact thought. I hope it is just because he doesn't go to the NW very much.

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[Ace Brown]

Some of the barn and town photos look like paintings. Nice!


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[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....thanks.....Oregon is incredible.....its been a long time since I visited.....way too long.....didn't stay near long enough.....


Mekcanix & ITTOG.....well, I'll admit that the tests in Missoula did not go so well but we're not at that point quite yet. I did have to stop back by the hospital on my way home for additional tests, and just this past Friday, the cardiologist called saying he wants me back there yet again ! Sadly It's beginning to look like I'll be having yet another heart surgery this year for a needed repair. The good news is that it'll force me to get off my lazy butt back onto the road again.....

Now, regarding that post.....what I was getting to.....was that I wanted to visit the Pacific Coast on this trip and when I eventually got there, I wanted to start at Lincoln City, Oregon and travel toTilamook, Oregon along Highway 101. Over the years I've driven from the tip of Baja, Mexico to as far north as one can go along the Pacific Coast. But there was this one little gap that I may have missed, and my goal on this trip was to complete the entire route. Some of you probably remember my 2004 Road Atlas (cover shown below).....well, I often black line the routes I've driven.....here you see it's unmarked (second photo). Did I just forget to fill it in ? Or did I not travel that route in the past ? Now, I know for certain.....I completed the route.....

 

[Ace Brown]

Worth a drive to Tillamook if just for the cheese.


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[Pacific Northwest yetti]

The factory is worth the tour, also the air museum is pretty great to check out

 

[Riversdad]

Really sorry to hear about your heart problems Jerry. You would think that a vegan who gets as much cardio as you would be in excellent health.
Truly hope it's not too serious and won't keep you from doing everything you enjoy.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace & PNWY.....we drove right on by it.....didn't give much thought to stopping.....

Riversdad.....my predicament isn't related to lifestyle or diet. I suspect that if it was, I definitely would not be dealing with this. My issue is that I was born with a heart defect which showed zero symptoms (probably a result of my otherwise good health, lifestyle, & diet). There's nothing that I could have done to prevent it.

An unfortunate event took place during my heart surgery and I was left with a heart valve that leaks. It happens in approximately one third of cases. Typically not a big deal. The next unfortunate event is that my leaky heart valve is doing damage to my blood cells. The Cardiologist says I should be weak, dizzy, retaining fluids and even more, but once again I have no symptoms.

So I'll go back soon and get an additional test where they look much closer at my heart function. My hope is that they say yeah it sucks to be you but if you're not having symptoms, that's fine by us, no surgery, wait & see type of thing.

I was hoping to drive to Alaska and South America beginning in August / September in a new Grenadier (which is the reason I test drove one) and a new Patriot Camper. That dream is pretty much gone now. Please don't feel bad or sorry for me.....I've had an incredible life filled with accomplishments and failures, have seen and experienced more things than I could have ever imagined, and am eternally grateful for everything.



Highway 12 took us north into Washington which is where we made our next stop. Intially this was supposed to be one of those stretch the legs type of stops.....we ended up staying the night here.....



The highway ran close by us.....maybe even within one hundred feet.....but I've become accepting of that situation over the years. Campsites just don't have the importance or appeal that they once did.....




On the opposite side of the highway were these lush rocky hills which I craved to explore but it was fenced off so of course we didn't trespass here.....




On our side of the highway was a dense brushy, low growth forest filled with songbirds and a maintained trail that ran through it.....this was a birdwatchers paradise.....and we loved it here.....



Beyond the trees was the Snake River.....very broad with slow moving water.....



We watched a small sailboat on the farside of the river and closer to us was a small group of pelicans.....



The plan for that night was a late walk along the river.....and then yet another the following morning. That never happened due to the unfortunate meeting with the ticks. It literally took us two weeks to work through that one.....

The following morning we continued driving west along the river.....returning once again to Oregon.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

That day day we ended up in Pendleton, Oregon where we stopped at a Safeway for diesel and food. It turned out that not too far from us was the Pendleton Factory &  Store. It was a Sunday so only the store was open so there'd be no factory tour.....




I'm a huge fan of their products.....we left with a dog bed and a matching ceramic dog water bowl.....we actually needed both.....




Then we continued driving west.....now on the interstate driving along the southern bank of the Columbia River.....




We spent that night camped along a random side road in The Dallas, Oregon.....the skies were still blue that evening but things changed quickly overnight.....



I had plans to make a return to Mount Hood (11,239').....I did not have plans to climb it.....I did that once before.....it must have been a few decades ago. The skies were grey that next morning and the cloud level was low.....




So we bagged it and drove on down the interstate.....westward.....eventually to the Pacific Ocean.....

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Jerry,


Welcome to my side of the states. Depending on your route back, the Washington side and the Oregon sides of the road are a cool contrast. The Washington side, is less developed once you get further on. No fuel from the Dalles until Umatilla on the Washington side though. I am only about 20 mins from Pendelton. That store is worth a visit, they are proud of the products, but the blankets will outlast me. I have found myself with a few


Nothing is over yet.


My professional opinion is that your lifestyle has been doing wonders. It is something that I aspire to.

 

[Riversdad]

Here in Missouri I know all about problems with ticks. I usually remove 5 or 6 a day after my walks in the woods.
Both my dogs have been treated for tick related illness and I spent two years without being able to eat red meat due to Alpha gal syndrome.
Just got back from a quick 4 miler and found one inside my underwear.
Love the woods. Hate the ticks and chiggers.
Really prefer the woods in the winter when it's cold and mostly tick free.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

PNWY.....we're home now and I'm just trying to finish up the trip report. I feel great.....usually walk / work 13+ miles per day. The hospital had me thinking I was near death yet they've never called me back. Wait and see maybe.....

Riversdad.....the ticks lasted for 2 weeks for us. I suspect that we got into a nest of them. Some were so tiny they were barely visible to the eye.....they suck (literally and figuratively).....



And finally......having thought about this trip for well over two years.....we made it happen.....



For two years at a minimum, probably for even more, I've thought that I'll travel south for the winter and go down the coastline but didn't. When it was time to return to the north I've thought I'll travel north along the coastline but once again, didn't. So this trip was a big deal for me and I'd guess maybe for the dogs as well (based on their reactions).....



It rained that entire morning as we drove west.....I had convinced myself that it was the northwest and that I needn't complain about it.....that I needed to embrace it. But with less than a one mile drive to the coastline, the rainy, cloudy skies broke up and the sun shined down upon us.....that alone was incredible.....




Trapper, now 4 nearly 5 years old, had never set eyes on the ocean.....she was transfixed.....then she was out of control.....




Tanner was loving it too.....it's just such a huge change from the landscapes of our normal lives.....




And for me.....well, it was kind of a Zen experience.....I'm not sure that I even realized how bad that I needed to see the ocean one more time.....to smell it and even to touch it.....



We walked miles along that beach that morning on the hard packed sand.....the dogs were drenched in salt water and I had waded into the ocean up to my knees.....wearing hiking boots and blue jeans was probably not the best of ideas.....I don't recall that I even cared.....

 

[ITTOG]

I would love to meet you personally someday. I love your attitude and gratitude. You always seem to find the positives in life and seem to have a caring heart and great joy in your soul. I think all of us that follow this thread probably see that and it rubs off on us. Then add two great dogs, you are a great family.

I know you will probably deflect this praise because that is who you are. So just understand my appreciation for your influence on me and on everyone else in this thread.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

From Lincoln City, Oregon we started the long drive north. I can't even begin to remember all of the places that we stopped as we traveled up Highway 101.....




When I saw a sign that indicated that there was beach access, we stopped and we would take yet another walk along the beach.....




Once the coastline turned rocky.....well, that was when I truly was in Heaven.....




In some ways I think it presents itself as a mix of mountains and ocean in one single setting. My identity is with the mountains yet I still have a love and yearning for the ocean as well.....




Somewhere along that Pacific Ocean coastline we stopped for a quick lunch.....and then continued our sloooow drive north.....