Catch up, version 9/29

If you have too much time on your hands, you build 'art cars.'

In Goldfield, NV the 'art cars' only draw stares from outsiders.

Who are you calling FAT!

Quiet!  I'm trying to take a nap

Quiet!  I'm trying to carry on a conversation here.

GREEN RIVER, UT - - On down the road:  Goldfield, NV to Bryce Canyon NP to Zion NP and now on to Moab, UT and Arches NP.  Within the last few summers we've been to all these places at least once.  So, no need to detail things.  The above photos are but a few of many which, I'm sure, if I checked past years' photo files I would find something similiar.

We've been here before

Rabbit brush or rabbit weed.  The pollen is guaranteed to make you sneeze and your eyes itch.

Mono Lake with the Eastern Sierra range in the background

Artsy tufa

GOLDFIELD, NV - - Welcome to the land of rabbit brush.  This weed's pollen, combined with the nearly constant windy conditions here, is one of the only things which sets my allergies raging.
     Before leaving Lee Vining,  we took time to (again) visit an area of Mono (moe-noe) Lake which we like.  The tufa 'sculptures' there share a common trait with what we saw at Yellowstone's Mammoth Hot Springs.  Both are created from calcium carbonate.  In Yellowstone, the creation is done by hot water where in Mono the results are from the evaporation of the lake's cold, very salty water.  Costly and very fancy travertine tile can be created from the hot water version.

Yosemite's Tioga Pass in black & white

Wind burn at 9,900'

Dead fall

Brush back

Snow?? Really??

Today's weather mix: rain, wind, fog, snow

KLAMATH FALLS, OR - - We took off from the Oregon coast this morning in hopes of finding a change in the weather.  We did.  Only it wasn't what we expected.  Our scenic route took us to Crater Lake NP.  The lake is a stunning blue on a sunny day.  We aren't sure what the color was today as we couldn't see the lake from this lookout view point or any other. 
     Those white patches on the wall next to the 'magic bus' are snow.  At 7,000' altitude you sometimes expect this so we weren't totally surprised.  Although we didn't stick around to see if there would be more. 

Hazy daze

Foggy bluff.  Yaquina Head

A roiling ocean paints design on lava rocks.

A shrimper / crabber heads out from Newport, OR

KLAMATH FALLS, OR - - Rain, the chnce of more rain and just plain nasty weather have driven us to another motel.  Although last night we stayed in a campground.  Things were fine until about 4:30am when the rain started.

Shell game

Bay Center oyster boats in 'work' mode

"Retired" 

NEWPORT, WA - - The weather has turned misty since we got our new tires on the Magic Bus and headed toward Oregon.  Friday, we stopped at a favorite campground: the Willapa Bay KOA.  The nearby town, such as it is, likes to be known as "oyster capital of the world."  Not too sure about that, but there are huge piles of oyster shells near the Bay Center harbor.
     We were in luck with the KOA since it was a 'stay Friday and Saturday night is free.'  You can't complain about the price which ended up being $22 total after using some of my KOA reward points.
     Saturday, the town was holding Bay Center Day with a big yard sale, some arts and crafts booths and a lunch buffet with plenty of food and even more dessert options.  So, for $8 each, we stuffed ourselves.
     Sunday we awoke to the sound of thunder and the usual misty conditions.  We packed up and headed down the road.  Conditions didn't get much better and, by this afternoon, we had decided it was time to stay in a dry motel room.  So, after 111 consecutive nights in campgrounds, we are cozy, dry and watching NFL football.

BC to Washington State

Early morning fog on the Sooke River

Look closely for the seagull sitting atop the radar dome

 

 

ANACORDES, WA - - Where have we been the past few days?  We wandered around the southern tip of Vancouver Island and spent a night in Sooke along a small river where we saw more wildlife in four hours than we had in the past two weeks.  Of course, everything showed up with perfect timing...meaning we're here but you won't get any good pictures.  There were flocks of Canada Geese honking as they flew back and forth; two swans, at least two otters; two black bears (on the other side of the 'river')and some Northern Shoveler ducks. 
     Later that day, we took a BC Ferry to Anacordes, WA and have been here three days. Leaving British Columbia, Canada and landing in the U.S. is a bit like going back to Wal-Mart after having been shopping in the high price zone.  Example:  BC gs is$5.00 a gallon; now we are paying $3.59 and happy. We've been in Anacordes  before and blogged about it from our favorite coffee hangout...Gere-a-Deli...and that's where we are now.
     After 35,000 miles it's time to replace the tires on the Magic Bus.  Yesterday we headed to the closest VW dealer to see if they could get the tires we wanted.  We were in luck, so today it's back to VW land and new tires.
     After leaving the dealer yesterday, we decided to see what the 'historic downtown' of La Conner.  It was pretty neat with a lot of fishing boats lining the dock areas.  The clam chowder was good as were Lydia's 'steamers'...steamed clams in butter and garlic with onions and peppers plus garlic bread.
     Later today it will be time for another ferry ride taking us to Port Townsend (WA) and the Olympic NP peninsula.  The trip continues down the Washington coast to Oregon.

Mostly blue skies in Tofino

A not-so-wild lighthouse in Ucluelet

A charter boat worker cleans the catch as a seagull waits ready to alert his buddies

TOFINO, BC, CAN - - We've moved on about 30 miles from Ucluelet to Tofino.  This is another end-of-the-road place, but with resort-like aspirations.  You can tell that from the prices.  We're not in a campground, but in a 'camping resort'.  The place is spacious; we have wi-fi at our site; there's free firewood and "free coffee" in the morning.  However, the Magic Bus does look a little out of place among all the big, bigger and really big motor homes. 
     There were also cabins with fire places and a water front view.  I was afraid to ask what they went for.
     Before leaving Ucluelet, we checked out the lighthouse.  It turned out to be a very short version of what we're used to seeing.  The lighthouse was built in 1906 and named after the (British) naval war ship H.M.S. Amphitrite.  In 1988, the lighthouse was switched to automated operation.
     In Tofino, we found a waterfront place for lunch.  It came complete with entertainment...A guy cleaning the catch from a charter fishing boat and plenty of seagulls hoping for some scraps.

Out and about

Nice parking job

A sign you probably won't see in Florida

Along the Wild Pacific Rim trail

UCLUELET, BC, CAN - - Scenes from a walk in Ucluelet.

Lydia's birthday

UCLUELET, BC, CAN - - Never let it be said that Prince Charming doesn't know how to treat his partner, best friend and companion of 21 years.  On her birthday Tuesday we went for  cruise...of curse it was on a ferry boat.  And we had a candle-lit dinner that night...although they were citronella candles.  Needless to say,  but it's going to be hard to top this next year.

Out on the Island

Sea gulls floating; sea gulls flying; a sea plane taking off and a fishing vessel headed to work

UCLUELET, BC, CAN - - We've landed in Ucluelet in our quest for out of the way places.  We're on Vancouver Island, a two hour ferry ride (yesterday) from mainland Canada.  Once on the island, we grabbed a Provincial Parks campground and set about planning today's trip. 
     Our first stop was Port Alberni.  A port? In the middle of the island?  Yes.  With open water connections to the Pacific.  At one point before the railroad took over, the port was a thriving lumber shipping port.
     After another 60 miles on the Pacific Rim Highway, we've taken up residence for two night at a campground in Ucluelet.  It's  good walking town, with coffee shops and restaurants.  There's plenty to see and do here before we head  25 miles to Tofino and Pacific Rim National Park.