Gallivanting Into 2011: Day 4, Port Townsend

Day 4 dawned, and we appreciated our wonderful apartment even more once we saw the view from our windows and deck. While we had a few great days on the road, we were also happy to stay in one place for a couple days and enjoy the local sites.  We had had the foresight to pick up groceries when we arrived in town, so we enjoyed a leisurely morning, with Eddie changing his driving hat for his chef's hat.
 

Port Townsend turned out to be just as charming as promised in the guide book.  The town experienced its heyday in the last 1800s, and most buildings of significance seem to date from that time.  Apparently the town suffered a set back when the hoped-for railroad terminus chose Seattle as its final stop; the Fort Worden Coast Guard Air Station and a lumber mill (the settings for An Officer and a Gentleman) kept the town afloat in the 1900's, but it never really took off as did other towns on Puget Sound.

From our perspective, this failure to thrive was a good thing.  A lack of funds meant that local buildings and facilities were not "improved" with the municipal eyesores that abound in towns that prospered in the 1960s-80s.  Instead, things appear to be much the same in Port Townsend as they were when it was founded--further improved when a revitalization hit the town in the 1990s, after it earned National Historic Landmark designation.  All in all, we had a nice afternoon strolling the main street, touring Fort Worden, and driving (It continued to be COLD!) through residential neighborhoods with beautiful Victorian houses.

After a bit of exploring, we returned to our wonderful domicile and settled in. 

We spent the remainder of our day relaxing and enjoying the fire--with another great meat from Chez Eddie.  It was an excellent reminder that the best parts of a vacation are often the moments we take to do nothing at all.

Gallivanting Into 2011: Day 3, Seaside to Port Townsend

Seaside, Oregon is a standard coastal town, designed for enjoying the summer's sun, sand, and surf but offering little charm in the off season.  So, after a leisurely morning, we decided to get on the road, knowing that better tourist opportunities awaited us.  The fact that the road we were traveling on was a nearly traffic-free one was a source of great joy for my faithful driver!

We soon found that the term Washington Coast is a bit of a misnomer.  Unlike the coasts of Northern California and all of Oregon, along which Highway 101 sinuously winds, the highway in Washington offers few views if the Pacific.  Quite often the road turns several miles inland, and even when the map seems to indicate a coastal route, there is often a strip of land and trees separating drivers from an ocean view.

While different from what we expected, the drive was enjoyable and peaceful.  Rivers and lakes provided created stark, wild backdrops, and as we neared the Olympic National Park and Forest, the views were majestic.  This was quite a relief, too, as clear cuts in the south and central coastal region had frequently scarred our views: huge swaths of land bare of all but stumps, with only occasional signs of new trees being planted.  In retrospect, I should have taken pictures, but the view did not inspire me to reach for the camera.  All in all, arriving in the Olympic Peninsula, with its abundant trees and parks, made me very thankful for the men and women who had the foresight to put aside wilderness areas and protect Americans from our own excesses. 

I don't want to make Washington sound unattractive, as there actually are many gorgeous places, as you can see from these pictures.  The northwest area and the Olympic parks would be great places to camp and hike in the summer months.  For two car tourists, however, there were not many attractions.  Additionally, it was sunny but COLD, with temperatures dipping into the low 30s and upper 20s throughout the afternoon.  For several miles we encountered huge swaths of hard frost and some slippery roads.  The road was curvy, so we wove along scenery that was alternately green and white depending on the sun's direction.

With little in the way of amusement, we decided to drive longer and further than we had on previous days, enticed by the description of late-19th-century Port Townsend, located on the northwest corner of Puget Sound.  We arrived in the dark and made our way to the Waterside Inn, where off-season prices and availability paid off.  With such luxurious accommodations, we decided to stay two nights and enjoy some time off the road.

Gallivanting Into 2011: Day 2, Florence to Seaside

On our second day of gallavanting, the sun once again shone in clear skies.   We started our explorations with a short drive, covering only 12 miles before stopping at the Sea Lion Caves.  We've passed this attraction a number of times  without stopping, as it don't look like much from the outside--just another cheesy tourist stop.  However, Eddie's mother, Gioia, always talks about how much she and Richard enjoyed going their on their trips between Portland and Eureka.  And, this is, after all, our gallavanting vacation.  We decided to make the stop and check out this natural wonder.

And, a  wonder it was!  After passing through the standard shlocky gift shop entry, we encountered stunning views of the Oregon Coast and a lighthouse.  Making our way down the trail, we spied large groups of sea lions in the surf below.  We've seen plenty of sea lions before--and even large groups of them, like the ones at Pier 39 in San Francisco--but we've never seen so many swimming together.  They bobbed and dived in the ocean's waves, looking as playful as I've ever seen sea lions look.

As it turned out, though, that first view was nothing compared to what awaited us.  After strolling along a short path, we took an elevator more than 200 feet down and disembarked into a cave system from which we could observe the sea lions.









The noise is tremendous: the pounding crash of the turbulent sea against the cave walls competed with the bellows of the sea lions.  Hundreds of sea lions of all sizes lounged on ledges, 






dove into the water, 












 


and scampered on the rocks.











The large groups we spied from the cliff organized here: outgoing groups of sea lions would plunge into the water, join forces, and head out to sea, while incoming groups emerged from the water, hoisted themselves into the rocks, and bickered with each other for space.

We could have stayed for hours, watching the sea lions and the world they inhabit.  However, we decided to head down the road.

*   *   *   *   *

 I've long been a fan of the amazing Monterey Aquarium, so I was a bit skeptical when Lonely Planet claimed that there is a "world-class aquarium" in Newport, Oregon.  What convinced us to stop was the promise of a giant octopus and "an impressive deep-sea exhibit where you walk under Plexiglas tunnels and get an eyeful of sharks and rays."  


Having made the decision to stop, we were still a bit apprehensive as we approached the aquarium, as a large complex of brightly colored gift stores, gaudy amusements, and cheap restaurants lined the road.  Once we passed through the aquarium gates, however, the beautiful grounds and wonderfully maintained facility enticed us with excellent exhibits.  Eddie even had the chance to swim with piranhas!

The aquarium contained many standard attractions and a few we haven't seen before.  For instance, these Japanese crabs may not look like anything special in this picture, but they were 2-3 feet high and stood in a line, eerily motionless.  According to the volunteer docent, mature crabs may have a nine-feet span from claw to claw!

As in Monterey, there was a shallow, raised pool where we could interact with some sea creatures.  This beautiful basket starfish was not among them, but there was an impressive array of other stars, urchins, crabs and anemones.  The volunteer encouraged us to stick our finger between the spines of a sea urchin, and we were surprised when they tightened around our fingers.  A white sea anemone was closed, but it was so soft to the touch that you almost couldn't feel it.  

In addition to the tanks and displays inside, there were a wide array of outdoor exhibits: sea lions, seals, otters, and an aviary. Unfortunately, the octopus was cowering in its niche, but there were many other wonders to explore.

Throughout the aquarium there were interesting works of art, such as the fish sculpture Eddie and I stood in front of in the picture that opened this aquarium segment.

Looking more closely, we found that the  pieces were created from trash collected on the beaches or Oregon.  

By using these discarded materials, the artist created visually pleasing displays while delivering a message of environmental responsibility--more appealing than the preachy exhibits often found at other nature museums.

Finally, we made our way to the exhibit that we had been waiting for: Passages of the Deep.  Three Plexiglas tunnels offered us underwater views of different sea zones.  It was remarkable to stand under giant stingrays as they soared overhead.
 
Eddie's eyes lit up as streams of anchovies swam around us, and I was particularly taken by schools of halibut: among my favorite fish at the sushi bar. 

Next Stop?

Lunch!

*   *   *   *   *

Further up 101, we entered Depoe Bay, a blip on the road with breathtaking views, a possible lunch stop, and, apparently, very learned cats.  

 

The town also brags that it has the smallest harbor in the world.  It's a mere dip in the coastline, with room for two Coast Guard boats and a few dozen commercial and sport-fishing rigs.  Our lunch spot was closed, but the opportunity to see a boat enter the harbor made us happy we had stopped. 

For some time, the craft hovered outside the harbor's entrance, gauging the current and crashing waves.  Finally, with engines fully engaged, the boat zoomed into the narrow entrance and up the channel, as crowds cheered and waved from the observation deck and bridge.  Captains and deckhands must love calling Depoe Bay home base, as each return to port involves a hero's welcome!

*   *   *   *   *

Daylight was fading as we drove up the coast, and we had a ways to go before our destination of Seaside.  When  Eddie spotted this blimp hangar across the field, however, we agreed that one more stop was in order before calling it a day.  

 
The Tilamook Air Museum is another of those treasures in the middle of nowhere: a rare World War II blimp hangar housing over 30 war birds and other unusual aircraft.  Just entering the hangar is awe inspiring, as the huge dome--amazingly enough made entirely of wood--soars overhead.  In the 1990s they actually hosted an indoor hot air balloon exhibition here, with 27 balloons in flight at the same time!

 

The Russian MIG was one of Eddie's favorites.











I was particularly fond of  the murals painted on the American fighter planes.  Here is one of the best: Rosie's Raiders--depicting a gun-toting, naked Rosie surrounded by the falling planes of enemies.





 
A documentary about the construction of the hangar and the use of blimps as escorts for ships and subs into harbors on the west coast  provided insight to the facility's purpose.  Few remnants of the blimp history remain, other than the Helium Room.  I suggested to Eddie that we talk in high, squeaky voices when in the room.  As it turned out, it seemed appropriate preparation for visiting the one blimp in the hangar:

 "Take me to your leader!"

When aliens failed to beam us up, we piloted our own vessel up the coast to Seaside for a night of well-deserved rest. 

Gallivanting Into 2011: Day 1, Eureka to Florence

Eddie returned from two years of military service in the middle of the semester, when I was too busy to escape, so we agreed to set time aside during my winter break to take off on a shared adventure.  An army buddy of Eddie's invited us to spend Christmas in Honduras, and we were tempted; however, the desire to spend the holiday at home for the first time in many years was too attractive.  We finally agreed upon a January trip through Oregon and Washington, with stops to see family along the way.


Day 1:  We left home and headed up the California/Oregon Coasts with no specific destination.  This intrepid guide and fearless driver seek adventure!

As we hoped, the Oregon Coast was beautiful--and relatively free of tourists.  We find that we often have our best trips off season.  That's one of the reasons why, while all of our friends are headed to Costa Rica, Mexico, and other warm regions, we're traveling north.  It's fun to see things without the press of other people.  On one trip years ago, we had an entire castle in Mallorca to ourselves for an afternoon.  While we're not planning on visiting castles this time around, Eddie enjoys driving when he's not following RVers!



We made our first stop in Bandon, at one of our favorite seaside restaurants, Lord Bennett's.  We ate here for the first time in 1998, shortly after moving to Humboldt.  It was a bit of a whim; we woke up in the morning with no destination in mind--simply packed a bag and jumped in the car.  The volunteer at the Oregon Visitor Center recommended Bandon, Lord Bennett's, and Table Rock Motel.  We love them all and try to visit every few years.
 
With a lot of coast ahead of us, this time around we settled for a quick lunch and a swing through town. 







             
                 

The views on the coast of Oregon are always breathtaking.  It's surprising how different the terrain is from northern California too.  The redwoods give way to a mixture of pine and deciduous trees, and there are more lakes, river harbors, and sloughs both to the east and west of 101.  The Oregon Dunes recreation area is beautiful at any time of year.


One of our favorite sites along the drive up Highway 101 is the wide array of WPA-era bridges that adorn the small towns and river crossings.  Here's a beautiful bridge on the south end of Florence:

The timing was right to call it quits anyway, but we were a bit tickled to spend the first night of our trip in Florence, Oregon.  The town looked like a typical drive-through pit stop at first glance, but when we turned off the highway into Old Town, a charming village revealed itself.  After being welcomed by our ultra-chatty host at the River Side Inn, we walked through town, warmed up in a local comic book shop, relaxed in our riverside room, and feasted on seafood at the restaurant up the street.


It wasn't quite as exciting (or warm!) as our week in Florence with friends during the summer of 2009, but we only had to travel a few hundred miles rather than 5,000+.