Travel Archives - Page 13 of 39 - Our View From The Road

Day 24: To Bullards Beach State Park

Last night the rain continued and got quite heavy at times; however, by the time we awoke it had eased and we should be dry as we prepare to leave.

We had coffee and a light breakfast before heading to the showers and enjoying the wonderful facilities for one last time. Packing up the van went well and with a quick reposition we could also utilize the dump connection on-site.

As we left the campground the skies opened again and we had rain as we head North towards Bandon, OR.

US-101 rose & fell while twisting & turning along the coast through forest to grass covered dunes. The scenery was amazing but the weather prevented us from stopping and enjoying the views.

Bridge over the Rogue River, Gold Beach, OR

We arrived in Bandon and our first stop was a laundromat. Yes, isn’t van life exciting? Once done we headed to a restaurant for lunch before we drove to Bullards Beach State Park and checked in.

Our site is another fairly level paved site with electricity and water. Again it has nice shrubs around it to provide a sense of separation from the neighboring sites.

We relaxed for the afternoon watching a movie and then enjoyed a chicken curry on rice for dinner. The rain has stopped and we hope, based on the forecast, that tomorrow will be somewhat drier and we will be able to get out exploring. No driving tomorrow.

Day 23: Rain

Today we spent the day at Harris Beach State Park again; however, this time we cowered in the van whilst it rained all day.

Tomorrow we head further North along the coast to another State Park. Hopefully the rain will subside a little to allow us to enjoy the outdoors a little.

Day 22: Harris Beach State Park, OR

We managed to snag three nights in this park on a fully serviced site large enough to accommodate a large Class-A motor home. It is paved and perfectly level, no blocking required. The services are convenient with the exception of the sewer dump which is at the back of the parking pad, quite possibly too far from our connection point which is midway along our van.

Each site in the campground is surrounded by a four or five foot hedge that is kept trimmed nicely. Our hedge includes a large flowering fuschia bush which adds some color and is nice for us northerners.

We slept in and took it very easy today. Once up & after coffee we went for a walk down on the beach. The tide was out and the sand was firm to walk on. Barb scoured the tidal pools for creatures.

Once back in camp we cooked a brunch of pancakes, bacon & eggs along with Canadian Maple Syrup that we had brought with us.

The afternoon was spent lounging and reading. A nap might also have occurred. Dinner was grilled Texas steak and asparagus served with potato salad and a mixed vegetable salad.

An after dinner walk around the campground and then to the clifftops to watch the sunset before returning to the van for tea & cake while watching a little TV.

Day 21: Redwoods and into Oregon

We left Miranda, CA at about 9:00am and head North along the ‘avenue of the giants’. This is a historical 32 mile stretch of US-101 lined with Redwood trees. It’s a great way to start our drive as we admire the sheer size of these trees that are at times right at the edge of the asphalt.

Rejoining US-101 we drive North for about an hour admiring the forest all about us. Shortly after Eureka and Arcata, CA we turn into the small town of Trinidad, CA and drive to the beach. It’s a cool and overcast day but Barb was insistent that she wade into the ocean. We took a short walk onto the beach & Barb discovered how cold the ocean is at this time of the year.

Leaving Trinidad we headed further along US-101 and stopped to make a coffee at the Trinidad rest stop. Again, the Redwood trees surround us.

Back on US-101 we detour into Redwood National Park and drive the scenic route. We stopped at Elk Meadows, see a herd of Elk and then go to the visitor center and pick up a pin for our collection. The visitor center is housed in a 1934 building constructed by the CCC when the park was originally being formed.

Driving on the scenic road, we stop to walk amongst the trees. They are magnificent, they are huge. Enough said.

Returning to US-101 again we turn toward the Oregon state line.

Soon we arrive in Brookings, OR and immediately find ourselves stuck in a traffic jam. It took us an hour to arrive at a restaurant for lunch before we went on to get groceries and fuel. A few minutes further along the highway we arrive at Harris Beach State Park where we will be staying for the next three nights.

First impressions are very good. Barb walked on the beach and calls the park gorgeous. We’ll talk more about the park in our next post.

Day 20: Northern California

The SR-1 that was right at the foot of the space in which we slept was very quiet all night until about 6:30am when a few cars started to pass. We sorted the van and ate a breakfast of leftovers and prepared to leave by about 8:30am.

At Arena Point we took a short detour to see a lighthouse perched on the cliff edge. While visiting we stopped to watch the waves crash onto the rack along the shore.

The road North of Fort Ross was not as twisty as it was to the South. As such we made fairly good time as we ventured further along the coast.

Further along the coast we stopped in MacKerricher State Park near Fort Bragg, CA to dump our tanks and fill our water tank. We also took the opportunity to enjoy the day use parking area (free) where we enjoyed lunch and made Oregon campground reservations for the next week.

Back on the road SR-1 turns inland just North of Rockport, CA and head through a Redwood forest. The road climbs and descends quite a lot as it crosses the coastal mountain range. It also is super twisty and tight. This road would make a brilliant motorcycle cruise route IF it were repaved. This they are planning according to the roadside signs over the next two years.

Eventually we reach US-101 and turn North towards our destination in Miranda, CA. Tonight we are taking advantage of our ‘Boondockers Welcome’ membership (part of Harvest Hosts). BW hosts are homeowners or other locations that provide places to park for a night and don’t require any payment or purchases of any kind.