Sleeping at a truck stop next to a busy highway and intersection was probably not the best idea we’ve ever had, but we made it through the night albeit with less deep sleep than we probably needed.
We start by having an egg breakfast with coffee at the Denny’s on-site. This is a healthy (hmm?) dose of protein that will ensure we don’t feel hungry in an hour or so.
Barb drives us out of the Flying-J shortly before 8:00am and we take the bypass around Winnipeg, MB heading towards Ontario. Soon the trees return and we’re no longer on the prairie. We stop at Falcon Lake, MB for fuel which we get at 20 cents / liter cheaper than we pay later in the day in Ontario. I take over driving duty for the next hour or so.
After passing Kenora, ON we turn South onto Hwy-71 towards Fort Frances, ON where we stop to have a picnic lunch by the river looking across toward Minnesota, USA.
Continuing East from Fort Frances on Hwy-11/17 Barb drives for a couple of hours toward Thunder Bay, ON. I take over driving again and pass back into the Eastern time zone.
We stop for the night at Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park just North of Thunder Bay. We shower and have Buttered Chicken for dinner. A little TV and it’s time for bed.
Well, no aurora viewing last night, oh well. We slept really well and got off to a great start for the day before 8:00am.
The drive starts with what we thought was an early morning haze. Later in the day we’d discover that it is actually smoke from a wild fire in Northern BC.
Early morning viewLonely roadHazy(?) dayGoogle wildfire smoke map
Barb started driving the day until we got to Moosejaw where we changed drivers and had a bite to eat & fueled up.
Modern grain elevatorCP train heading West‘Mac the moose, Moosejaw, SKSnowbird, Moosejaw, SK
Later in the afternoon we crossed into Manitoba and made our way to Brandon, MB where we again fueled up before driving our last leg into Winnipeg, MB.
Tonight we are parked at a Flying-J. Tomorrow we head into Ontario.
We awake at 6:00am and find that we were joined last night by two other campers in our secluded ‘wild camping’ spot behind the Independent grocery store in Fernie, BC. A few townies kept Barb awake for a while, but in general terms this was a wonderfully quiet place to spend the night. Also close to Starbucks, McDonald’s, etc. if you need/want breakfast take away in the morning before heading out. We had our usual coffee, banana & yogurt before heading out at 7:00am.
Wild camping in Fernie, BCEarly startBig truck in Sparwood, BCTrain pulling uphill in Crowsnest canyonA viewMajestic mountains
We had decided to stop at the top of Crowsnest Pass for a cooked breakfast and take the time to really start our day. The road up the pass was not as steep or arduous as some of the passes we had driven yesterday, which surprised us and as such we arrived at the top fairly quickly. Time for quiche. Yummy!
Crowsnest Pass, BC/AB
Once fed and ready for the day we headed further into the mountains and arrived at Frank, BC the site of Canada’s most deadly rock slide. In 1904 the side of Turtle mountain collapsed and slid into the valley below. 100 lives were lost in the town of Frank and the valley was changed for ever. The debris pile is huge and from the interpretation center you can imagine the noise and dust that would have been produced that day.
Frank slide, Frank, AB
We traveled on to Fort Macleod in the Alberta foothills where we visited the “Head Smashed-In Buffalo Jump” museum. This is a World Heritage Site and goes into amazing detail of how the Blackfoot people used the cliffs as a killing ground for herds of buffalo (bison) for thousands of years until the 1800’s. Built into the cliff, the museum building is worth the visit by itself; however, the stories of the people are the real captivating reason to visit. Highly Recommended.
Head Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Continuing East on Hwy-3 we head to Lethbridge, AB where we stop under the railway viaduct in a park for a picnic lunch in the van. No trains passed over the viaduct while we were there unfortunately.
Railway viaduct, Lethbridge, AB
The day was heating up into the low 20’s as we headed further away from the mountains. Shortly before Medicine Hat we stopped in Seven Persons, AB for ice cream! Yummy, again.
Ice cream break!
We drove around Medicine Hat and headed toward the Saskatchewan border on Hwy-1, the Trans-Canada Highway. Shortly after crossing into Saskatchewan we stopped at the “Cypress Hills Winery” in Maple Creek, SK. This is another Harvest Host destination and we enjoyed a fruit wine tasting and had a glass of Rhubarb Wine with pizza for dinner. A couple of bottles might also have found their way back to the van as well.
Cypress Hills Winery, Maple Creek, SK
Tonight we are hoping to see the Aurora Borealis that so many saw last evening but we missed due to cloud cover. Fingers crossed!
Another early start to the day. I blame it on the early rising of the sun. Away from our wonderfully quiet campsite in the vineyard by 7:30am. Today we will spend the day traveling along Hwy-3, also known as “The Crowsnest Highway” towards Fernie, BC.
Leaving Osoyoos you immediately begin to gain elevation and the views across the valley are stunning.
Overlooking Lake Osoyoos, BC
Of course, what goes up must come down and sure enough it not long until we are descending at a rapid pace into another valley in Southern BC. This is repeated several times today with the climbs being just long enough to allow the brakes to cool from the last descent before being called on again. Utilizing the lower gears in the gearbox helps on these descents, as does having an eight-speed gearbox.
One of today’s descentsA variety of views from today
We stopped for a quick break in Grand Forks, BC and then again in Cranbrook, BC. Between Cranbrook and Fernie we crossed into the Mountain time zone and as such are now just two hours behind Ontario. Our final destination is the town of Fernie, BC where we are ‘wild camping’ for the night.
Further variety of views
Tomorrow we enter Alberta and will leave the Rocky Mountains behind us.
5:30am rise & shine to get ready to depart Galiano Island. The ferry leaves at 8:30am but we have no reservation and so need to arrive at the dock early to have the best chance of boarding.
After a very nice and relaxing six days visiting my parents we say our goodbyes and head toward the ferry at 7:00am. 7:25am and we’re first in-line. A coffee, yogurt & banana while we wait. Turns out that that there was no issue of space and we could have probably slept in for an extra hour or so. Oh well, better safe than sorry.
As we cross the Strait of Georgia towards Vancouver, we think back on where we have been so far on this adventure and the varied weather that we have seen. This morning it was around 10°C when we woke, it will be 27°C when we stop later this afternoon!
Looking towards the Southern Gulf Islands, BCLooking towards Vancouver, BCBridge 1Bridge 2Bridge 3Heading towards the mountainsPassing a waterfall
Our drive across the Fraser River valley is uneventful and after a couple of hours we pull into Hope, BC for fuel & to dump our tanks at a municipal Sani-dump ($free).
For those that don’t know, Hope, BC was the filming location for “Rambo: First Blood”. The town has embraced this notoriety and there are several landmarks about the town that you can visit from the movie. The bridge, across which Rambo walks at the beginning of the movie is gone (2011) but a new bridge has replaced it and there are still signs, but it’s not quite the same knowing that it’s not the same bridge.
Not the ‘Rambo’ bridge in the same location as the original ‘Rambo’ bridge
Everyone’s favorite stop is downtown near where the Police station was in the movie. In the park there are a number of chainsaw carvings of the characters from the movie. We snapped a picture of Rambo (below).
Rambo chainsaw sculpture
We head East on Hwy-3 towards the Okanagon valley. The road, although windy and hilly as it passes through the mountains, is really very good and well maintained. There are lots of passing lanes on the hills (including one that is 38km long!).
Random scenery shots
Eventually we notice the trees thinning and the flora around us changing to be more desert-like as we approach Osoyoos, BC. It reminds us of the Southern California desert in some ways with the slope of the hills and the sagebrush. It’s also now quite warm and the A/C in the van is very welcome.
Approaching & arriving in Osoyoos, BC
Pulling into Osoyoos, we stopped at a roadside produce stand which happened to have a Mexican food truck next door. Lunch time!
Lunch was delicious and we both highly recommend “Sofia’s Mexican Food”. I enjoyed a chimichanga and Barb had 3 chicken tacos. Barb also picked up a few treats for another time from the roadside produce stand.
Our stay tonight is at a vineyard just north of Osoyoos called Mythology vineyard. The wine is very good and our camping spot is amongst the grapevines behind the tasting room. Our view is West towards the mountains and we look forward to enjoying a glass of wine as the sun sets.
Oooof…. 5:30am. We’re up & heading for a shower (which gets 4/10 because of very small size & clingy shower curtain). Why so early you ask? We have an early reservation for the Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC ferry. Yep, we are leaving the U.S. after almost a month of travel, it’s time to head back into Canada.
Showered we get the van ready for the day and are driving off site by 6:45am. Traffic is fairly light and this makes our drive back into town to the wharf easy and quick. Black Ball Ferries require us to check-in a minimum of one hour before the ferry “Coho” departs at 8:20am, we make it with a few minutes to spare.
A cup of coffee and a banana are enjoyed while we wait to board which begins shortly before 8:00am. We make our way up to the top deck in order to have the best views back across town to the Olympic mountains.
“Coho” ferryDeparting the U.S. & away we goView aftAnother view aftOlympic mountainsContainer shipCalm waters of Salish Sea
The ferry is relatively full with most passengers having walked-on. The Salish Sea is mill pond calm and we see a few seabirds fishing for breakfast but no whales or seals today while crossing. Arriving in the Victoria inner harbour, our departure and clearance through Canada Customs takes about 30min. We head towards Langford, BC where we enjoy breakfast at a White Spot restaurant before getting groceries for the week.
Arriving in Victoria harbourDeparting the “Coho” ferryCanada customsFlowering trees in VictoriaTotemHorses and carriagesBC ParliamentEmpress Hotel
The weather for today is predicted to go from sunny this morning to rain later in the afternoon. As such we have changed our plans to try to avoid the heaviest rains and are now heading to my parents home a day ahead of schedule for a few days of rest and relaxation.
Arriving – Galiano, BC
We’ll catch-up with you again when we resume our journey next week. All the best and thanks for following our adventures.
Oregon was wet, it rained a lot. Of course if you’ve been reading along you will have already observed this, but it does feel like I need to say it again, Oregon was wet.
Fort Stevens State Park has the best showers of the Oregon state parks we stayed at. 8/10. They only lose points for being push-button (timed) showers and bare concrete floors. All other requirements of a shower were easily met, especially privacy & cleanliness.
Today is a driving day, we leave Oregon and head across Washington to Port Angeles. Astoria, OR is the last town that we pass through on our way to Washington. Today there is a cruise ship docked in port, visitors are likely on a ‘Goonies’ sightseeing tour.
Bridge to Washington with cruise shipCruise ship BridgeDriving from bridge towards Washington
Washington state has a lot of trees, it’s about all you see as drive through it. We took pictures as you will see below, but didn’t stop at any touristy places. The drive was about the destination as it was 4 hours plus a break for lunch.
Arriving in Port Angeles we went down to the wharf and ate an early dinner at the Downriggers on the Water restaurant and enjoyed a clam chowder and a sandwich.
On our way to our campsite we topped off with fuel and then arrived at the KOA campground just East of town. Tonight we get everything in order to re-enter Canada.
CampsiteView from our campsite
Tomorrow will be an early morning as we are booked into the 8:20am ferry heading for Victoria, BC.
Our last day in the U.S. without driving anywhere. We slept in and enjoyed a relaxing morning while we waited for things to dry out from last nights rain. The sun was supposed to appear today and the afternoon was going to be glorious.
Barb prepared a delicious brunch fry-up after which I finished reading a second book on this trip and then we retrieved the bikes from the bike rack and prepared to go for a ride about the park.
Campsite at Fort Stevens State Park, OR
From our last visit here in 2022 we know that the park is laced with paved bike paths making cycling a great way to get about this rather large park. We started by heading towards the dunes and then cycling down to the beach access allowing us to ride on the beach. The tide was out and the sand wonderfully flat. The cool weather was keeping most people hunkered in their trailers, this meant that the cycling trails and the beach were very quiet.
Moss growing on treesPeter Iredale wreckWreck informationBeach looking NorthBeach looking SouthUs at the beachBeach panoramic
Oddly I was able to utilize 3 bars of 5G connectivity on the beach but only 1 bar of LTE while on our campsite. I took the opportunity to complete and post yesterday’s blog post from the beach while sitting on a driftwood log. The wind was biting (no sunshine) and so shortly after I had posted the entry we headed back inland toward the campground.
After securing the bikes back onto the bike rack we relaxed in the van for the afternoon as yet another brief shower passed over the area. For dinner, chicken fajitas were followed by an evening of TV. Tomorrow we head to Port Angeles, WA where we will spend our last night in the U.S.
One last leg along the Oregon coast awaits us today. Surprise! It rained overnight and continues to drizzle as we get ready for the day. Showers are the stock same as the other Oregon state parks but these seem to have been renovated slightly with new fittings and lights making them feel brighter and cleaner. Hot water (good) so they get a 7/10.
We depart our site at 10:00am and join the line-up to dump our tanks. We leave the park at 10:30am. Our first stop of the day is at “The Devils Punchbowl”. It’s a natural rock arch through which the waves break into what was a large cave before the roof collapsed. Now in certain conditions the waves break and shoot skyward. Not when we arrived however as the tide was not yet at its highest, although the weather and sea conditions made it look like it might have been quite a spectacle later in the day.
The Devils punchbowl
The road along this section of US-101 has at times subsided and as such it was quite bumpy and we had to pay attention to the warning signs regarding speed or suffer the consequences of our belongings being flung about the van.
Whale sculpture
Arriving in Tillamook, OR we stopped first at “The Blue Heron French Cheese Company” where we sampled some lovely cheeses and picked a few pieces up for eating later. We then, of course, made our way to the “Tillamook Creamery” where we visited their museum and viewed the creamery workers making and packaging cheese. The visit concluded with a trip through the gift shop and finally lunch at their cafe where cheese was prominent in all menu choices. Yummy!
The coast ‘softened’ as we headed further North with more of the coast now being wide open sandy beaches dotted with Summer getaway towns such as Rockaway Beach (not the one made famous by The Ramones). We made a stop at a viewpoint high on a cliff top and captured some beautiful shots of this portion of the coast.
We make a quick detour into Warrenton, OR to get a few groceries & fill up with fuel at Fred Meyers. Maybe, just maybe better than H.E.B. in Texas. Barb is smitten.
A short drive from Warrenton we arrive at Fort Stevens State Park where we will camp for the next two nights. This is our second time here as we camped here two years ago and had a great time.
Settling in the for the night under the trees. Good night everyone!
These Oregon State Parks are amazing and we’ve both been sleeping really well since arriving in the state. The rain woke us a couple of times overnight but had passed by the time we awoke. We took our time starting our day allowing the air and ground to dry out.
South Beach State Park, Newport, OR
After a lunch of nachos we set out on our bikes to explore the park. There are a number of paved trails that criss-cross the park that we enjoyed for an hour or so.
A little later in the afternoon we walked to the beach and enjoyed the sunshine that had finally broken through the cloud over of the past few days.
Grill cooked burgers for dinner and we settled in for the evening.
Tomorrow we head to Fort Stevens at the Northern end of Oregon.
Another driving day further North along the Oregon coast. First we enjoy a coffee and light breakfast and then go for a shower. Not quite as nice as the last park, but private and hot. The feeling was probably closer to prison shower than campground shower, 6/10.
It’s a misty day, not raining as such but not dry. We head out a little before 10:00am and shortly up the road the rain starts again. It’s on and off most of the morning which makes the roads a little slippery and so caution was used as we wound our way along the coast.
Coos Bay, OR was the first larger town we passed through. Clearly a logging town built around the railroad and harbour that still operates. We saw piles of lumber and pulp waiting to be shipped out. The rail yards still exist but seem not to be used as much anymore. I suspect that much of the wood is shipped to the far east from here.
Coos Bay, OR
North of Coos Bay the highway passes alongside the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This is quite a long and large (31,500 acres) portion of this part of the coast that is comprised of sand dunes (some over 180’ high). Parts are open to buggies and ATVs but most is protected for wildlife and hiking. We stopped at a day use area but did not hike as the wind was cold and the rain intermittent.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation AreaSeal sculptures along the road
The highway at times is twisty and reminds us of the more casual parts of US-1 in California. The trees are right up to the roadside and overhang creating green tunnels for us to drive through. We stop briefly at Heceta Lighthouse where we had lunch in the van. It’s Sunday and many are here with dogs for a walk on the beach and up the trail to the lighthouse perched on the cliff top. We chose to be cheeky and just ate lunch and not pay the fee for parking.
Heceta lighthouseCape Cove below lighthouse
We arrive in Newport, OR and top off the fuel tank before going into the South Beach State Park where we are staying for the next two nights.
Bridge at NewportView of river emptying into PacificSouth Beach State Park from bridge
Our site is level and the park nowhere near capacity and so are expecting a quiet, albeit wet night. Until tomorrow, stay safe everyone.
Ah, to sleep-in. We both slept until almost 8:30am which is an indication of just how quiet this park is. This led to a slow morning as the rain slowly let up and moved away from the area. We enjoyed an egg and ham sandwich along with a coffee to start our day.
Our campsite (A04) at Bullards Beach State Park
The remainder of the morning was spent relaxing and reading as we waited for things to dry up outside. Shortly after noon we put on our hiking shoes and wind jackets and headed off for a walk about the campground and then onto the beach!
RhododendronBroomColorful Broom
The trail to the beach is sandy as it is shared trail with horse riders. We passed many plants that are now flowering that Barb had to take pictures of. Some of the trail is on boardwalks, one of which was just under water, shallow enough for us to wade through. There were a few other swampy sections that we also managed to go around thus keeping our feet dry.
Flooded boardwalkMossy treeShallonBarb climbing duneLooking out to sea
After about 30min we arrived at the dunes which we climbed over to arrive at a very long windswept beach. The wind was blowing at about 15mph and so we were well and truly coated in sea salt spray and sand by the time we had walked along the beach far enough to head back inland.
WindyScallop shellA walk along the beach
The waves being produced were impressive and the sea looked angry as it clawed at the sand relentlessly.
Wind and waves
Inland we found and followed a paved path that led back to the campground where we enjoyed a late lunch and then an afternoon nap before dinner.
A quiet walkBanana slugCamas
Tomorrow we move on again heading a little further North in Oregon to Newport.
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.
So long! Harris Beach State Park
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.
Coquille River lighthouse, Bandon, OR
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.
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.
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.
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.
Avenue of the giants, Miranda, CA
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.
Trinidad, CA
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.
Redwood National Park, CA
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.
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.
Our location tonight is on a small gravel area adjacent to the hosts laneway within the redwood forest adjacent to Humboldt Redwood State Park.
Tomorrow we plan on driving the remainder of US-101 as we cross into Oregon where we will be slowing down and enjoying a few Oregon State Parks.
Such a beautiful place to have spent a night and then to wake up to. The sun shines across the Napa valley and in the distance (no pictures) I watch about 10 hot air balloons gliding over the valley. One of our neighbors from last night told us that they were leaving early to go for a balloon ride and I wondered if one of the balloons I was seeing contained them.
Olive tree on our hosts farm
We took our time this morning as we could stay until noon if we wanted and our planned drive was only a few hours. We did finally head out at about 10am and headed West towards Petaluma, CA. The rolling hills had many farms and wineries. Some wineries looked like French chateaus dropped into the Californian landscape, we guessed that the winemaking business is doing nicely.
Heading West out of Napa, CA
We stopped in Petaluma for brunch and to get caught up with a few internet-based chores as our hosts for tonight had warned us that no cellular signals reached their location.
With a full tank of fuel we headed West toward Bodega Bay, a popular beachside town that was jammed with weekend visitors. This was our first view of the Pacific Ocean on this trip and we found a small parking area a little North of town to stop and take in the views and fresh air.
Pacific Coast north of Bodega Bay, CA
As we drove further along SR-1 (Pacific Coast Highway) the traffic slowly decreased but the twists and turns increased causing us to drive carefully around the cliff side curves. As we were driving North we were on the inside lane which reduced some of the scariness of the drive; however, at one point we did wind our way up a canyon where we were on the outside of the road. Don’t look down. It still amazes us that many of these twisty roads in California do not have guardrails.
PCH, note the lack of guardrails and heightsA few sights from along the way
Eventually we arrived in Jenner, CA and found another place to pull off and enjoy the view. As we were early yet to arrive at our hosts, we settled in and watched seals lounging on the beach below and kayakers and surfers enjoying the water.
The final few miles of driving today had us arrive in Fort Ross, CA where we are staying at our hosts, The Fort Ross Store. Another Harvest Host, this store is a general store general store, coffee shop, cafe. It is wonderful, as are the folks that work here. We have a large 20×30 concrete pad on the west side of the building to ourselves that has amazing views out to the ocean.
Our campsite and view for the night!
We are told that the road gets very quiet at night and are looking forward to a wonderful sunset.
Our camp hosts were very cordial and things got quiet by 9:00pm. It’s nice when things work out. We both slept really well and awoke at about 6:30am. A light breakfast and coffee before we packed up and left at 8:05am. Minutes later we drove out of Yosemite National Park.
Views along SR-120 on the way to Stockton, CA
We were headed West along SR-120 towards Stockton, CA and descended down from the 5,000ft or so of the campground. At the town of Priest, CA there was a sign informing drivers that vehicles over 7,500lbs were restricted from taking the ‘old’ road and were required to take the ‘new’ road. We now know why, the old road is super steep for several miles whereas the new road is less steep for several miles more. The descent was super twisty and most corners were marked with either a 15 or 20mph suggested speed. Another MINI road in the van.
New Priest Grade Road
At the bottom of the decline we stopped in Copper Cove, CA for breakfast (2nd). Barb enjoyed a breakfast burrito and I had the country breakfast. It was delicious and a nice treat.
Continuing on, we drove through Stockton and onto Fairfield where we stopped for fuel and to do a little shopping. Next was Napa and a stop at RD Winery where we sampled some local wines and purchased a few bottles to enjoy at a later time.
Views as we drive across to Fairfield, CARD Winery, Napa, CA
Our night will be spent at Dan Dan farms just outside of Napa, overlooking the valley. It’s a beautiful spot with the farm keeping chickens and cattle while growing olives and producing Olive oil. This is a Harvest Host location and as such we purchased some eggs and a bottle of the Olive Oil as a thanks for allowing us to stay on their gorgeous farm overnight.
