The Orcas Island Adventure

[jfowler218]

Never checked but I assume the SJ Islands are a part of WA state.WA seems to be a tax hungry state. You might want to check.


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[Rocinante]

Yep, SJ islands are part of WA. There's no Conch Republic, though if they had one, they'd have to call it a Gooey Duck Republic.

[kingfisher24]

and hotter and drier than hell

[Smartstream]

We moved from Los Angeles almost 16 years ago and never looked back. L.A. like Texas is hot, dry, and very tax happy. Also filled with way too many people.

We actually live about mid way between Sequim and Port Angeles right in the middle of the rain shadow. The nights are long in the winter but also much shorter in the summer. Wind does blow down the Strait but if you are back inland just a bit it's not a problem. The area north of Sequim known as Dungeness is flat and does get windy and a bit colder. Going south up the hill will also provide a dramatic weather change. The entire area is full of little micro weather systems and traveling just mile or two can make big difference.

I'm glad you found Crescent Lake, it is one of my favorites. I would be happy to have you by for a visit and show you around a bit but I am nearing the south end of the Alaska Highway and won't be home for another month. We should be home for your return trip in the fall and the welcome mat will be out.

[kingfisher24]

sadly, we head out and down…..leaving pacific beach ….sigh….down thru humptulips….I5 to I205….and I84 East…tonights rest stop is Memaloose state park …on the banks of the mighty columbia river…just south of the dalles. it is a nice park…sandwiched between I 84 west and the rail road down at the bottom of the river bed…it is a green oasis with a mix of faint interstate drum and rails clacking…but with the wind in this great river valley all is just moving…….

memaloose is indian for dead…or dying..as there was a memaloose island where the indians buried their dead and one white man was allowed to be buried there along the time of lewis and clark…

looking for lewis and clark……..

tomorrow a stop in baker city, oregon…the birthplace of Mr Wally Byam

what great time we had there on July 4th, Wally's birthdate…and the rally that was there in 2011.

then on to Brunea dunes near mountain home idaho…where silos of ICBM's await the touch of a mad man…..

gerinimo……...

[SilverBuddha]

Your recent adventures on Orcas Island is bittersweet for I am presently on Orcas Island yet sadly without my Airstream.

I concur, the San Juan Islands are spectacular and well worth the effort to travel this far NorthWest.

I spotted several vintage AIrstreams you referred to, which appear to be permanent residents. This only exacerbated my separation anxiety from our beloved Airstream.

One more perk to the San Juan Island region is the access to fresh seafood. I grilled a Sockeye salmon tonight which came from a fishing boat earlier today.
Yesterday, fresh crab cakes and a crabmeat quesadilla (delish).

I wish you safe travels and many more fond memories.
You know, 6 months in the San Juan Islands and 6 months in Texas doesn't sound bad at all.

Cheers

[Lara Me]

Orcas in the winter is spectacular. The tourists are gone and the locals are mellow. But very spendy to make a regular ferry run. I'd be eyeing Anacortes, Whidbey, Port Townsend, Port Ludlow, or near Bellingham. Plus, construction cost and well water expenses are very tough on Orcas.

I've tolerated WA winters for over 20 years. If it gets too much, head a few hours east where it's dry and sunnier, if not a bit colder.

[jmcarter]

Lived in Port Ludlow for a couple of years and really loved it, even with a daily (long) commute to work in Renton and Everett. Living with no air conditioners or even screens on the windows is quite a treat for us southern-born types. Real estate prices there are still fairly depressed so don't be afraid to make an offer on property you like. Also, be prepared to take your Airstream south in the "dark" months. We like Lake Havasu City but lots of choices.... We really love Ruby Beach on the coast, hope you caught that place.

[kingfisher24]

but….Interstate 84 is quite an interesting route…we got on at Portland…then a stop over at memaloose state park…a nice park sandwiched between the westbound 84 and the rail road track along the great river bed…

then it angles along following the columbia and turns south and the cabbage…immigrant hill..that rivals the white bird…then on into baker city where we overnighted before continuing south east on 84 and three mile hill near ontario
and the mighty snake river comes into view…

we then ventured to brunea dunes state park, on the snake river near mountain home…traveling idaho 78 along the snake river to re enter 84 at hammett. then on south on 84 as it intersects IH80 in utah and then we split onward to deer creek state park near midway/heber city utah…..

then down US 189/89 to US 6/IH 70 for a beautiful drive thru provo/helper and green river….where no doubt the landscape was where men really landed on the moon.

we sit parked this evening at the fruita section of the james robb colorado river state park…..

tommorrow a trek eastbound on US 50 and up and over the monarch pass…..

geronimo

[kingfisher24]

US 50 east bound from grand junction to pueblo is a great drive including the monarch pass…….put it in afterburner and weave the curves…again and again and again…\\rested at pueblo lake state park and then made the trek south and rolled into the austin area yesterday….

6800 miles…30 days…687 gallons of gasoline……

but dw says we're putting the house up for sale and hitting the road back to washington…october 1st

to be continued….

geronimo

[Lily&Me]

Mind your route back, as snow comes early to some of those parts.

Travel safely,


Maggie

[DHC-2]

........

[Hittenstiehl]

Congratulations on an incredible trip, that area is on our Airstream bucket list, enjoyed your thread, photos and descriptions

[kingfisher24]

house is going up for sale today…….

we plan to leave here nlt October 1st;;;

route is formulating….
up to colorado then 160
thinking of southern utah and then into parumph nv; coarsegold ca:

then to half moon bay then towards bodega bay and then up the pch…..

then up the oregon coast

arriving on the olympic pensulia near the end of october…..

any thoughts on weather or whatever

[aftermath]

Kingfisher,

I have enjoyed reading your post. We have been to many of the places you have mentioned. Put the Hoh Rain Forest on your list. It is an amazing place to spend a few days.

We were in Pahrump last year and stayed at the Wine Ridge RV resort. It was a beautiful place and the rates were as low as we paid anywhere down to or back from the Balloon Festival. You might already know of this place but if not, give it a look.

Texas to Washington, what a change that will be. Sequim might be one of the best places around for weather. Not much rain, not much snow and not much heat.

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

house is going up for sale today…….

we plan to leave here nlt October 1st;;;

route is formulating….
up to colorado then 160
thinking of southern utah and then into parumph nv; coarsegold ca:

then to half moon bay then towards bodega bay and then up the pch…..

then up the oregon coast

arriving on the olympic pensulia near the end of october…..

any thoughts on weather or whatever

Good luck, guys, and visit the mainland occasionally.


Maggie

[SilverBuddha]

Kingfisher,

While sightseeing around Lake Quanault (Olympic National Forest) I met a nice Airstream couple (they're all nice, right?) who told me about the Salt Creek campground. It's located on the far North end of the Olympic Peninsula with views of the Puget Sound.

Someday, if you visit Salt Creek, please report back with an update (with pictures) and let us know your thoughts about that area. If it's anything like the rest of the Olympic Peninsula, it should be spectacular.

Congratulations on the change of scenery.

Cheers

[Rocinante]

Salt Creek is awesome. Stay there.


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[kingfisher24]

gonna leave here oct 1st hurry yeh



gonna head for mesa verde national park for a few days

then on thru torrey utah and a stay maybe at thousand lakes rv…then

up and over and around the HOGBACK…utah 12…i love it

and then to kodachrome and bryce canyon……

then to pahrump nevada…

and then…

what is the drive like from pahrump to reno and then over the donner pas H 80 and into mendicino calif……

any thoughts

[kingfisher24]

as we execute this move back to homelessness……..

we reflect back to the first time…09 when i talked her into selling a house and hitting the road in the previous airstream…that i had purchased in secret…
so we took off in search of tomorrow ..a new place to live after a lifetime in texas.

and by george every place we went was where we wanted to be…the only place better than where you were …was the next one.

and that ended in march of 12 as we were some tired and our puppy was dying of cancer and we wanted him to have a place to die

now after a lifetime in this dry parched southwest…there is light at the end of the tunnel and…i don't think it is a train.

in our travels…we seemed to gather in washington and oregon more than …

and finally after this july/aug trip…..we decide to move to the pacific northwest….a yet undecided destination…but exploring the islands and the peninsula are the first items of business..


plus becoming a washington resident…..

gonna shed the lone star

more later