Camping at Cape Lookout

We finally went camping here in Oregon, Cape Lookout. We've been here before on a day trip but this time stayed for 4 days. It was so nice. The camp ground was so clean, the bathrooms were so clean, showers were free-I didn't have to feed it quarters in order to get water! The people were so friendly. It was nice to get away from the heat of the Williamette Valley. The post eclipse traffic was no problem as we headed for the coast.

Since we'd been to Cape Lookout in May and hiked the trail to the lookout point, we went on trails that were new to us. One of our hikes took us on the North Trail from the campground. It was so nice, hiking on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The fern lined trail was covered in Sitka Spruce. It lead to a nice swinging bridge. The trail on the other side of the bridge was not next to the ocean but it was still beautiful. It lead to the trail that goes to the point of Cape Lookout. Since we had already done that trail we returned to the campground and spent the rest of the day on the beach. From the campground it was about a 6 mile round trip hike. One morning I got up at my usual time, 5:30, and headed for the beach. (Yes, I still get up early.) I happened to be the first one on the beach that day and watched the sun light up the sky and the fog roll around the bluffs that met the ocean. As I walked on the beach I felt as if I was the first one to enter a new world. It was a refreshing time.

I noticed that ending a vacation while retired is different than it was while I was working. Before it was a dreaded task to pack it all up because there was work, schedules, pressures that were going to have to be dealt with again. And when I returned I had "vacation brain"- trying to grasp the work world and be productive was sometimes a struggle as my brain was somewhere else. Now packing up was okay, it was as if we were leaving one adventure to go to another adventure. And upon arriving home there was no scrambling to catch up on the world I had left. Vacations should always end this way...if it's really called a vacation while you're retired!




   



      

      

         

Post eclipse update

I have to admit, the eclipse was a special event. Even though my area only got 99.4% of totality it was interesting. I did not buy any eclipse viewing glasses. My eye sight is poor enough without risking any exposure to the sun. So we tried the pin hole in the box method, which worked okay. But the better way we found was to use the binoculars. We turned the large end towards the sun and projected the eclipse image out of the small end onto a flat surface, it worked great. It did not get totally dark in my driveway, remember we still had 0.6% of the sun shining, but it did get dark enough for the street lights to come on and the light sensors of passing cars turned on the headlights. And the temperature did drop enough to make me want to find a sweater. So now that event is over and if you're like me, you're seeing some great pictures and videos of the event all across the nation. So now it's off to our next adventure...more to come later!

"Mental balance" break

After we were done painting we needed a "mental balance" break. So we decided to take a day trip to the ocean. It has been very warm here. It's also been very smokey due to forest fires and all the smoke settling into the Willamette Valley. Somedays I feel as if I live in the LA area. Anyway being done with a big chore and wanting to change up our environment, we decided the cooler breezes of the Oregon coast would be great.
We ended up at Ecola State Park, Indian Beach. We've been there before and explored the tide pools. This time we explored the trails to the north. The Clatsop Loop is a 3 mile trail that rises 800 feet in 1.3 miles. We took the "harder" trail up, traversing switch backs and using tree roots as "stair steps" as we went up the shaded Sitka Spruce and fern lined trail. There were many ocean vistas on the way up. At the top was Hikers' Camp where 3 adirondak-style shelters are available on a first-come basis for an overnite stay. The trail then continues to Seaside or you can take the same trail back down to the trailhead or take the other "half" of the loop down to the trail head. We took the other "half". It was an easier trail, almost a gravel road, at a steady down hill grade but not as steep as the first "half" getting to Hikers' Camp. It was so nice to be in a cooler climate with a smoke free atmosphere. After our hike we sat on the beach for a while, enjoying the rhythmic sound of the surf and sun that was just the right temperature. And no paint.

Sitka Spruce, ferns and FOG!

This is as close as I can get to the Tillamok Lighthouse. Worth the hike to Hikers' Camp to see it closer.

There's an abandoned WWII radar bunker up there.

Blessed Fog!

Ahhh, a snack at the beach. 

Done painting

We are done painting!!!! I'm so happy. In 2 months and 1 week we've managed to paint the whole inside and outside of the house. Now for a few pictures...

Living area

Even managed to capture a robin sitting on the peak

I always wanted a red door 

Deck before weather proofing

Deck after-almost done!


We even managed to hang 2 hammocks. I used my horse ropes that I had for high lining our horses when we went camping. It works great for the grandkids.

We are going to have some windows replaced so there will be some touch up painting to do when that is done. This area of Oregon hasn't had rain for 55 days and counting. Supposedly it will rain this Sunday. So we have put this dry spell to good use. Now for some travel fun! 

Total eclipse- a shot in the dark....

The total solar eclipse is coming in a few weeks. Where I live I should be able to have a 90% view of it. Am I going to visit a place where I can get a 100% view? Probably not. I will be happy with my 90%. There are many stories circulating in Oregon regarding the impact that this event will have on our area. There are estimates that the population of Oregon will increase by one million people, there's only 4 million here to start with. As a result there are many predictions about how that will impact us. I've heard everything from total traffic gridlock, complete with the national guard on alert and 911 services impacted, and we should stock up on food and gas because so many people will be here-to a rather ho hum experience where people will stop what they are doing to observe the phenomenon and then go about their business as usual. I do know several people that are coming from CA to OR to see this event.
In the meantime, I've also noticed that entrepreneurs of every type are trying to cash in on the eclipse. I can go to Walmart and right in the front door a huge display implores me to buy the proper eye wear (which is VERY important), and apparently I will need a eclipse cap, a t-shirt, and a cup holder to be able to enjoy this event. There are business combining the eclipse with their organization to hopefully have more people at their establishments. You can go to the "Solarfest" offered at many areas, many restaurants have special eclipse menus, the town of Madras has a type of "Burning Man" eclipse event going on, you can camp with goats in Oregon's wine country and view the eclipse, many people can't find lodging so many farmers are renting out camping spots for the anticipated crowds. And people are renting out "camping spaces" on their front lawns to view this event. Many eclipse viewing parties are going on, the wineries in the area have also catered to the eclipse crowd-there's the Eclipse brunch & tasting in Dayton, the eclipse wine festival in Ebola Hills to name a few. The craft beer industry offers the eclipse and craft beer tasting starting in Portland, or there's the Total Eclipse of the Hop in Salem. Every day I hear about a new eclipse event that is offered. Even the post office has eclipse forever stamps. I know this because I needed stamps, went to usps.com and found them. I confess I bought them, it is something that I will use.
So later I will have to blog about my own semi-eclipse viewing and how my area survives this event. Truly a shot in the dark, we will see how it turns out. More later!

Still painting

Most of the inside of our house is painted, now we are working on the outside. We would like to get it done before the winter rains start again. I hear that we have until sometime in October before that happens again. The color will remain the same except for the front door and the shutters, they will be red. The siding on our house is T111, the old style. It's like a sheet of plywood with vertical grooves in it. Being the DIY people we are, we decided to paint it ourselves. We discovered that there is no roller that can penetrate into the grooves of old style T111. (The newer style has shallow grooves and wider surface areas, so a roller works just fine.) So we had 3 choices: let someone else paint it, spray it, or brush the grooves first and come back and roll it. Letting someone else do it it's not in the budget. Spraying still involves brushing as the paint may run in the grooves and you need windless days, otherwise you'll end up painting many things around your house-like cars. So brush the grooves and roll the paint it is. We are still working on it. I'll have to post a before and after pict when done.
We also have to refinish the deck before winter. We had a deck in California so we know what to expect doing that job.

 Old T111 drinking up my paint!

Trip back

A few weeks ago we made a trip back to California. The purpose of our trip was to visit people and pick up some more of our possessions that we left in Grass Valley. We had planned this trip weeks before and had no idea what the weather would be like. We knew it would be hot but wow, that was hot-100's plus every day. Good thing for air conditioning, swimming pools, and rivers to make things cooler.

Cooling off in the river

It was great to stay with my daughter and son in law in Grass Valley. We also visited my parents in Citrus Heights and went to Sanger to visit Mr. UAW's family, and went to Loomis to see my old horse, catch up with barn friends, and visit my previous workplace. It was great to catch up with people however we couldn't see everybody...just not enough time. My daughter that now lives close to me said that every time she makes the trip to California the same thing happens to her, not enough time.
My mother in law gave us a tub full of old pictures/letters that we left in Grass Valley for my daughter to go thru. That daughter is putting together a blog of family history and it was like a treasure hunt for her. There are many things to sort thru and she enjoys doing it.
We left 2 trucks and most of Mr. UAW's tools, mechanical and yard tools, in California. Now that we have a house, a yard, a garage and 2 sheds, he has been pinning to have his things. We ended up repacking most of our things into 1 truck and leaving at 5am in order to beat the heat as we drove to cooler weather in Oregon.

Sunrise on the way home

We ended up having Mr. UAW's '61 Chevy transported to Oregon. We thought we would drive it but then realized that it was sooo hot, the truck has no air conditioning, it's really loud, and if it broke down between places where would we find parts for it? Finding a transport company that would haul it was an experience. The first company didn't work out but the second company came thru.
So our trip back was great. Next time we will try and see people we didn't see this time.