Oregon via the 101

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Jim Dick

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We left Tom & Chris in Discovery Bay on 2 April for Junction City, OR. It was a gorgeous day and we had planned to drive north on the 101 having gotten a lot of good reports about the route here on the forum.

It was an easy trip along Rt. 4 to I680 near Vallejo. We crossed the river on the 680 and picked up Rt. 12 towards the coast. This is a good road though it is not wide. I had no problem driving it but some of the turns are very tight and the driver does have to pay attention. The route traverses the Napa wine country and the scenery is fabulous. We really enjoyed the ride through the countryside.

We got on the 101 in Petaluma. This is a major divided highway with quite a bit of traffic. A big change from the peaceful Rt. 12 we had just traveled. Finally we got out of the "city" just past Santa Rosa. The remaining drive varied from divided to undivided highway. There are not a lot of places to pull over. We had stopped at an exit just before getting on Rt. 12. I'm glad we did. :) Our lunch stop was in Cloverdale at a pull off. Just north of there in Hopland there is a very large pull of which could accommodate 5 or 6 rigs. Once the road reaches the ocean there are many pull offs but they are mostly on the ocean side and on curves. It makes it difficult and dangerous to try to stop at any of these. It's too bad because there is some very pretty scenery to view.

We decided to stay at Richardson Grove RV park for a couple of nights so we could tour the Redwoods. This park is small but they do have about 8 sites in the open for those with dishes. The rest are in the trees. I was even able to wash the car and coach which brought on the rain.

Because it was raining by then so we didn't get to hike any of the trails but we still enjoyed being among these ancient giants. Some of these trees are 950-1000 years old! There is an Avenue of the Giants that starts just north of Richardson Grove and parallels the 101. It's a beautiful drive and worth the time it takes. There are also hikes in the area to groves of Redwoods that we wish we could have taken. I only took a few pictures since it wasn't the best day for photography. Richardson Grove State Park is also in the area and might be a good day tour. I only wish we had more time to spend in the area.

From there we continued on north and stopped at Bandon RV Park. The park is in town and basically a gravel parking lot. The hosts are very friendly and helpful. We were able to walk to the "old town" for a latte and then dinner. We ordered fish and chips from a stand on the dock and then sat in a glass enclosed shelter right on the water. Bandon is very small and it only takes an hour to see it all including several shops. It was not a good night for sunset pictures.

The next day we left for Junction City. Having been to the coast from JC on other occasions I tried to pick a route that would not take me over any mountainous winding roads. I decided on Rt. 126 out of Florence. It was fine but still pretty hilly and winding. Do not use Rt. 36 which starts east of Florence on Rt. 126. This one is very narrow and very curvy. The best route is actually is the Umpqua highway which follows the Umpqua river for quite a few miles. This route comes out in Eugene and you can then take I-5 or Rt. 99 north.

After settling in at Davis Cabinets and getting things started, we took a day trip to Florence and Winchester Bay. We had missed many pull offs with vistas of the ocean on our trip north and wanted to stop with the car. All of these are way too small for any large RV. We had lunch in Florence at Mo's, remembering Russ's comments on their chowder. He was right! It's a fabulous chowder and a bowl was all I needed to fill me up. :) I was disappointed that they had clams on the menu but only strips, no whole bellies. :( Oregon does have some pretty beaches and lots of area for recreation. It's too bad more ocean states don't provide this type of environment.

Attached are a few pictures I took on the way north. You can see Pat is dwarfed by the Redwoods.


 

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Hi Jim and Pat
Great pics and it is really hard to decide which or how many pics to take along the coast in Oregon.  We still have to do the coast in northern CA.  That is the nice part of having a digital, take all the pics you want and then pick the best.  Look forward to talking to you about the trip along the coast in CA also the Delta area and seeing more of your pics since we will be doing that this fall.
 
Jim & Pat,

Thanks for sharing the photos.  I do have to take Sam over to see the Redwoods and Yosimite park.

Looks like you are having a great trip.  Still looking forward to seeing Shauns work in your coach.

 
Hi Jim,

Nice shot of Oregon Bay; the Redwoods shot is very similar to one that I took--mine is not as wet as yours appears to be :).

Ciao,

Doug
 
Lorna said:
Hi Jim and Pat
Great pics and it is really hard to decide which or how many pics to take along the coast in Oregon.  We still have to do the coast in northern CA.  That is the nice part of having a digital, take all the pics you want and then pick the best.  Look forward to talking to you about the trip along the coast in CA also the Delta area and seeing more of your pics since we will be doing that this fall.

There are so many decisions to make in life. :) Digital sure eases the decision process when taking pictures. See you in Moab!

 
Ron said:
Jim & Pat,

Thanks for sharing the photos.  I do have to take Sam over to see the Redwoods and Yosimite park.

Looks like you are having a great trip.  Still looking forward to seeing Shauns work in your coach.

Ron,

Glad you enjoyed the pictures. I enjoyed taking them. :) This trip has been much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I like taking the 101 instead of the 5. Also don't have to worry about the high passes.

Shaun should be finishing by Tuesday. Will have pictures after that.

 
DougJ said:
Hi Jim,

Nice shot of Oregon Bay; the Redwoods shot is very similar to one that I took--mine is not as wet as yours appears to be :).

Ciao,

Doug

Hi Doug,

Thanks!  I was able to get the shot of the bay while heading north in the coach. There was a nice pull out which wasn't on a curve. :) It was a very wet day when I took the picture of the redwoods. :) I think the shine is quite nice even though it wasn't fun to be in it.

 
Jim,

As usual, nice photos.? We drove 101 north from Willits through the redwood forest last year and I got some fairly decent shots showing the size of these monsters.? Quality isn't as professional as yours but at least they give the idea of just how large they are.? :)
 

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DonJordan said:
Jim,

As usual, nice photos.  We drove 101 north from Willits through the redwood forest last year and I got some fairly decent shots showing the size of these monsters.  Quality isn't as professional as yours but at least they give the idea of just how large they are.  :)

Hi Don,

Nice photos!! Mine are far from "professional". :) It is just amazing to be among such wonders of this universe and try to imagine what history they have seen!

 
Jim Dick said:
Hi Don,

Nice photos!! Mine are far from "professional". :) It is just amazing to be among such wonders of this universe and try to imagine what history they have seen!

It's too bad you didn't get to see the Sequoia Gigantea trees in Sequoia NP.  They are far larger than the Sequoia Sempervirens trees along US-101!!
 
DonJordan said:
Jim Dick said:
Hi Don,

Nice photos!! Mine are far from "professional". :) It is just amazing to be among such wonders of this universe and try to imagine what history they have seen!

It's too bad you didn't get to see the Sequoia Gigantea trees in Sequoia NP.  They are far larger than the Sequoia Sempervirens trees along US-101!!

Don,

We were disappointed as well As I'm sure you read, we were within 10 miles of the Sequoia before they closed the road!!! We will just have to return someday. ;D

 
Ron,

Ron said:
Don,

Thanks for Sharing the photos of the big trees. I want to show Sam those too since I haven't taken her there yet

Glad you liked the pictures.  I know that Sam would really enjoy both the Coast redwoods along US-101 as well as the big Sequoia trees in Sequoia  NP.
 
    Jim
    Enjoyed your trip up Rt. 101. Brought back memories as we have been up the coast of Ca. OR. and WA. 3 times. Roure 1 north of San Francisco is very scenic too. Took my son and family for a week camping at Fort Bragg on the beach on route 1 in June 2003. Grand daughters wanted to go to the beach,the water was so cold our 10 year old granddaughter said her feet had a headache.
    Jim-488
 
Jim-488 said:
    Jim
    Enjoyed your trip up Rt. 101. Brought back memories as we have been up the coast of Ca. OR. and WA. 3 times. Roure 1 north of San Francisco is very scenic too. Took my son and family for a week camping at Fort Bragg on the beach on route 1 in June 2003. Grand daughters wanted to go to the beach,the water was so cold our 10 year old granddaughter said her feet had a headache.
    Jim-488

Hi Jim,

Glad you enjoyed our trip. :) I was told Rt. 1 was definitely one to avoid with an RV. Someday it would be nice to see it in a car.

Granddaughters say the neatest things. ;D ;D

 
i loved reading all this!  you're talking about places i've been to and/or live near!!

and Jim-488, i was in Fort Bragg the same time you were!! :)  I LOVE fort bragg and Mendocino...family used to have a house in Albion...and i always try to go there for my birthday...june 1.
 
Carolyn

Our daughter and SIL live in Fort Bragg and we visit them at least once a year.  I too love the area as does my wife, but it is a little too wet and chilly for her.  We bought a lot in Yuma where the temperatures are currently running in the high 80's to upper 90's.
 
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