The caravan rolls out of MontecitoWe stopped at ” Bread Bike Bakery” in San Luis Obispo and are pictured here outside “Cruise Control.” Charlie Smith’s Art Gallery in Cambria was a delight. We had a tour and he showed us some of the pieces from his previous exhibits. He showcases California artists and their many different forms of art.We enjoyed 0utdoor dining at “Robins” who serves delicious, creative cuisineHearst Castle took 28 years to construct. William Randolph Hearst with his architect, Julia Morgan, built this amazing property. It is a fairytale setting filled with rooms and spaces resembling renaissance castles with British Museum type ancient sculptures. The “castle” and the grounds were something to behold.The San Simeon creek ran alongside our lush, quiet campground Palmer, Steve and I rode up the San Simeon Creek Road. We encountered a bald eagle, grazing cattle and a few mule deer. At the end of the road, even my E-bike was not prepared for the climb. Palm made it to the top and Steve and I baled out. Wendy, Lenny and Becky left for home and Lenny has captured our “Meandering” spirit herePart of Highway 1 was closed so we drove through the valley now filled with vineyards. We came back to the ocean and camped in the Carmel River Valley. Our first day was spent hiking in the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Cypress trees form a spectacular canopy and the rocky coastline is easy to watch for hours.We happened on an “event” sponsored by the Marine Mammal Center. We watched them release two previously rescued harbor seals. They quickly waddled into the water and seemed to enjoy being back in their natural habitatThe 17 mile Carmel bike loop was highlighted by several famous golf courses including the Pebble Beach Golf Links. We rode along the rocky shores dotted with seals, cormorants and pigeon guillemot birds. We had a picnic lunch at Asilomar Dunes. The next day’s ride from Pacific Grove on an old railway trail was not as scenic but the fresh fish and chips at the end of the ride was worth the trip.Last camp meal with Palmer and Steve. The kale for the salad was well massaged and the grilled Brie, thyme, and honey sandwiches were delicious. Meander begins her solo journey through northern California, Oregon coast and the Olympic Peninsula in the morning.I was lucky to spend time with Sean, Ali and Avery in Novato. I took a long hike in the Sonoma Valley Regional Park Another great hike on the Westwood Hills Park Trail. Picnic lunch with sandwich from Soda Canyon DeliBothe-Napa Valley State Park is nestled in the foothills near St. Helena. Part of the part was ravaged by the wildfires of 2022. Some of these coastal redwoods did not survive but the ranger said that the redwood is pretty hardy and many that were partially burned will recover. Lake Shasta provided a perfect place to rest, knit and listen to my bookMary and Eldon treated me with a visit, delicious campsite dinner and a vigorous bike ride the next morning. This was followed by an energetic dip in the chilly lakeThe Applegate River at the Jacksonville campground in southern Oregon was inviting. I took a little dip in the 56 degree waterThe Da-Ku-Be-Te-De Trail around the Applegate Lake was a perfect hike to take before venturing back to the waterfrontI think the lake was quite a bit warmer than the river. I enjoyed a picnic lunch and swam out to some logs floating in the lake. Who needs a shower when there is a river and lake to enjoy? The Oregon coast is so different from the Southern California coast. This is Coos Bay. This is Scotch Broom! It is a beautiful shrub that lines the sandy paths to the beach. Surprise bonus within three miles of my campground. Shore Acres State Park has a botanical garden!Cherry Parfait! One of the many award winning roses growing in these gardensThis Japanese plume cedar was one of my favorites and stands with award winning Monterey pines Meet Vanessa! Bees outnumbered the butterflies but all were very busySunset Bay was the first cove on my hike to Cape AragoThis rock is famous for creating enormous water spray when large waves come ashoreSimpson Reef is in the distance and Shell Island in the foreground. If you magnify the photo you can see elephant seals by the rocks and sea lions on the beach. A smaller island ( or rock ) to the left is covered with harbor seals. This hike took me through fern gullies, majestic trees and these beautiful views of the rough seas. The ground along the path was strewn with pine needles, pine cones and numerous tree roots. I only tripped once and always have Christopher’s voice in my head saying….. ” Mom, just pick up your feet.” I suspect this will continue to be a common theme.I hiked around Bluebill Lake which is right in the middle of the Siuslaw National Forest and the Oregon Dunes. Bird calls were mixed with the sounds of the ORVs that congregate at the dunes. Lake Marie is near the Umpqua Lighthouse. Another hike with no humans on the trailI was amazed by the color of the water and have tried to capture it on cameraQuite the diverse forest with red cedar, pine, rhododendron in bloom and ferns galoreThe great horsetail was as “high as an elephant’s eye” and dwarfed the American Skunk cabbage nearbyJust before the fog rolled in at my next campsite, I took a stroll on the beach in Waldport, OregonThe coastline continued to amaze. There were lots of places to stop and view the beaches and rocks. This area was called ” Seal Rocks” I don’t know where the seals were on this morning. The Kilchis River campground was not far from Tillamook. Everybody else on the road had stopped at the cheese factory in the small town of TillamookThe road around this point was carved out of the massive rock Just before driving through Astoria, I was happy to see the beaches made popular by many movies. ( think “Goonies” )Cape Disappointment, Washington did not disappoint. Because the sand is so firmly packed, walking along this beach for hours was a delight.I could not resist going back to the beach at sunset. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore was a wonderful way to be lulled to sleepThere is a paved bike path along the shore that passes through the town of Long Beach. I enjoyed getting back on my bike.The next campsite was on the Little Hoquiam River and there was a nice path for an afternoon walk.As one should expect, the only day of rain was encountered as a drove into the rainforest. I checked out the Quinault Lodge and found this on the back porch. They record the annual rainfall. It is a beautiful old lodge but the fog was so thick, I never saw the lakeOn the southern rim of the lake there are quite a few trails to experience the rainforestThe lush forest is famous for its Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, Red Cedar and Douglas Fir treesThe massive trees have roots that extend for quite a distanceThis close up of the network of roots demonstrates the complexity of the tree. Read “Overstory” if you want to believe in the “story” about the root system and how trees communicate with one another ! The Olympic National Park is available for many hikes to beautiful waterfalls. This is the Marymere Falls near Lake Crescent. The hike along the Elwah river was closed most of the way but I was able to enjoy these Columbia Tiger LiliesThere were butterflies everywhere. This variety of swallowtail was just one of many others in the areaMadison Falls was a short walk from the road and I could sit by the river at the trailhead and enjoy my lunch in this beautiful parkRight outside of Port Townsend, Fort Worden State Park was fun to explore on my bike. There were deer in the campground and all along the roads. I spotted two bald eagles at the top of the trees. I took the ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island and made my way to Bow, Washington. My brother and his wife, Pam, took me to lunch at a tiny restaurant near by. Greg and his wife, Samantha, joined us with their adorable daughters, Emory and Eva. We enjoyed fresh fish from the area each evening. This was as far north as I am going to travel and Norm helped me with “Meander” We are ready to explore the northern states and make our way back to IllinoisA made a brief stop in Seattle to see Palmer and Steve and meet Georgia Hopp! She is Tucker and Katherine’s beautiful baby girl. I did take a quick dip in Lake Washington but I will not bore you with the video Palmer took of the ordeal. I left for Quincy and this campground on the Columbia River. There was a pretty spectacular lightning storm with a little rain. I did take a quick swim in the river before the storm and rode around the property on my bikeI made a brief stop for a short hike with my nephew and his wife and waded into the water of Lake Coeur d’Alene.My next campsite was on the Coeur d’Alene river but boasts a paved bike path that winds through the forest for over 70 milesI rode out early in the morning and encountered no other riders until I was on my way back.The trail follows the river and I startled a few deer and some giant heron on my way. I was hoping to see a moose on the other side of the river but was not fortunate enough to see one.Most of Montana looks like this! There are tree covered mountains and canyons and the Clark Fork River was meandering through this exquisite valleyI pulled into the Lewis and Clark campground and was lucky to get a spot for the two hour tour of the caverns. We had to spend some time on our hands and knees and even slid down a wet rock slide to navigate the cavern. These limestone formations are remarkable.
