Got hooked up and had to back out of our spot in Long Beach yesterday morning - there was no way we could pull forward, the trucks and cars were lined along the roadway. We joked after we got on the road - we hope our next spot is not a canopy-to-canopy site. Backed the RV straight backwards into the grass, made the swing and off we went. Driving through Long Beach one more time I could see many, many kites already flying and it was 9:30am. And the competition had not started yet. Still, many people walking the sidewalks in front of the stores and we had to be careful that people didn't step out in front of you. Should be absolutely crazy the next couple of days there, glad we are out of there.
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| Sand Bar on Columbia River |
We drove along Rte 101, onto the Astoria Megler bridge and over the Columbia River, had to wait about 10 minutes due to construction on the bridge and was able to get a great shot of the sandbars that move constantly in the river. We marveled that river pilots understand how the sands shift and how to guide the boats in under the bridge. The sandbars you see here are right near the channel that the freighters use.
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| Sand bars near bridge |
Started the twisty, turny drive down 101, in and out of small towns, usually had the ocean in our view to the right most of the time. Come around a corner and wow - the view. Sometimes I got nervous because we were right on the edge and one small wrong move - poof, into the ocean we would tumble. Our GPS kept telling us to turn around, making our 200 mile trip into 8 hours of driving time due to detouring inland, taking Interstate 5 south, then coming back to the coast. No way. If we saw 18 wheelers and Class A's (motor homes) coming at us and they are just as high or higher and weigh as much or more - then we could do it too. Our entire trip said, turn around, go back. Why?
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| Our reflection in another RV's back window |
We found out. After 185 miles of the GPS telling us to detour there was a tunnel - said 11'6" clearance - and we are 12' 6". Okay.... how did the 18 wheelers and motor homes come through that tunnel? We stopped, looked again at signage, and one sign posted behind the 11'6" said at the side was 11'6" but in center was 14'. Phew! We waited until all traffic had moved through from oncoming, then moved into the middle and straddled the center line. Another 5th wheeler was following us closely and when he saw what we did, he stopped and did the same thing too. Once we passed through the tunnel, the GPS then said - 10 more minutes to go, not 5 more hours!! Dah. For the most part I follow what the GPS says, and then again - I monitor it and the traffic coming at us and if okay, we are going this way regardless of what the GPS says.
There was one time I ignored the warning and just had Dave keep driving. This happened in Pierre, South Dakota. Whoa, stop! Caught a sign just at the last minute that said low clearance on bridge - we would have cut off the top of the RV. When we are traveling with the RV, I program the GPS as an 18 wheeler truck, let it calculate, but then watch the oncoming traffic if it gives us warnings to turn around. That is the only time I did not monitor - I learned my lesson then and use my system whenever that happens. So far, so good.
We are in the central coastal area of Oregon in a small town called Florence. This campground is neat - we are each in a little island, have coastal pine trees and shrubs between each of us. And 2/10 mile walk to the ocean. All last night we heard the fog horn of Heceta Lighthouse - about 6 miles from here. I love that sound. Will be here a week, looking at what sights there are to see, then move inland and south. Sitting out a thunderstorm this morning before venturing out, been a long time since we have been in a storm, neat sounds of rain on the roof.
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