No time for an update - but !!!

I have created a link to where Ive been spending some time writing about traveling on Cypress Island and Mt Hood

Cypress Island short blurb with pics
after going here you will need to go to Dec 20 blog (Cypress Island)

Mt Hood Government Camp short blurb with pics
 after going here you will need to drop down the featured article menu and find

"Government Camp is Oregon's little known Mountain Village"

Hello, Hello, Is any one out there?

Sometimes I feel a little,  strike that, a lot home bound this time of year. It seems like when the sun goes down my day is over until the sun pops back up tomorrow.  Oh yeah, its overcast, no sun today or the next, or next.

My wife has been invited to accompany our daughter and her boyfriend (my daughters boyfriend, not hers) to Europe next year.  The plan is to travel some and visit another daughter that is teaching in Spain. I declined to go, I'm just not interested in a long plane ride (expensive too) to hang around with three women, and a guy.  I think I'm going to try to arrange a solo sailboat trip while they are gone. You know, let the wind blow me wherever, no schedules, no one to cater to. A few books, some wine maybe even bring my bicycle in case I go ashore.

San Juan Islands for First Timers

Parks, Parks, Parks

This a partial list of Island and parks I judged to be of value and worth a visit when cruising, resorts are not included;

James Island, Jones Island, Sucia, Matia, Patos, Stuart, Clark, Cypress, Saddlebag, Obstruction Pass, Spencer Spit, Odlin County Park, Doe Island, Deception Pass.

Suggested 80 mile Itinerary  (5-7 days)

The map above identifies many  (not all) common names and places

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with some locations you may have read about
This is an abbreviated version of this cruise, for the entire cruise go to
San Juan Trip for First Timers

Boat launches 

• Cap Sante  ( Anacortes)                                                
• Squalicum Harbor  ( Bellingham)
• Cornet Bay  ( Deception Pass Sate Park)

Resorts and Marinas

• Roche Harbor  (San Juan Island
• Deer Harbor   (Orcas Island)
• Rosario    (Orcas Island)
• Friday Harbor  (San Juan Island)

At www.triptalkusa.com you will find more suggested trips

www.triptalkusa.com

For San Juan Island boating, don't miss this blog
Sailing the San Juans

Ten high ranked places to visit in the United States

Ten top rated spots to visit in the USA

Los Angeles, California. If you want to see celebrities and check out their homes, this is the place to go. Visit Hollywood, the movie capital or Beverly Hills where movie stars live.  Some great scenic spots  include the Big Sur coastline, the alpine beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the awesome Mojave desert.

San Francisco, California.  San Francisco offers great sceneries.  Famous for the Golden Gate bridge and  cable cars. Victorian houses abound on the  hillside streets and overlook a  blue bay surrounded by mountains. The bay area, as it is often called, also features the crookedest street in the world and Chinatown.

Las Vegas, Nevada. Entertainment capital of the world with  many casinos. World-class entertainment. Las Vegas has giant pyramids of glass, multi-colored fantasy castles, replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the New York skyline. Also visit near by, the  grand Canyon, Zion and Death Valley.

Orlando, Florida.  There’s Disney World, the worlds largest  amusement complex, as well as  Universal Studios, Sea World, Wet and Wild and other attractions the whole family will enjoy.  Florida is known for its tropical beaches.

New York City.  The Big Apple, the biggest metropolitan center in the U.S. Its famous tourist spots include the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, United Nations, museums, Broadway theaters, Times Square, Central Park, as well as nightlife districts. New York is the city that never sleeps owing to the varied entertainment offered nightly at nightclubs, bars, theaters and sports centers. 

Hawaii.  Hawaii is a great place to vacation. Consisting of a string of volcanic islands in the center of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a tourist’s paradise with  great weather all year round, wonderful beaches with awesome surf and scenery.

Grand Canyon, Arizona. Arizona's Grand Canyon should not be missed. A natural wonder of the world, the Grand Canyon is truly awesome.

Washington, D.C. The capital of America is Washington D.C. and has many sights to see, such as numerous monuments, museums and public parks that include the White House, the U.S. Capitol and other government buildings. Many places can be visited free of charge.

New Orleans, Louisiana.  New Orleans is a blend of the Spanish and French culture with influences from Afro-American and the Caribbean.   Renowned for its jazz music, wild nightlife and Cajun cuisine. Visit during the weeklong Mardi Gras festival celebrated every February.

Yellowstone National Park,  Wyoming. A huge collection of geysers, hot springs and thermal features. Bisons, elk, bears and wildlife abound in this huge national park. Lucky visitors  get a chance to have close encounters with wildlife. Yellowstone is just north of Grand Tenton National Park, and shares entrance fees.

Destination Lake Chelan

We will be hauling the sailboat to Lake Chelan in about two weeks, I hope to have some tips and a few pictures to post when I get back.

btw, this is Cypress Island DNR not Chelan

OK, OK, were back from Lake Chelan, see some pictures and tips

Destination "San Juan Islands"

Destination "San Juan Islands"

In less than three days I'll be pulling the boat, We will have one day at home to load provisions and then Sunday hit the road for Bellingham Washington. Squalicum Harbor has free parking, so I've decided to launch there.  For a float plan I have only the first nights destination, (Eagle Harbor at Cyprus Island) after that we will decide as we go. Weather could easily (fog) make my choices for me. We have set aside up to two weeks although past trips have never exceeded one week.  I have a few stops that I'd like to include, a day visit to Olga on Orcas Island, plus a walk around the lake at Moran State Park on Orcas. Every year I want to spend the day in Haro Strait watching whales, maybe this year it will work out.  We could cross Haro and go to Butchart Gardens, but that means dealing with customs both ways and is a little bit of a negative. I really like the breakfast they put out at Roche Harbor, so food could sway me that direction. Roche also has good ice cream cones.  Just sitting and doing nothing at Jones Island could take two days; that reminds me, I need to pack some more books if I'm going to do nothing.  We are meeting some friends at Cyprus, and tentatively plan to meet up some more at Sucia and other stops.  I expect to try to motor as little as possible, using tidal currents and wind to get us around, last year we used almost

Destination "Government Island"

The stars finally line up in my favor.  For weeks or months I have been threatening a overnighter on the sailboat. This weekend, my son is away at a scout outing and Linda says she’ll go with me. I think it helped that my daughter and her boy friend had announced they were going on their first kayak trip (around Government Island) since becoming kayak owners a week earlier. The boat is moored on the Columbia river and already has lots of gear on board, all we needed to gather was food and beverage, sleeping bags, books, cell phones, cameras and hit the road. 

Government Island is up river from Portland about five miles and is about seven miles long overall.  There are numerous camping spots, some recognized, but many where people with boat just come ashore and make themselves a camp.  The island is uninhabited except for free ranging cattle that pretty much stay off the beaches preferring the tall sweet grass that only grows inland.  Our destination is one of the three improved areas, complete with modern docks, composting toilets, picnic tables and fire pits.

Costa Rica instead of Mexico "thumbs up"

Not very long ago I visited Costa Rica, and I highly recommend you visit. We flew from Portland, Oregon to Atlanta, Georgia to San Jose. The flying was a little time consuming and not cheap, but once you get there the prices were great. There is plenty to see and do. We visited both coasts and the active volcano area. Costa Rica pursues tourism and is very environmentally attuned, much more than the US and they have been eco conscious since before it was trendy. We participated in several semi custom tours where our driver would act as guide and naturalist, sometimes on our own and other times with a group of three of four couples. Everyone we dealt with spoke excellent English, except maybe the couple from Texas, more importantly all the locals are proud of their country and glad to have us visit. Few places make you want to make them your home but Costa Rica is one of them.

Massive rains from Hurricane Rita over 500 miles distant, left mudslides and cut all power. The train car is the hotel registration office.

Railroad bridge converted to cars is a little scary.  The country abandoned railroads all together.

How is it possible that you can fly cheaper than drive

It seems to me that gas has gotten so expensive that you can fly to the next town cheaper than you can drive your car.  Maybe I don't see the big picture, I would be glad if someone would enlighten me.  On the news we always hear about the airline industry being broke. Well maybe that's true and why its cheaper to fly then drive. If that's so why aren't the airlines gone? I can understand flying to Europe or Hawaii, but driving to the next county should be affordable, if not our prices are way out of line. 

What I'm really worring about is that we are seeing a fundamental change to our society, gone are the days of visiting the sea shore, gone are the days of a drive in the country, we may be seeing the end of travel as we know it.  Only the rich will be traveling regularly, the rest of us peons will save a lifetime for that special road trip to Disneyland, or Yellowstone.

Boat Camping

If your missing the good old days of camping and your like me your missing the stress free get away feeling of sitting around a campfire.  Nowadays for us we must have a reservation, we must pack properly, we must act properly, arrive on time leave on schedule and on and on. This systems creates stress and anxiety for me, not at all what I remember. I remember grabbing a tent and sleeping bag, sacks of groceries and arriving at my favorite beach or mountain.  Then picking from one of many campsites to settle in for a few days of doing what ever I wanted. Not any more, there are just too many people and too little camp sites.

So enter boat camping, simply get in a boat, kayak, canoe, ski boat, inflatable dinghy, and go across the lake or to an island, or a beach around the corner where cars can't get. Scrounge some driftwood and relax around a camp fire just like the old days.  Now if you poke holes in my scenario (its illegal, its trespassing, no toilet, etc.) then you just don't have any old days to remember and should consider a cruise to relax. (ker-ching)
John 6/6/11

Summer is just around the corner, but are bad times here to stay?

Here in Portland, OR our weekend forecast is for temps in the 80's and sunshine.  I know that this great weather after a particularly dreary winter is all it will take to get people to make their summer plans.  My vacation rentals will get a boost of reservations for the summer.  I'm finalizing my own vacation plans also.
The stagnant economy has become a way of life for us and I hate it.  I remember in late 2008 saying we should kiss goodby any recovery for 2009, that 2009 was a lost cause, a year where real estate prices, jobs, everything would be flat.  What a horrible outcome our politicians have brought upon us; 2009 is long gone, 2010, more of nothing, 2011 is half over and all we get are gas prices so high all our money is gone. Yes I blame the politicians, and I blame ourselves for continuing to vote the same failures into office. Oh you can place responsibility on banks, wall street, world events, but these people are reacting to policy and laws enacted, or not enacted in Washington. You and I have no power except our votes, and our spending; and of course we also act and react to policy and laws, just like the big bad guys.  The members of congress, our senators and the current president are the real bad guys, they are the reason gas prices are high, they are the reason your house is no longer your nest egg.  On the local level there is just as much blame, our local city and county government have enacted so much regulation and fees that mom and pop business is reeling, new start ups are almost non existent, real estate development is dead largely due to outrageous  costs and regulation.  We as a society have allowed ourselves to lose what we hold dear.  By always saying yes to costly, touchy, feel good earth saving rules and regulations we have ruined our way of life and become indebted to the point of no return, and yet when faced with opportunity to do something, instead of saying "no" we quickly vote our special interests or self serving law makers. I know I only speak for myself, I know that many (about 50%) people are happy with life the way it is.  Polls announced on the news are always showing  satisfaction with our politicians; are you one of them?
John 6/2/11

Two Trailer Sailers Learn Hard Lessons # 7

Blog post #7

 Violent storms, some with winds near 100 mph had pummeled the island last winter.  The kids gather lots of blow downs and dead limbs for firewood; soon they have a massive bonfire blazing.  It’s not very long before some boaters with buckets come rushing up the dock. Seeing Mike and Tom one of them demands “are those your kids?” they can’t have a fire like that here.  That could burn the whole island.  There’s no fire protection.  If that fire gets out of hand, everything will go up.  When the adults reach the fire the kids are relieved to see with them buckets of sea water, for they were already worried the fire was out of control.  In short order the fire is brought down to a safe size.  The boaters leave them with the buckets, offering to pick them up in the morning.  As daylight recedes and the darkness creeps in, the requisite scary stories are told and retold.   Everyone thoroughly enjoys eating hotdogs and marshmallows cooked over an open fire.  There is something special about a charcoal tasting hotdog and charred marshmallow for dinner after a hard day at sea.  When conversation slows and the fire dies down they pour water on it causing billowing clouds of rising steam.  The fire gasps its last breath and the exhausted group is ready for sleep, they head back to the boats.  Tom comments on how steep the walkway has become and worries to himself that the tide has dropped.  When the both families have boarded, he can feel the unmistakable thud and shudder from the keel touching bottom.  With each minor swell or movement the boat bangs aground again and again.  Mike and Tom quickly discuss what to do and decide they have no time to lose.  They must get Toms boat away from the dock and into deep water before any damage is done. If the tide falls further, Tom’s boat could become trapped, possibly tipping over on its side.  If the boat tipped on its side it could down flood and sink when the water rises again. Tom’s boat draws 4 ½ feet, and with all the people, gear and provisions it is probably closer to 5 feet. Working fast the two men help all the family to the dock asking them to be patient. With everyone off, Toms boat appears to be floating free again, they hurriedly cast off and using Mikes boat and motor they make their way to deep water about 100 feet from the dock.  Tom tosses out his anchor while Mike unties the two boats.  Soon they are back at the dock with only one boat.  Mikes boat has a lifting keel and draws only 2 feet so even at very low tide his boat will be just fine.  I guess I won the race after all Mike jokes.  In the morning the tide will be higher, you can up anchor and raft next to us again, but in the meantime I guess you guys are stuck using your dinghy to get out to your boat. Good night, and Mike goes below, sliding the hatch shut behind him.

Two Trailer Sailers Learn Hard Lessons # 6

Blog post #6

James Island is a dog bone Island, with two summits connected by a low narrow isthmus.  The shape forms east and west coves which are almost ideal anchorages.  The east cove is open to Rosario Strait so it is subject to more wind and wave action. The west cove is a little larger with room for six or more thirty foot boats at the dock and quite a bit of anchor room a dinghy ride away.  On shore are a number of campsites with tables and fire pits, and of course the popular composting toilet. Trails circle the island and lead to the summit which is somewhat rounded and knobby, opening the question of exactly where the highest point is.  All of James Island is a State Park, camping or using the dock overnight requires paying a self service fee as do the anchor buoys.  Anchoring in the cove is free and many choose to do so. Campers on shore or at the dock can expect local residents paying them a visit, and not just after dark.  Raccoons are seen ransacking kayaks pulled high up on the beach while their oblivious owners are only a short distance away.  Boats at the dock and anchored out are open game for Otters that will climb lines and chains, leaving behind distinctive footprints on deck, evidence of their transgressions on private property.  Yes, that thump you heard during the night was real, you’ve been boarded, and not by pirates.

While Mike and Tom’s family take care of exploring and preparing for a campfire dinner on shore the two men busy themselves dropping Tom’s mast. Taking down a mast on a stable trailer in the parking lot is one thing, but a rocking unstable boat is precarious at best. In Toms hurry he almost loses the mast over the side,  Mikes quick action securing a temporary stay does the trick.  With the mast lowered they screw the radio antenna to its base and retrieve the wayward halyard. Tom sees the wisdom of having a spare halyard. 

Two Trailer Sailers Learn Hard Lessons # 5

Blog  post #5

Mike and Tom’s boats are now about halfway to James Island and about halfway across Rosario Strait.  Plainly marked on Mikes nautical chart is Bird Rocks and Belle Rock and they are headed right for them.  Mike chooses to go west  of the rocks; this course will take them well clear of the commercial traffic channel in the middle of Rosario Strait.  Keep a good watch out and pay close attention to your depth sounder Mike radios Tom, we will be less than ¼ mile from the rocks.  The fog begins to lighten and in a few minutes they are completely in clear air. While dealing with the fog they were so busy keeping watch they had not noticed how wet and miserable it had become. Now in warm bright sunshine everyone is noticing how they and the boats are dripping wet . Tom points to Bird Rocks on the starboard side, right where expected. Then up ahead is today’s destination, James Island is only 1 ½ miles away. A fresh breeze is building on the beam, Mike kills his motor and begins hoisting the mainsail, Then he unfurls the jib sail and starts pulling away from Tom’s boat.  The outboard motors are no match for a little wind.  The last thing Tom hears is “were going sailing, race you to the cove” Mike sets a close hauled course to clear Belle Rock, he plans to shoot out into Rosario and then tack back in time to still make James Island. Tom and his crew are still motoring, apparently when he was rigging the boat he had not tied off the main halyard and somewhere along the way the halyard had run up the mast, so now there was no way to raise the main sail. In a little while Tom’s jib sail is up and he kills his motor also.  The rest of the afternoon is beautiful sailing, exactly what they had come for. Mike repeatedly cuts across Toms bow taunting the other boats crew knowing they don’t have a chance of keeping up with only the jib up. When Mike reaches the cove he blasts right by, it’s hard to quit sailing when the conditions are so perfect.  They make several more tacks in the channel between James and Decatur Island. Tom drops his jib and starts his motor outside the cove afraid to sail the last 500 feet to the dock.  Meanwhile Mike has almost overtaken Tom and continues charging for the cove.  Both boats are racing for the dock and Mike with all sails up is pulling ahead until with only 250 feet to go the wind in the cove dies. Tom cheerfully motors past Mike and takes the only free space left at the dock.  Tom’s boat is completely tied up and the family has gone ashore by the time Mikes boat, sails hanging limp slowly ghosts up to Tom’s boat. Mind if I raft up to you tonight skipper, asks Mike, it seems there’s no room at the dock. Sure says Tom, if you don’t mind helping me take down my mast,  someone left the halyard at the top, right next to where the antenna goes.

Two Trailer Sailers Learn Hard Lessons # 4

Blog post # 4

As the two boat flotilla makes its way north in Rosario Strait the fog thickens, soon land is not visible.  Sailing is not possible, there’s not a breath of wind. They motor along at about 3 mph plus the speed of the current.  Mike has previously determined he would follow a compass course of 300 degrees magnetic. This course would keep the boat pointed in the right direction and as long as they kept making forward progress they would eventually cross the strait. The current was constantly pushing them north, so it was important they get across the strait or risk being swept past James Island. As the fog thickened the two crews felt more and more isolated. The laughter and joking gave way to quiet as the seriousness of their situation became apparent.   Mike is wishing he had radar; Rosario Strait is travelled by commercial vessels that not only could run them over but their wakes present a danger to small boats as well.  The two boats run much closer now; they desperately want to keep each other in view. When the fog thickens even more, Mike calls Tom on the radio and says to be sure to keep a course of 300 degrees if they lose sight of each other. About once a minute Mike has the kids ring a brass bell he keeps on the boat, Tom’s boat does the same thing. Hearing the bell is reassuring to them as the fog swirls around threatening to separate them.  Peering deeply into the fog ahead of them Mike spots what appears to be a wall of white water or surf breaking on a beach.  For a second Mike is in disbelief how they could be headed for disaster.  He quickly scans his depth sounder and GPS, the boats have 40 fathoms below them and they are in the middle of the strait. It dawns on him that they are headed for a tide rip; the incoming tide they are riding is meeting the outgoing tide.  The recent minus tide must have created a monstrous opposing force and now they are heading right into the face of a six foot over fall. Mike swings his boat around and Tom seeing the wall of water follows him.  Both are now fighting the current but their little auxiliary outboards are barely able to make headway against the incoming tidal rush. Mike has read about tide rips in Rosario Strait sometimes extending across the entire 3 ½ miles. There seems to be no real good solution to their situation, continuing to run away from the tide rip will use up all their fuel, attempting to run towards shallow water near shore may make it worse plus in the fog they could run aground. The skippers decide to batten down the hatches, keep everyone in the cabins and trust their boats to carry them safely through.  Turning the boats once more towards the wall of water quickly brings them squarely face to face with nature’s awesome power. The distance closes faster than Mike thought possible. Tom is white knuckled steering his boat, there is no turning back now, his wife peers out from below the cabin hatch, looking for support in Toms face. He tells her to hang on. Tom sees the over fall double in height as they get closer, and thinks he can hear the thunderous roar of the standing wave. In an instant it is over, the two boats hardly feel the wave as they ride up over it. Tom and Mike can see now that the tide rip over fall was only one foot or less. Their eyes have been tricked by the fog and their own imaginations.  In almost pure white out conditions they have had no depth perception, nothing to compare or judge what they were seeing. With things back to normal everyone on both boats get back to watching and bell ringing, the fog has taught them a lesson they won’t soon forget.

Two Trailer Sailors Learn Hard Lessons # 3

Blog post # 3

Once again they hit the road north; the delays for repairs weren’t that time consuming.  Stopping along the way for snacks and last minute supply shopping breaks up the drive, plus gives Mike a chance to apologize for calling Tom an idiot. They arrive at Deception Pass State Park boat ramp in late afternoon and park the boats side by side in a level area of the parking lot.  The kids take off exploring the park and fishing docks while the adults organize the boats.  Tom and Mike help each other with rigging and stepping masts. Soon Tom is backing his boat down the ramp stopping just short of the water to unhook the bow eye and discuss their next moves.   Mike is on the dock holding the lines, Tom begins to back the trailer into the water.  At the last second Mike notices the brake lights and  yells wait wait, but it’s too late, they had forgot to unplug the trailer lights and the hot bulbs all pop as cold water floods around them.  The boat floats free and is quickly tied to the floating dock.  Mikes boat goes in the water next and is tied behind Toms, their homes for the next week eagerly tugging at the lines waiting for the adventure to begin.   Unfortunately there is no fresh water rinse hose so they are forced to leave their salt water doused trailers to the corrosive forces of nature.

They have planned to cast off at low tide when the water in Deception Pass is slack. Since it was now low tide they had no time to lose, the water would soon be coursing back through the narrow pass increasing velocity by the minute. Everyone boards the boats and put on their pfd’s except Tom.  Tom explains he is a good swimmer and with all the help and two boats he will be perfectly safe. As fate sometimes gets the last word it is fitting that Toms son at this very moment loses his balance and catches himself on the boom. The very same boom that Tom had forgot to secure swings over and soundly whacks him in the head leaving him throbbing and slightly dazed.  Tom’s wife after seeing that he is still alive demands he either go in the cabin or put on his life jacket.  As they approach the pass Mike is relieved to see smooth water and little current, but in the distance he can see Rosario Strait and a slight haziness warning of possible fog forming.   For safety the boats keep a short distance apart and it is difficult yelling so Mike radios Tom to alert him of the possibility of fog reducing their visibility.  When Tom responds his transmission is so poor Mike asks if the radio is working right.  That’s when Tom realizes he forgot to screw the antenna on to the top of the mast.  Their plan is to reach James Island State Park a distance of about 10 miles, with the incoming tide pushing them along Mike expects to be in the little protected anchorage in about two hours.

Two Trailer Sailors Learn Hard Lessons # 2

Blog post #2

Tom takes the lead, Mike holds back wanting to watch how Toms shifted load handles at freeway speeds.  Soon they are at 75 mph and Mike is becoming worried, not that Toms trailer is going to sway any more but that Tom is speeding and on questionable tires at that.  Suddenly something blows out of Tom’s trailer landing in the gravel median; Mike quickly slams on the brakes and pulls over to retrieve someone’s favorite wind breaker.  Seeing in his mirror that Mike has stopped, Tom pulls off also.  While meeting to return the jacket the two men notice that Toms right rear trailer tire is almost flat.  Mike comments how lucky it was that they had pulled off just as the tire was losing air, another few minutes at 75 mph and the least damage would have been a ruined tire, the most could have been a horrific accident.  Let’s get your jack and spare says Mike, Tom’s blank stare tells the story, no jack, no spare, and no tire wrench.  I don’t need that stuff, I’ll just call AAA or a local tire store says Tom as he gets out his Blackberry.  Ten minutes later he says that AAA will call back within an hour to let them know what to do. Clearly exasperated Mike says look, were only an hour into our vacation, I have some tools and a jack.  We can do this ourselves and be on the road again before you know it.  Quickly Mike gets out his bottle jack and four way spanner, remarking how glad he is that the flat is on the shoulder side of the trailer instead of next to the high speed freeway traffic.  See these cracks in your tire sidewall Mike points out, this tire is rotten, old age and sunshine have destroyed all your tires even though they have lots of tread.  There are tire products to protect against ozone damage.  Soon Mike has more bad news, all your lug nuts are rusted, when I force them, some may break off, or worse, break off later.  Sure enough two studs next to each other snap off, were going to need an auto parts store and a tire store says Mike.  Using his Channel Locks Mike pops the wheel bearing cap off and pulls out the cotter pin and bearings allowing him to remove the wheel hub. See these bearings says Mike, they are almost bone dry, another failure waiting to happen, and a burned out bearing at freeway speeds besides being hazardous can be very expensive if you have to replace spindles and hubs too.

The two of them  take the kids with them in Mike’s car, leaving the wives alone and broken down beside the freeway. While Mike was pulling apart the wheel, his wife was calling ahead to locate a Tire shop and auto parts store.  Luckily she finds what they need across the street from each other about ten miles further up the freeway.  The wives have been best friends for years and this trips problems are not unexpected.  While underway Mike explains the facts of life to Tom, first testing their friendship he calls Tom an idiot for thinking he could leave town without doing routine maintenance, furthermore he is risking his family and both their vacations. Next Mike explains fixing the one wheel is not enough, they need to do all four, Tom totally agrees sensing Mikes growing exasperation.  At the tire store Mike leaves Tom to make the best deal he can buying four new tires, stressing to him that paying a little extra for trailer rated tires is preferable over cheap passenger tires especially if he expects to continue over loading and fast driving.  At the auto parts store Mike places the hub on the counter asking for twenty replacement studs with nuts.  Soon they are on the way back, they have been gone less than hour when AAA calls back, Toms cancels the emergency roadside assistance assuring the operator they will be OK. It takes Mikes only seconds with his hammer to pound out the remaining studs and tap the new ones in place. Not surprising Mike has with him a can of waterproof wheel bearing grease that he quickly applies to the dry bearing. Tom is quite pleased with himself, not only are they about to be on the road again, but he has not had to do a thing except get out his credit card. Meanwhile Mike is using his waterless hand cleaner thinking unspoken words.  At the tire store, they get instant service when they arrive. Mike passes to the technician the remaining fifteen studs and nuts requesting that they switch them at the same time they grease all the wheel bearings including redoing the one Mike had done by hand.

Two Trailer Sailors Learn Hard Lessons # 1

Blog post # 1

I may take some liberty with truths to illustrate what I feel are important points.

Mike and Tom, both own trail-able sailboats and have decided to take family vacations in the San Juan Islands.

Tom has been burning up the internet downloading and printing everything he can find.  Mike and his family are making supply lists and discussing parks to visit. The appointed day finally arrives and their little two rig caravan heads north on Interstate Five. Within a few minutes Mike’s cell phone is ringing, Tom is having problems controlling his SUV and trailer. Several times he has had dangerous swaying episodes; one time so bad the car swerved out of its lane and almost collided with another vehicle. He was lucky to be able to slow down and get it under control.  They agree to pull into the next rest stop a few miles ahead. At the rest stop, Tom is visibly shaken, his wife and kids don't want to continue, sure that they will have a bad accident. Tom says he has never experienced anything like this before.  Mike as usual, calmly assesses the situation and begins asking Tom questions while holding his hand next to one of the trailer tires which is too hot to touch. How much pressure is in your tires? What is the maximum trailer weight your car is designed to tow? Do you have good brakes on the trailer? Mike then shoves on the SUV noticing how soft the suspension is. Tom brags about how great his little truck is, and how it smoothes out the roughest roads. Tom has no answers to any of Mike’s questions, especially the last one about tongue weight.  In fact Tom offers that when they were loading gear in the boat they had to pull down on the hitch to get it attached to the car. They climb up into the boat and what a sight.  Tom and family have brought everything they own, three ice chests, a cast iron Dutch oven, cases of pop, cases and jugs of water.  The back of the boat is stacked full across the back end. Mike says, this is your problem, come on, we need to move some of this weight forward.  Tom is fortunate this time.  The experts say you should have about 10-15% or your total weight sitting on your hitch.  Inadequate tongue weight is a major cause of losing control. Shortly both rigs are back on the road and looking for a service station to get some more pressure in Tom’s tires.  Tom doesn't have trailer tires like Mike, the maximum psi marked on the side of his tires is 42 lbs.  Under inflation and overweight loads cause the tires to run hot and could eventually lead to a blow out. Mikes tires are running just a little warm to the touch, he has trailer service tires and are marked maximum 85 psi.. Back on the road again Mike wonders to himself, what’s next?

Timothy Lake Sailing (Mt Hood, Oregon)

Timothy Lake Sailing  (Mt Hood, Oregon)

Our family has visited Timothy Lake every year for more than thirty years.  Most of these trips have been so I can sail the different boats I have hauled up and over the many passes on Mt Hood.  So I have some local knowledge to share with other sailors.  First off, yes it’s a very good place to go camping and bring your boats.  Timothy Lake has four main campgrounds each with its own boat ramp.  I’ll list off the campgrounds so anyone that wants may  google them and  make reservations to camp.  #1 Oak Fork Campground, #2 Gone Creek Campground, #3 Hoodview Campground, #4 Pine Point Campground.  All four are great, but Gone Creek is my favorite for sailing. All the campgrounds have day use areas where you can park and launch your boat if you don’t plan to camp.  It’s about two hours back to Portland, thirty minutes back to Government Camp.  But don’t bring just any boat, deep draft fin keels may not float off your trailer.  All the ramps are shallow which means if your boat needs two or more feet of water to float off the trailer you may be very unhappy, or plan to do some winching and shoving.  Boats with dagger boards and some swing keels are fairly easy to launch and beach.  Hobie Cats, Lasers, Lightnings  and all the car toppers are perfect.  There are no docks so plan to beach your boat or wade to shore.  Timothy Lake is man made and before they built the earth dam back in the fifties it was a forest, so there are lots of large tree stumps just below the surface along the shore line.  The stumps are a little creepy but really don’t pose a problem, and each of the campgrounds have nice beaches that are stump free (sort of).  Unlike some lakes, at Timothy they never seem to lower the water level, we always have a full lake.  The water is very clean and clear and eighty feet at the deepest.  The water temperature is fairly warm,  children and adults have no problem swimming and spending the day engaged in water activities.  There is a ten mph speed limit so you won’t see any water skiers or jet skis unless they are risking a ticket. This is not a high wind lake in the summer.  Some days are totally calm, which is great for canoeing.  It’s a great place for beginners and children to learn boating and sailing.  Even on calm days  you can count on a little afternoon thermal breeze for about two hours.  This is not to say that the wind doesn’t come up, I have capsized Hobies and flown a pontoon many times .  Timothy Lake is about  1 ½ miles by 1 ½  miles which is small enough that you can see most the lake and know where you and the kids are, but it still makes a nice long tack depending on your boat speed.  The hiking  and biking trail around the lake is about 12 miles and very  worthwhile.  At 3200 feet elevation the evenings can get  crispy around the campfire, but 75 plus degrees day time temperatures are common also.  Many people park in the campground day use lots and boat camp across the lake in the woods.  The campgrounds will fill up on weekends so reservations are a must in July and August.

John

Anacortes Area Boat Ramps

Anacortes Area Boat Ramps

Once again, I find myself daydreaming.  I remember looking for a boat ramp near Anacortes that we could use for a San Juan Island cruise.  Sounds easy enough except not having any local knowledge and living 275 miles away in Portland makes it hard to plan a simple summer cruise. I had some specific requirements, #1 the ramp had to have a dock to get on and off the boat while we changed from a land based existence to a water based life.  #2 the ramp had to be concrete so the car had traction plus it had to be steep enough to float the boat off the trailer without submerging the car.  #3 we had to have long-term parking for the car and trailer without fear of vandalism or theft.  #3.5 I didn’t want to pay more than $10 a day to park.  #4 I wanted access 24/7 just in case something came up.  These are minimum requirements anyone would want.  Once an acceptable ramp was located we could shove off from Portland and head up Interstate 5 with our good ship “Sunshine” in tow.  There are many other issues that come into play, for instance having a bystander help me lift “Lollipop”  (our dinghy) from the roof of the Excursion is a big plus.  Having a level staging area that we can monopolize for 2 hours while the mast goes up is a bonus too. While were dreaming, how about a clean bathroom because most ramp kybos are totally gross.  Lets switch gears for just a second and ask, "Why am I looking for a launch ramp"? Many people that go to Anacortes with a boat on a trailer will go straight to one of several marinas that provide a travel hoist service and will sling the boat into the water  (no this doesn’t mean throw it) the problem with slinging the boat is #1 the cost is about $175 in and $175 out.  #2 you must schedule a time and date in advance or risk waiting all-day or overnight if you show up unannounced.  Even if you have an appointment, you may still wait overnight if the marina has problems with other customers.  They work 8 to 5 but you may show up after hours wanting to go home and on and on. On the plus side marinas have supplies, nice kybos, pretty safe parking lots, and answer the phone during business hours. In addition, keeping your trailer out of salt water is a huge benefit. 

Washington Park

There are three ramps in the Anacortes area that I have used and know something about.

Easy Way to Visit Victoria and Butchart Gardens

Easy Way to Visit Victoria and Butchart Gardens

excerpts from  www.triptalkusa.com
Recently while talking with an acquaintance about visiting Victoria, I said what's your e-mail I'll send you some ideas to help you plan a visit.  I thought I would try to put together something useful for everyone and post it on Trip Talk
As everyone knows Victoria BC is on Vancouver Island and a little tough to get to. Using the Ferry system is the only practical method but bringing your car is costly, time consuming, and not needed for a simple Victoria Butchart Garden visit. During the tourist season (flowers are best late in June, early July) the only Ferry is the MV Coho and you may have to wait in long lines and possibly miss a sailing time putting your entire trip off schedule. (there is also a ferry and bus ride via Sidney, but the MV Coho is more direct from the states) Once in Victoria your car is not needed and a pain to park, coming back to the mainland you will repeat the lines all over again. I must mention if your trip is a circle you will have no choice but to drag the vehicle with you. A circle would be to depart Port Angeles, visit Victoria, drive to Sydney and take Ferry to Vancouver or the San Juans and back to the mainland to continue your travels.  Here's what we have done several times.  Arrive in Port Angeles Friday afternoon or night, and go straight to the ferry terminal.  Find out when the first Ferry leaves in the morning, now figure out where the free parking is so you wont waste anytime in the morning looking.  Next go to a campground nearby  (or get a motel)  get comfy have dinner and a glass of your favorite beverage. First thing Saturday morning leave your campsite (don't pack up) and drive into PA, find a free parking spot and walk the 4-8 blocks to the MV Coho Ferry terminal.  Plan to arrive just a few minutes before boarding or sailing time (these are different times) depending on if you want to sleep in and stress out or not.. Yes your going as a foot passenger so bring your day packs.  With the money you have saved by leaving the car behind buy yourself breakfast as soon as you board, and take the best seats on the boat.  By now you are way ahead of all the car people still loading onto the car deck below. Some of the car people still in line on shore are likely to miss this sailing if the ship if full. When you arrive in Victoria you will disembark in the inner harbor in front of the Empress Hotel.  Everything is an easy walk, and you will be off the boat before the first car unloads.  You should plan to take the last sailing back to PA in the evening, where your campsite (or motel room) is waiting. While in Victoria there is plenty to see and do, in my opinion you must plan a visit to Butchart Gardens and plan all your other sightseeing around the garden visit.
  



 

We like to go to the garden late in the day and walk the tour just before dark, then wait for dark and walk again after the lights come up.  One of the scheduled double decker  bus tours is timed to arrive back in Victoria in time to make the last sailing of the MV Coho.  BTW I highly recommend taking a double decker bus out to the garden, you will get a mini tour of Victoria and the driver will act as your guide the entire time or you can walk alone and even catch a later bus back to town, if you want to spend more time at Butchart Gardens. Back in Victoria here's a short list of my  "must dos" you should walk through the Empress Hotel including the garden out back, by all means, don't miss the Provincial Museum (plan a couple hours), visit the Government Building in front of the Ferry terminal, walk through Totem Park, tour the waterfront, (our last visit was by boat) watch the mimes and street musicians.  The Undersea Gardens and Wax Museum barely make my list.  Lastly walk the streets and malls, you will find more than enough to fill your day and your stomach.  When you get back to camp in PA you will be dead tired, sleep in Sunday morning then head for home.  I outlined this trip for a weekend so as to not miss work, but you could do it any day of the week and miss some of the crowds, or make it part of a larger visit to the great northwest. The main point I would like you to remember is not to bring your car to Victoria unless you must.   TJ

Both buildings pictured below are directly across from the ferry terminal

GOVERNMENT BUILDING  VICTORIA BC CANADA

EMPRESS HOTEL VICTORIA

How Not To Plan For Your Next Trip

How Not To Plan For Your Next Trip

Trip Talk USA

Should you plan your next trip or just let it happen?

While browsing for quality content for this web site ( www.triptalkusa.com ) it suddenly occurred to me how much I disagreed with an article I was considering.  In fact I opted to immediately jot down a few thoughts racing around in my head.  For instance, how 30 years ago on a Friday afternoon, we would go to our favorite mountain lake campground and stake out our family site and maybe one for my sisters family too.  It was my obvious chore because I was the only one that could leave work early and beat the rush.  Then as years went by and the campers turned into mobs, I had to take Fridays off and claim our sites on Thursdays.  Soon though if we wanted a Weekend waterfront site I had to show up on Wednesday to corner people, asking when they were leaving so I could be first in line when they vacated. I remember all too well how stressful it was, not knowing if we would get a good site or any site at all.  I remember being forced to take sites we didn’t want, because the option was to go home.  Then one year it was all over, the forest service hired a reservation service, we no longer stressed out over getting the perfect spot. All we had to do was reserve a site six months to the minute before our arrival. If it was five months twenty nine days, twenty three hours and fifty nine minutes, we were too late and the site we wanted would be already reserved.  I would have to pick another day and try again. So in effect the stress was in January and February to reserve a site for July or August.  Which brings me to my disagreement, the author was stressing how important it is to have done your research, to make plans, to leave nothing to chance.  Right down to having games and reading material readily available so there is no chance someone might be bored or say I have nothing to do at any time during their travels. I respectfully offer alternatives, now before anyone jumps on me, I already know what I’m going to suggest will not work for all people, on all trips, all the time. To illustrate I will outline a trip my wife and I embarked on a few years ago. The plan was to go to the Grand Canyon and visit places in the area and on the way. 

We would allow up to three weeks and leave asap.  We both packed several changes of clothes including cold weather and hiking shoes. I grabbed an Insulated cooler, portable cook stove, coffee pot, flash lights and a few books we were currently reading.  We pulled both bench seats from the van and tossed in a foam mattress and sleeping bags. Five minutes at the fabric store plus a bag of clothes pins and we had some cheap curtains for privacy. After talking with the children about responsibility and outlining chores, we were ready to hit the road, alone.  Heading south on I 5 we both were totally relaxed and stress free. How could we have stress, two days earlier we had no idea we would be leaving on a trip. I had no idea what road to take or where we would stay the first night, but we brought with us a ten year old road atlas and figured we could buy in route, food or whatever we forgot or needed.  Whoa, not so fast pilgrims, it is true we had previously talked about how we would like to take a trip to the Grand Canyon, but we had never made plans or set a date.  We had certainly never discussed any camping or lodging arrangements. On the road again, Linda studied the atlas maps observing potential routes to take.  One choice was to drive south until opposite Las Vegas, then turn left, another was turn left sooner and visit Lassen Peak or Yosemite. So we settled on Lassen Peak as our first destination.  Now what about dinner when we get there, we had left home with only a bag of trail mix and some fruit. Linda checked the atlas and decided that Redding, CA was our turn off point and last chance to find a major store.  While in the store we realized we better buy breakfast also, but dinner tomorrow could wait until tomorrow. We settled into this routine for the entire trip, we stopped when and where we found ourselves.  We went on some hikes and spent all the time we wanted at visitor centers.  We didn’t move on until we were ready. Every morning before school we talked with home, and every afternoon after school we talked again. Even though I never knew for sure where we would camp, I never worried about it because I knew we could sleep in a rest stop (we did one time) or take a room at a motel (we did twice).   I am not advocating not planning your trips, and I don’t totally disagree with those that plan and plan and plan.  Just consider that you can take off on your traveling before the stress catches up with you, stay one step ahead, and make it happily home again. In my opinion, truly a good way to travel. Now then, can you leave tomorrow before noon or would breakfast on the road be better?  John 2010

Trip Talk USA

Things To Do At The Central Oregon Coast

Places To See and Things To Do At The Central Oregon Coast

Locals generally refer to Oregon’s coastline as North, Central and South.  Lincoln City is undoubtedly considered the core of the central coast. The main road from Portland and Salem (hwy 18) terminates  at hwy 101,  this is the Oregon Coast Highway.  From this point travelers go north and south along the coast. Starting with Lincoln City we have thousands of overnight lodging rooms available, from hotels to private vacation homes for rent. Lincoln City is home to Chinook Winds Casino and of course many seafood restaurants offer excellent quality. The beach is seven miles long, all public and is accessible from numerous points. While in Lincoln City don’t miss driving around Devils Lake, stopping at several City parks. For camping choose Devils Lake State Park, it is walking distance to the beach and yet right on the lake. Lincoln City is also home to the  popular  Tanger outlet mall as well as hundreds of stores including many antique malls. Heading south about 10 miles on hwy 101 don’t miss a short stop at Boiler Bay State Wayside, at the very least you will have spectacular ocean views.  if you’re visiting in the winter you may see waves shooting 100’s of feet in the air as ocean swells are funneled into a hole in the cliff.

Boiler Bay State Wayside

Continuing south just 2 miles brings you to the city of Depoe Bay, plan on stopping to walk along the sea wall and taking in the visitor center.  If you wait around a while you will be rewarded with seeing local fishing boats making their way in and out of the worlds smallest natural harbor.  In the winter, waves routinely splash people and parked cars along the highway.

Dreary November day along Depoe Bay seawall

Two Flags denotes gale warning with winds 37 to 47 knots, Storm warning is a square flag 48 to 63 knots Forecast


Depoe Bay Bar and Harbor Entrance closed  by Coast Guard due to dangerous breaking surf

Entrance to boat basin is narrow and twisting


Calm waters inside, but no boats will be going out today

 Keep heading south passing picturesque Whale Cove and Rocky Creek Wayside as the scenic road climbs up over Cape Foulweather.  At the top turn down the short road to the view point, stop and treat yourself to the fantastic view 500 feet above the ocean. Don’t worry about getting a perfect picture, they have postcards for sale inside the gift shop. Continue south you will shortly be back down to sea level racing alongside white sand beaches as the arrow straight highway guides you to Newport, the largest city on Oregon’s central coast.  Be sure to stop just north of Newport at Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Outstanding Natural Area. Plan several hours for this unique experience, This will be your best tidepooling on the central coast.

Image from http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/yaquina/photogallery.php
Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Outstanding Natural Area.

When you finally force yourself to leave Yaquina Head drive into Newport where you will find all the major shopping centers including Walmart.  Don’t miss Newport’s old town on the waterfront just before the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Old town is only a few crowded blocks, but find a place to park and walk around.  You may even find a lunch cafe on the dock or at least get to watch the sea lions.

Sea Lions on dock at Old Town in Newport

Get back on hwy101 heading south over the historic Yaquina Bay Bridge and turn off as soon as you cross the bridge to see the Oregon Coast Aquarium and next door the University of Oregon Hatfield Marine Science center.  You will have to pay an entrance fee at the aquarium but the Marine science center is free and well worth a visit, plan 1-2 hours at each place. If you’re interested in boats or fishing go across the street to the city dock and boat basin.

 Image from Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University

Newport Bar, small boat basin, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon Aquarium,
fishing docks, all conveniently located About 40 miles south of Newport is the Sea Lion Caves and after that sand dunes for people with atv’s. I recommend saving the Sea Lion Caves for another trip and  turning around heading back over the bridge at this point. As you head back north retracing your steps plan on stopping at the places you missed. Agate Beach is one place, Fogarty Creek, Beverly Beach and many others.  If you really want to tidepool you will want to know beforehand when it's low tide, because you can’t do it at high tide.  You may want to plan your Yaquina Head visit for low tide.  When you get back to Cape Foulweather turn off on the Otter Crest Scenic Loop rd.  You will avoid the 500 foot climb and miss the high cliffs but you will see the low cliffs and still get around the cape.

On another day you will want to head north of Lincoln City staying on hwy 101, about 13 miles north is Neskowin, a small community known for Proposal Rock and quiet beaches, take a quick break here, but keep going all the way to Pacific City and Cape Kiwanda a distance of about 23 miles from Lincoln City.  You will need to turn off the Oregon Coast Highway (101) just before Pacific City, the signs will say “Three Capes Scenic Route” Pacific city, Cape Kiwanda.  Highway 101 turns inland here but you will still be driving right along the coast which is why you’re here I believe. Pacific City has a small fleet of dorys (flat bottom boats) that fisherman launch in the surf and motor away. If you happen to be visiting at the right time you may get to see some come and go. The real draw here is Cape Kiwanda, at the north end of the beach the cape suddenly juts up and out into the ocean.  You can drive onto the beach and park at the foot of what looks like the tallest hill of sand you will ever see. Turn the kids loose and bet them they can’t climb all the way to the top, or try it yourself.  For even more fun and less strenuous hike the cape trail out to the point. You can make the round trip in under two hours, and you’ll have great views.

 Local Knowledge* back at the Cape Kiwanda parking lot on the north side, up in the scrub brush, look for feral rabbits (domestic rabbits gone wild) there are hundreds and hundreds of cute little bunnies living the easy life.  You can  approach them but they  hop off keeping about 10 feet away.  Walk across the road to Tiny Web County park and you will see hundreds more.  Ok it's time to go, keep heading north on the Three Capes scenic route and pretty soon you will go by Sandlake Recreation Area, a huge sand box set aside for dune buggy riding. Just past Sandlake you will come to Cape Lookout jutting about a mile out into the Pacific ocean. Park at the trailhead and take the 2.5 mile hike out to the point.  People see whales during migrations. By now you may have enough adventure and it’s getting late so Cape Lookout is a good place to turn around back to where your staying. But If your just road tripping you’ll still have plenty of time to keep going north towards Cape Meares, on the way stop by the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge.  Just past Cape Meares is Bayocean, the town that fell into the sea.  In the early 1900’s  Bayocean was a planned resort community. Through man induced coastal erosion the entire place was slowly washed away.  Stop and read the informative signs then continue on. The scenic Three Capes road skirts Tillamook Bay and winds around back to rejoin  hwy 101 in Tillamook. You can quit here and head south on 101 or go visit the very worthwhile Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, it's free but supported by visitor donations.  You can find it downtown on second street.  Next keep going north on 101 and just a few miles out of town is the World Famous Tillamook Cheese Factory.  They have free tours and lots of cheese to buy, I recommend stopping by for an hour and some ice cream.  By now you will have had a full day and just like yesterday when we went south, this is a good turn around point.  As you head back south don’t go back on the Three Capes Scenic, stay on 101.  If you want to see the bunnies again you can cut over a little later when the signs say Cape Kiwanda/Pacific City. For airplane buffs, Just a short distance south of town is the Tillamook Air Museum which is housed in a world war two blimp hanger.  Like yesterdays return trip, try to stop at the places you missed. Its only 50 miles back to Lincoln city, relax and take your time. When you see its getting close to sundown and your near a viewpoint, pull over and wait for a great sunset photo opportunity, maybe you’ll get to see the green flash.   John  2010