On Day 17 we were in California and still progressing down Highway 101. We passed through Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and on down 101, thus bypassing the drive through the tall trees. Oops. We stopped at Kuchel Visitor Center and discovered our error. So we took the park map they gave us and went up the scenic parkway through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. 
[Read more…] about Redwood National Park
Sandwiched in the middle of the lighthouse quest
So it took us three days to see all the lighthouses on the Oregon coast because we were doing OTHER stuff on those days, too. Like visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory on Day 15. [Read more…] about Sandwiched in the middle of the lighthouse quest
9 Oregon lighthouses
I wanted to visit lighthouses while we were in the Northwest and we went to a couple in Washington. Soon after crossing the border into Oregon I became aware that there are nine historic lighthouse on the Oregon coast and became obsessed with the idea of making a pilgrimage to each one on our trip south along the coast. This actually sounds easier than it is to accomplish because they all have their own quirky open days and times. We did it in three days of travel so I was pretty proud of us, although it involved a little backtracking and supreme patience on Scott’s part. [Read more…] about 9 Oregon lighthouses
Columbia River adventures
We started Day 14 with a visit to Fort Stevens, which is now an Oregon State Park. In a past life it was a Civil War-era nine-sided earthworks fort. There is a reconstruction on the site of this 1863 fort with the entrance into the earthworks.
Ft. Stevens was also used for coastal defense during WWI and WWI and there are still gun batteries to climb over and view, plus an interesting museum detailing the history of the fort. We clambered and hiked all over and also saw the foundations of WWII barracks and the site of a Native American village. [Read more…] about Columbia River adventures
Mount St. Helens
Scott was In South Korea serving his LDS mission in spring 1980 when Mt. St. Helens erupted and as a student of geology, he has always wanted to see it. So we added it to the itinerary of this trip to the Northwest and made it on Day 13. It’s a fairly long drive up Highway 504 to the top of the volcano and Johnston Ridge Observatory. The road runs through this valley that was filled with ash, rocks, and water from the rapidly melting glaciers on the mountain.
