Chinook Winds Casino, Lincoln City, OR

Last night I parked at the Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City, OR.  Free parking close to beach, fresh salt air, cool temperatures… really great sleeping.  This morning I went into the Casino with $1.00 and got a free breakfast, thanks to Robin, plus two bananas and an orange to go, and came out with $10.50.  Last of the big gamblers.

Then I went for a walk on beach and found some agates.  Finished up about 1:30 pm and got ready to hit the road.  The beach is down below those two buildings (hotel on left and casino on right).  Then checked email and learned that metal detecting is allowed on this beach… and good items have been found.  Also there is gold down there and I could have panned if I had known.  I feel my schedule is a little tight with having to meet up with Tori (granddaughter) this weekend at a pirate festival, so I decided to put the metal detecting and gold panning off to the next visit to OR.  Then I plan to spend about a week in the area.

So, just sat in the van for awhile wondering “Does it really get any better than this?”  I didn’t even care that my socks and tennies were all wet and sandy.

My sister left a phone message to say she was just thinking about my beautiful haircut and decided to call me up.  We will talk over the weekend.

Approaching Tillamook, OR, the smell of cow dung in the air was so thick, I could not breath, but soon thereafter the scenery improved greatly and I wished I was not driving so I could just take photos. 

No choice so I just held up the camera and clicked aimlessly away hoping to get a couple of good shots.

Got to Warrenton, OR and met a friend from last year (Dave Roche)… who did interviews of me he later posted to You-Tube.  I ran into him when I was first driving my van down onto the Oregon beach… I took a photo of it down there and that is what I used for my personal cards.  He was so interested in my plans for kayaking American he asked to interview me.  He is an amateur but has an amazing eye for beauty and is quite the philosopher.  I feel like he is my soul brother.

Here are  the  video links.

1.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgo9Gl-ZtQA

2.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujnCpIj34G4

He treated me to dinner at DQ and we philosophized about the NOW and living in the PRESENT and we agreed that is really isn’t something you can explain to someone else… they have to come to it on their own.  I was bad and the chili cheese dog was yummy. He said he thought he’d never see me again, but I can’t imagine passing the area without saying hello.  I can’t tell his story… but it is very inspiring.

It was a good day… and I am good-tired, and settled into the Costco parking lot for the night, and spend some time catching up on email.  Finally did catch up with mail from two of my groups.  It is nice and quiet here and I’m going to enjoy a good night’s sleep.

No, it doesn’t get any better than this… until tomorrow, when I hope to see my granddaughter at a pirate festival.  Yeap, Granny is going to a pirate festival.

4th State Paddle - Oregon travel, continued (Sept. 1-4, 2009)

On the way north, I had an opportunity to experiment with my new RoadPro 12v stove. Here, I heated up some soup I made from ham bones, carrots, and cabbage. Boy, it's nice to have good hot food when you have been driving a lot.

September 1, 2009, I stopped in Portland, OR to have dinner with Vandweller friend, Suzanne. We had a great visit and I feel I've found another friend for life. Yahhhh! We were going to have a paddle just west of Portland, but weather didn't cooperate. After our visit, I headed north again. Stopped in Sweet Home, OR and got a new metal detector (one that will find gold). I can't wait to begin using it and hope that in my lifetime, it will pay for itself. I'd hope for more, but that might be unrealistic.

 Charlene and Suzanne

 

SwankieWheels took Spankie for a ride on the beach.

 

 

 

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, OR.

I ran from the Rock back to this spot in the first photo. I ran! You just don't know how incredible that is. Really incredible.

Found a little known park... Les Shirley Park, and did three hours of beachcombing/metal detecting, had a hot meal in my van from my RoadPro Stove... found safe parking... where I spent the night. One day I'll return here to ride horses on the beach... they go right past this little park. Staying in the area a little longer.

http://www.igougo.com/attractions-reviews-b103547-Cannon_Beach-Les_Shirley_Park.htmlLes_Shirley_Park.html

 

My vanmonkey, Spankie, just had to misbehave.

 

Close-up of the tidal pools around the Haystack Rock. Covered with starfish and other sea life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driving north, I stopped over at Camp Rilea Military Reservation. There were a couple places along the way where I thought I could drive on the beach, and found them and did that. I did unhook the trailer and leave it in a parking lot. There in the lot was a couple with an RV that they wrecked the transmission on because they had gotten stuck out on that same beach. But it's something I always wanted to do, so I took the chance.

 

I met this character who was coming off the beach as I was going on and stopped to ask him if it was safe to drive out there. He followed me back out there and we chatted... I told him what I was doing - kayaking all 50-states. He also said he had always wanted to try metal detecting. Later that evening, or the next morning, I emailed him to offer him the old detector if he would met me on my way north. September 4, 2009, I met Dave Roche on the beach at the Peter Iredale shipwreck. Neato (the shipwreck). He is an amateur videographer and asked if he could interview me about my adventure for u-tube video. He did and I'll add the links later. I gave him the old metal detector and headed on to Aberdeen, WA.

 

 

Photo by Dave Roche.

 

Stayed at Camp Rilea the night of September 3, 2009. A large elk herd walked right past my van.

 

Astoria, OR, across the river from WA.

 

 

Later that day, I crossed into Washington state from OR. Headed north to kiss a baby. Can't wait.

Spankie, supervising the crossing of the Columbia River into Washington State.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This bridge about scared it out of me. Took my breath away.

 

 

 

 

I spend the rainy days in Aberdeen making new curtains for my van. I had a shiny material that showed up in the sun. It was green. I replaced it with a black/or dark blue? bedspread fabric that was white on the other side. The while would reflect more light in the back of the van, making it easier to see things at night. But the black isn't as noticeable from the outside looking in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Found Wal-Mart's in Aberdeen. Saw a woman climbing up on top of an RV... I stopped to see if she needed help. She said they had leaks... and Wal-Mart sold her this stuff to paint on the roof. I noticed inside the RV a large man who appeared to be in a wheelchair and a bunch of kids. I felt sorry for them. She declined my help. I heard others in the parking lot complaining of leaks. I was thankful to be dry and warm in my cozy van.

Four states down, 46 to go. Washington is next.

 

Related Oregon Links:

Camping

Tillamook Forest Center, Tillamook, OR

Guide to Historical Markers and Heritage Trees

Oregon Coast Lighthouses

Coos Bay Estuary Water Trails

Simpson Reef and Shell Island, Cape Arago, OR, More Info.

Pow Wow and Gem and Mineral Show, Madras OR.

All Rockhounds Pow Wow Club of America

Ecola State Park to Indian Beach OR hike.

Wallowa Lake, OR… one of the most beautiful places on earth.

A River Away:  The Owyhee – next on my list when I return to OR.

Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort, Canyonville, OR.

Oregon Coast Bike Route

Oregon’s Rocky Intertidal Areas: Tidepools are ALIVE!  More.

Oregon Caves National Monument

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

Haystack Rock Awareness Program

 

Quote from Dune Buggy Mechanic – “Life is Simple” (8/29/2009)

 

What I want to do next time:

Sandland Adventures