After selling our Citation 5th wheel Monday morning, Jimmy and I headed north from Coarsegold, Calif., in the early afternoon with our pickup loaded with our possessions. We did not stop for the night until we reached the small railroad town of Dunsmuir at the foot of Mt. Shasta.
On Tuesday we hopped back on I-5 through northern California and into Oregon. When we reached Sutherlin we decided to detour west to the Oregon Coast to feast on fresh seafood for lunch in Florence, then turned back inland to Corvalis where we spent the night with Jimmy’s Coast Guard buddy, Tom Bombadil (and Whiskey, his German Wirehaired Pointer).
Early Wednesday morning we traveled east from Corvalis on U.S. Hwy 20 over the Santiam Pass in the Cascade Mountains, through Sisters and into Redmond where we veered north on U.S. 97 to Biggs. We road east on the Washington-side of the Mighty Columbia River and north on U.S. 395 / I-90 into Spokane in time for the full blooming of spring.
We covered a total of 1,110 miles and we are still not completely recovered. Jimmy reflects on the blur of this past week and the speedy passage of time. Read his thoughts by clicking on ‘Jimmy Smith’s Another View’.
Photos: Mt. Shasta; Tom Bombadil and Whiskey; and along the Oregon Coast (Julianne G. Crane)
Jeanette … the Umpqua River is enchanting as it winds through some breathtaking country. We also plan to do a meandering along the Colorado River near Lake Havasu this winter. We’ll stop by to say hello and listen to Jim talk about birds.
Oh gosh! You two passed through out little oasis on the Umpqua River (Elkton) last Tuesday. Never mind that we were away at the Oregon Coast making our own memories.
Congratulations on selling your 5th wheel. We feel like our BIG motor home was a phase we went through. It was great for a couple years, then not so much. We will be doing much like you, home based in Elkton with LOTS of near adventures in Oregon and Northern California in our little Winnebego View. We do plan one long Winter trip to Lake Havasu in January and February. Jim leads daily Bird Hikes at the State Park and they give us free rent 🙂
If your wanderings bring you back this way, or if you’d like to explore some of our favorite Central Oregon Coast Campgrounds (less than $10/day) send us a message.