Bend, Oregon at La Pine RV Park 11/03 - 11/10 2020 Travel Tour

                                                   From: casarollnotes.blogspot.com 
                                                                   Tim and Linda Bunyan

We have arrived in Bend, Oregon to visit our Mazatlan neighbors Mike and Judi Phillips.  We are settled into La Pine RV Park located about 20 miles south of Bend, Oregon.

Judi has reserved our welcome in Bend at the Old Mill District along the Deschutes at Greg's Grill Restaurant.  It is a sunny, cool day and delightful to sit outside.  The Mall is surrounded by walking trails, the Deschutes River, birds, geese, ducks, and patio art sculptures.  This is Bend, filled with nature, the charm of a small snow-ski town, and a modern, and ever-changing, upbeat atmosphere.

Art in the plaza; the high-end retail stores blend with the earthy environment.

Geese resting along trails and parking lots designed with green space to accommodate vehicles and foul.  

The Deschutes River flows along with the Old Mill District Riverside Shops.

  

We've jackets on but the sun is shining and provides warmth for patio lunch seating.

Judi and Mike drive us around town.   Adding to the charm of downtown, the quaint stores, cafes, and bookstores are renovated with outdoor, safe seating.

Outdoor dining tent structure is a sign of the times to accommodate safe social times of fine dining.

 

A short distance drive from downtown to Mike and Judi's House provides vistas keen to Bend.

Mount Bachelor in far back ground.

MIO is there.  He walks out from the side yard to greet us.  

Mike and Judi have comfort here 

and a backyard to enjoy in their 'corner of the world'!

MIO is very happy and has grounds to explore and neighbor cats that hang out with him in this garden yard.

There is a forward movement here in this growing population area.  The trees must come down to make way for an expansion to the Freeway!

Tim and I set off on a hike in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument at

 Lava River Cave

The Visitor Center is Covid-closed; however, we set out on the paved trail up the otherwise, thousands of years ago volcano!

The hike is paved going up the lava flow.

The lava field remains from thousands of years ago when the volcano erupted.

Astronauts came here to study.

Lave exploded out of the ground, igniting a peaceful forest and lighting up the sky in a natural fireworks display in the early stages, the eruption ejected gas-charged lava into the air.  These cinders cooled and fell to the earth, gradually piling up to form a cone known today as Lava Butte.  Once most of the gas was released, the eruption slowed and the fire fountain subsided.

Planning for a clean future, this is an electric vehicle charging station at the National Park 

We meet with Judi and Mike at a local pub!  When we departed, we found it had snowed while we sipped local microbrew!

We had errands prior to our departure from Bend.  Our last stop at Walmart on this Travel Tour 2020!

We work up to the wonder of snow!  It is so beautiful and snow lightly covers the ground of our RV Park at La Pine RV Park, Oregon.

Time to go.  California or Bust!

at 8:33 a.m. it is 67 degrees inside our RV; outside temp: 28 degrees!

We depart Bend having had a wonderful visit with our friends Mike and Judi (and Mio the cat).  Stop for fuel for the truck and coffee stop for fuel for us.

Next and final stop for Travel Tour 2020:  Redbluff at Sycamore Grove RV Park

in CA.

Rockaway Beach, Albany, Oregon at Paradise Cove RV Resort TO: Bend, Oregon 10/26 - 11/10 2020 Travel Tour

                                                         From: casarollnotes.blogspot.com 
                                                                   Tim and Linda Bunyan

We have the month of October before our return to Sacramento.  We plan our Travel Tours to end by November 1 to be with Angela and Lee and our Grandson Jeff for Angela's birthday in November.  We spend the holidays with Jason and Erin too.  They have reserved Carmel Valley RV Ranch for Thanksgiving this year to include our in-laws John and Barbara.  We are going to meet up with each of their rigs in tow in Carmel. 

From Mike and Paul's house in Semiahmoo (Blaine) Washington [northwest corner of Washington state], we have planned to visit our Mazatlan neighbors Mike and Judi Phillips at their Bend, Oregon house.

Along the way, we spend a week at our membership RV park: Paradise Cove at Rockaway Beach, Oregon, and a couple of quick overnights.  It is about 450 miles and we've some time to enjoy the Oregon coast.

Cabela's Parking Lot:  We find a space on the outside perimeter of the parking area with 'some privacy'.  Woodstock can walk about along the trees.   Perfect timing as this week the sign at the door says: "Flannel Festival".   I bought a couple of flannel shirts!

We grab a coffee the next morning and on the road south and to the Oregon coast.

To head west from Hwy 5, we follow the Lewis & Clark trail; now paved!

Onto the Columbia River Highway, the bridge is a scene of high industrial use.

There are still many trees remaining.

Thru Astoria (Lewis & Clark's camp area).  The Columbia River Maritime Museum filled with history where the Columbia meets the Pacific Ocean!

A cruise ship comes to Astoria!

SMALL PLACES hold huge stories: Suomi-Hall Finnish Brotherhood (if these walls could speak).  Preserving local heritage extends back over 130 years.  Its mission to promote the organization first served as a sanctuary when Finns flocked to Astoria in the late 1800s after their home country experienced horrible famine and economic collapse.  They came here in their native tongue and learned English as a second language.  Today its membership is over 200.  Similarities between Finland and Astoria are their experience back in their home country of dairy farming, logging, and fishing. 

Some say 'because it's just like Finland' is why they came.

The Finnish Brotherhood connects with the community by hosting events each year open to the public.  Look to "The Kaleva" an epic Finnish poem for those history buffs.  Also in Astoria is the Public Library designed by Finnish architects Ebba Wicks Brown and the Tapiola Park.

The Astoria-Megler Bridge, 4.1 miles steel cantilever through a truss bridge across the mouth of the Columbia River to Point Ellice.  (where Lewis & Clark crossed from "Station Camp" in WA across to Oregon on the Columbia in their canoe.

Paradise Cove, Rockaway Beach, Oregon

This is our site.  We love our site along the shoreline of Neskowin Beach, Oregon.

Nice views.  It is peaceful and nice to be here.  This is one of our Membership RV Parks.  We stay here for the 7 days we are allowed.  

October is near the close of the season so we have the place to ourselves.

Sunset.

dock for all kinds of fishing....and strolling.

We travel out to the unpretentious seafood store & eatery: The Fish Peddler recommended by Cousin Diz and Vicki.  A great place in beautiful Bay City, Oregon to enjoy fresh oysters!

Of course, "Look for Tillamook on the Rind" when along the Oregon Coast one must stop at Tillamook.  We stop for the ice cream.  It is covid safety guidelines in place with safe spacing.....forming a line to the very best ice cream!.

The Morning Star ship played an important role in strengthening the community of Tillamook and establishing the dairy industry in the county.  For 110 years values of Farmer-owners is the journey of working toward Dairy Done Right.  

History: The first European settlers find the wet, cool climate perfect for raising dairy cows.  Farmers had butter and milk to sell but hauling it over rough mountain roads takes so long, it would spoil,

The fastest route to Portland is by water, so they built the Morning Star

 to carry their dairy goods to market.

The beautiful Oregon Coast.

It is time to turn towards the east, inland thru Corvalis where our Mazatlan friends, Rod & Audry live, and then onto visit Mike and Judi in Bend, Oregon.

The Barn at Tamarack Springs.  A place for weddings.

 It is across the street from Les Schwab where we pulled in to have our tire repaired.  There was a nail found in it.  No charge and no long delay.

It is October; this is quite the photo!

This is the kite store in Newport, Oregon (driving through).  Stayed here last year for 5 interesting days.

We are inland in Corvalis where the Beavers are the athletic teams that represent Oregon State University.  We drive around town; the Fall colors are brilliant.

We drive to Albany where Rod & Audry live.  We planned to stay at the Elks Lodge; however, we find it closed with a large boulder blocking the entrance to the parking lot.

W

We have contacted Rod & Audry (they are in Mazatlan) and they extend their driveway at their house in Albany, Oregon for a quick overnight stay.  They are not at their Oregon house; they are at their beachfront condo in Mazatlan!  We visited with them last year.  Rod and Audrey are generous and welcoming toward us to stop at their house.

Inland about 50 miles is the Willamette Valley filled with meadows and wineries.  Rod and Audrey live in the pastoral area which makes for a pleasant surrounding and contrast to their 2nd home in Mazatlan.

Inland to Bend, Oregon