Category: From the Road

Well, departure day finally departed.  Bags were packed and I was ready to go.  Off to the airport I went, breezed through check in and security only to find out the flight was delayed.  There was some concern since the final flight from Friday and the first flight from today was cancelled.  So Westjet had to figure out to get three loads of passengers to Vancouver!  Somehow they did.

Once in the air, it was a quick and smooth flight to Vancouver where you get to go from one end of the airport to the other to clear US customs.  On a side note, I’m always impressed how friendly the US security people are.  They’re always welcoming when I visit.  Canada security, on the other hand, try to make you feel guilty for leaving the country!

Past US security, I saw what has to be the most interesting combination of restaurants.  A Japanese restaurant and a Tim Hortons!  I’ll leave it to you to come up with possible menu selections.

Finally it was on to Vegas.  This flight, as opposed to the flight from PG, was about 60% full.  I had the whole row to myself.  My entertainment on the flight down was the Pixar Classic “Cars”.  Since most of the movie was based on Route 66, I thought I would see what landmarks they used in the film.  Most of them, I hope to visit.

On the ground, it was off to the car rental center to pick up my vehicle and home for the next two weeks.  I rented with Alamo.  I’ve used them before and really like how they let you pick your car.  I also took advantage of their on-line check in to bypass the counter.  What a good move.  The line up at the Alamo counter was past the entry to the kiosk!  Because of my early check in, I was able  to proceed directly to the car lot and grab my wheels.  From previous trips, I was hoping to get a Chevrolet Cruze.  I’ve rented this model twice before and have gotten to appreciate the car.  Well, my luck was good!  Not only did they have a Cruze, it was a RS model with better brakes, tires and suspension then the standard model.  Perfect for a road trip.  Off to the hotel for a nights sleep and to get ready to “get my kicks”.

Come back for day 2!

So when I started this blog, the purpose was to show my photography and tell travel stories.  Well, as you can tell, I’ve done neither.  Oh, I’ve traveled and taken pictures, however this poor blog was left in the dust.

Well, time to wake it up!

As I write this, It’s Friday, October 31, 2014.  Halloween.  Tomorrow, I hop on a plane and fly back to the south west US from November 1 to 15.  The plan for this trip is “Route 66”.  I have guide books, maps and hopeful expectations for this trip.  I’m not sure what to expect, I know I won’t be covering the entire length of 66.  I’ve been on the California leg of the route and the idea of going to Chicago in November isn’t quite my thing.

I do have some landmarks in my sights that I hope to see.  Cadillac Ranch is one.  I’ve always wanted to check out this outdoor art piece.  I may even bring a can of spray paint to make my own mark.

So, I hope to take lots of pictures and may even shoot some video.  Most of all, I hope to chronicle the trip on this very blog.  I’ll be making use of various social media sites as well.  If you’re so inclined, the best way to stay in touch is to follow my tour account on twitter @icenryetour2k14.  This is where my instagram will link to and any geocaching finds I have.  My pictures will be posted to my SmugMug and Flickr accounts.

I’m looking forward to the trip.  It’s going to be fun!

Day 6 was a travel day which ended up at my home for the next 4 nights the North Lake  Resort in Lakeside Oregon.  Simular to my summer agility home, Robert’s Roost  in Quesnel, North Lake has lakeside camping and a small marina catering to the fisherman.  Power and fast WiFi made it perfect.

Day 7 was California day.  In 2010, I made it to Crescent City, but didn’t have time to visit the redwoods south towards Eureka.  So with an early start, I was southbound.  Passing attractions I would place on my to-do list for the next day, I was in Cali in no time.  Redwood National Park, however would turn out to be a bit disappointing with a “no dogs” policy on the trails withen the park.  So it was a quick drive along the scenic highway.  A fuel and picture stop at Trinidad and it was northbound back to the camp.

I also took a side trip to drive the van through a tree!  At the narrowest portion, I couldn’t fit a finger between the tree and my driver’s side mirror.  It was tighter on the passenger’s side.

Day 8 was dedicated to the West Coast Game Park.  To say this is a classic tourist trap is an understatement.  The highlight were the animals that were allowed to roam freely among the people.  I lost track of the number of peacocks, deer, goats and even llamas that would follow anyone who had food.  Many times I had to fight the urge to return to the van and grab a clicker!

Photography was challenging.  The animal cages were made of wire fencing and I had to shoot through the fencing.  Some cages had an area cut out to fit a lens through, however the holes would limit where you could aim the camera.  So, not many pictures were taken.

After the game park, it was off to a beach for the daily dip into the Pacific.  The weather today was very windy and the waves were larger than they had been earlier in the week.  A grabbed my Flip camera and shot some video.

Day 9 was a return to some of the places I visited in 2010.  First was Florence where I returned to grab another picture of the wooden statue in fromt of a seafood restaurant I ate at two years ago. The statue had since broke and part of Neptune’s fork was missing.  Opps!  I also visited two lighthouses and took a tour of Newport, checking out some places that caught my intrest earlier in the week.  After Newport it was a quick trip to Yachats then back to camp.

Just a reminder, the pictures above and video below are on my SmugMug set.

Day 1 would be a long travel day. My plan was to get as far south as possible so I would have a short trip to the coast. Plan accomplished! I made it to Elma Washington and found a spot at the Elma RV Park where I was welcomed with a great spot, a hot shower and some chocolate chip cookies! And to top it off, there was an espresso stand next door!
For day 2, I decided to tour some of the Washington coast area. Good choice. My first stop was the Westport Maritime Museum. A former Coast Guard Station, the museum had many great displays and a knowledgeable staff.  However, the best part of the facility was the “Lens Room” where they had the lens from the formar Destruction Island lighthouse.  An amazing piece of engineering, this lens is a must see.

Next stop was the Grays Harbor Lighthouse which is still active after being commissioned in 1898.  Unfortunately,  the lighthouse was closed when I arrived, so no tour was available.  Next time.

After lunch, it was off to Long Beach where you may drive you vehicle onto the beach.  This made it great for the dogs.  All I had to do was let them out, and off they went!

After the swim, it was a leisurely drive back to the camp.

Photos from the day are posted to my SmugMug site in the Oregon 2012 set.

We’re off to a good start.  What’s next…….

So it’s time for my summer vacation.  This year, I’m skipping agility camp and I’m going back to the Oregon Coast.  When I was there two years ago, I only had four days to explore.  Not nearly enough!  This time, the whole two weeks is dedicated to the coast.  As of this writing, I have no formal plans.  I’m just going to point the van south and go!

So, depending on WiFi, I hope to update this blog regularly and I still have my travel Twitter account where you can follow along on my trip.   Also, I’ll be taking pictures and uploading them to my SmugMug site.

I’m excited about the next two week and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Oregon coast.  Stay tuned to this blog for more information.

Well it’s been a fun week. What has happened since my last post?

Monday and Tuesday were travel days where I went from Petaluma CA to Tonopah NV then from Tonopah back to Vegas. My hotel of choice was the Fitzgerald Hotel on Fremont street in downtown Vegas. I had been told many stories of the street parties and shows in the area so it was put on the itinerary.
What a good choice! The Fremont Experience is something every visitor to Vegas must experience. Within a three block area you can find three live music stages, numerous street performers, vendors and of course outdoor bars. Add to this, the historical casinos with their bright lights then top it off with a video screen that runs the length of the three blocks and you have a one stop party central location.
The entertainment for the evening consisted of three bands. The first was a band-dance act that performed “Halloween” themed music. The second act was a cover band that also performed halloween themed songs in their first set, then played more generic music in their second. The third act was my personal favorite. It was an Alice Cooper –

Ozzy Osbourne tribute band. the first set was all Cooper with hits such as Eighteen, Poison and School’s Out. For Ozzy, we heard No More Tears, Bark at the Moon, Paranoid and to end the set, Crazy Train. Needless to say, when they queued up the train whistle, the crowd went crazy!
During the day, I returned to the strip to visit some attractions I was interested in. Two of which were a classic car museum where I saw more Rolls Royces then I had ever seen before. After that, it was a trip to the wax museum where I gat a chance to work on some portrait photography. Remember, you can see all my pictures on my SmugMug site.
Overall, it was a great way to end the trip. If I can make a recommendation to a future Vegas visitor it to see downtown at night. The strip has the big acts, but downtown has the soul.
This is my last night in Vegas and in some ways, I’m ready to return home. Then again, it may not be hot down here, but it’s still warmer then PG!……..
Thanks for following along with my travels on this tour. It’s been a blast!

Here’s a video with highlights from Fremont Street.  No Alice/Ozzy.  He, they, didn’t play this night.