Travel from Crescent City, California to Florence, Oregon

We drove our coach 174 miles, about three hours of driving, from Crescent City, California to Florence, Oregon.

Here’s the map route, heading north:

Route

An interactive map, with possible stops marked:

Leaving the KOA campground; the road was a little tight:

Leaving campground

We passed Last Chance Liquors just before the border to Oregon (on the other side of the sign, it is called First Chance Liquors!):

Last Chance Liquors

A strange place to park a boat:

Boat on land

California entry inspection station:

California entry inspection station

Chetco River:

Chetco River

A rest area stop:

Rest area

Jenn driving:

Jenn driving

Misty coast:

Misty coast

Rocky coast:

Rocky coast

Bridge:

Bridge

Bridge

Another stop, at a large gravel area:

Roadside stop

Rocky coast:

Rocky coast

Sunken grade:

Sunken grade

Coast

Welcome to Bandon:

Welcome to Bandon

Another bridge:

Bridge

Somewhat low overpass:

Somewhat low overpass

A parking area:

Parking area

We parked our coach there, and walked to a nearby restaurant for lunch:

Our coach

The Boat Fish and Chips:

The Boat Fish and Chips

Menu:

Menu

We both had clam chowder as an appetizer — notable as the first time I’ve had clam chowder (other than a taste), and the start of my seafood experiments; a separate post about that in due course:

Clam chowder

I had my usual burger and fries (about the last time I had non-seafood for a main while traveling up the coast):

Burger and fries

Jenn had fish and shrimp:

Fish and shrimp

North Bend:

North Bend

Another fancy bridge:

Bridge

Bridge

A glimpse of Oregon Dunes:

A glimpse of Oregon Dunes

Lighthouse mural:

Lighthouse mural

Another mural:

Mural

Yet another bridge:

Bridge

Our destination, Thousand Trails South Jetty:

Our destination

As we often do at Thousand Trails campgrounds, we parked our coach and untoaded, so we could drive our truck around to look for a site:

Untoading

Unfortunately the few full-hookup sites were all taken, so we chose this site, which lacked a sewer hookup; we marked it with our tag:

Chosen site

Driving our coach to our site:

Driving our coach to our site

Our site before backing in; rather tucked into the trees:

Our site before backing in

Tomorrow, our review of this campground.

Open Roads Freedom Pass toll transponders

As we travel around the country, we occasionally encounter toll roads. But different parts of the country have different systems:

Tolls

Our diesel fuel discount program also has a solution to that problem, called Freedom Pass. It is a set of transponders that support toll systems around much of the country:

Freedom Pass coverage map

The transponders come as a package with self-adhesive that can be mounted to the windshield:

Toll transponders

Toll transponders

We have it mounted in the top-center of the windshield, behind the TV (shown here with our Magne-Shade on):

Toll transponders

It works well. The toll charges go on the same account as our fuel purchases. Very convenient.

Travel from Meyers Flat to Crescent City, California

We drove our coach 140 miles, about three hours of driving, from Meyers Flat, California to Crescent City, California.

Here’s the map route, heading north:

Route

An interactive map, with potential and actual stops:

Ready to depart:

Ready to depart

Not the most successful departure, though; it was a rather tight corner getting out of the site, between a couple of signs, so we had to disconnect the truck so we could back up and try again:

A tight corner

Toading up

Another sharp corner at the exit:

Another sharp corner

Outside the RV park was a rather sketchy road:

Sketchy road

Sketchy road

7% downgrade:

7% downgrade

Eel River:

Eel River

Bridge:

Bridge

For the first time ever, we stopped at a casino for lunch. We parked behind another coach in the parking lot of Bear River Casino in Loleta, California:

Parked at Bear River Casino

Bear River Casino

Bear River Casino

Menu

Restaurant

Food

Back on the road:

Bear River Casino

Interesting murals in Eureka:

Mural

Mural

Mural

A rest area stop:

Rest area

Inside the coach with slides in:

Inside the coach with slides in

Low clouds:

Low clouds

Entering Redwood National and State Parks:

Entering Redwood National and State Parks

Damaged building:

Damaged building

Klamath River bridge:

Klamath River bridge

Roadworks with a temporary bridge:

Roadworks

Roadworks

Trees of Mystery:

Trees of Mystery

Ocean:

Ocean

More one-way roadworks:

Roadworks

Roadworks

Redwoods:

Redwoods

Redwoods

We tried a Pacific Pride fuel station, to see if it’d work, but it didn’t (which was fine, we didn’t need it, just wanted to try it, since our Open Roads fuel card is the same network, but Pacific Pride is more picky):

Pacific Pride

Arriving at our destination:

Destination

Destination

Destination

Travel from Petaluma to Meyers Flat, California

We drove our coach 181 miles, about three hours of driving, from Petaluma, California to Meyers Flat, California.

Here’s the map route, heading northwest:

Route

An interactive map, with potential and actual stops:

Ready to depart:

Ready to depart

Motorcycles:

Motorcycles

Vines:

Vines

Vines

Vines

Bridge:

Bridge

Lunch stop:

Lunch stop

Lunch stop

Menu

Breakfast for lunch

Rough road — hey California, concrete isn’t a good road surface:

Rough road

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Listening to a Seattle Mariners game via the MLB app:

Listening to Mariners game

Cows:

Cows

Rest area stop:

Rest area stop

Rough road, no kidding:

Rough road

7% grade:

7% grade

Warning sign of tight curves:

Warning sign

Yep, a sharp curve:

Sharp curve

River:

River

Redwoods:

Redwoods

River

Redwoods

Narrow detour:

Detour

Detour

One-Log House:

One-Log House

Road Narrows, yay:

Road Narrows

Very close redwoods:

Redwoods

Redwoods

Legend of Bigfoot:

Legend of BigFoot

Bridge:

Bridge

More roadworks:

Roadworks

River:

River

Our destination:

Our destination

Our destination

Our destination

Travel from Paso Robles to Petaluma, California

We drove our coach 244 miles, about four hours of driving, from Paso Robles, California to Petaluma, California.

Here’s the map route, heading northwest:

Route

An interactive map, with potential and actual stops:

A steep hill in the RV park on the way out:

Steep hill leaving RV park

Joining US-101 for our trip up the coast (somewhat inland at this stage):

US-101

Listening to a Mariners baseball game, streaming from the MLB app:

Listening to Mariners baseball game

Pump jacks; when did we get back to Texas?

Pump jacks

Vineyards:

Vineyards

Roadside artwork:

Roadside artwork

A lunch stop at Wildhorse Cafe in King City:

Restaurant

Restaurant

Menu

Menu

Coffee

Breakfast for lunch

Back to our coach:

Back to our coach

Paladin on the steps, with my feet up:

Paladin on the steps

Historic El Camino Real bell markers:

Historic El Camino Real bell markers

Roadside artwork:

Roadside artwork

Bright pink flowers:

Bright pink flowers

Roadside artwork

Roadside artwork

A bald eagle:

Bald eagle

Historic El Camino Real bell markers

Paladin looking a little freaked out:

Paladin

A fuel stop at SC Fuels in Gilroy:

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

It’s a cardlock fuel station, but works with our Open Roads discount fuel card:

Cardlock fuel stop

Fuel stop

A snack (fun fact: the Pringles can sticks magnetically to the MacBook Pro in that spot):

Snack

Oakland Coliseum:

Oakland Collseum

Oakland:

Oakland

Flowers:

Flowers

Toll booths:

Toll booths

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge:

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

Green hills:

Green hills

Drawbridge:

Drawbridge

Our destination, a KOA:

KOA

Following our coach to our site (with some adventures with that; stay tuned!):

Following coach to our site

Travel from Bakersfield to Paso Robles, California

We drove our coach 116 miles, about two hours of driving, from Bakersfield, California to Paso Robles, California.

Here’s the map route, heading west:

Route

An interactive map, with potential and actual stops:

Leaving the RV park:

Leaving RV park

Dam water!

Dam water

Paladin enjoying the steps:

Paladin

Big cow:

Cow

Fuel and lunch stop:

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

Parked

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

Popeyes

Popeyes

Popeyes

Paladin in the steps, with my feet up:

Paladin

Interesting bridge:

Interesting bridge

Lots of pump jacks:

Lots of pump jacks

Solar farm:

Solar farm

Flowers and green hills:

Flowers

Flowers

Vineyard:

Vineyard

Paso Robles:

Paso Robles

Resort entrance:

Resort entrance

I untoaded while Jenn checked in, then followed our coach to our site:

Following coach