travel

Freeways, highways, and other roads as we move the coach from one site to another. Plus cat pics.

Travel from Shelton, Washington to Buxton, Oregon

We drove our coach 180+ miles, about three hours of driving, from our home base in Shelton, Washington to Buxton, Oregon.

Here’s the map route, heading south (exact origin omitted for privacy):

Route

Interactive map, with potential stops:

We were “moochdocking” at our home base, with 15 amp electric, water, and no sewer. We had showers and most bathroom usage in the house, while sleeping in our coach. But our grey and black tanks still reached about half full over the two weeks we were there. We dumped them at our destination:

Tank levels

Paladin on passenger chair prior to departure; he would probably have preferred to stay there, but sorry, I need that chair:

Paladin on passenger chair

When you come to a fork in the road, take it:

When you come to a fork in the road, take it

US-101 South:

US-101 South

Heading to I-5 South:

Heading to I-5 South

A motorhome towing a boat; we wondered if they had another vehicle to put the boat in the water, or had just bought it and were transporting it somewhere, or something:

Motorhome towing a boat

We stopped at a Love’s for fuel, with an extra long truck and trailers going out the entrance:

Extra long truck and trailers going out the entrance

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

80 gallons of diesel; our first fuel stop since Eugene:

80 gallons of diesel

Bridge:

Bridge

Paladin wasn’t having a good time; sometimes he forgets about travel days:

Paladin

I-5 and Columbia River:

I-5 and Columbia River

Another bridge:

Bridge

Nice day for a Classic Beetle convertible:

Classic Beetle convertible

A pickup with oversized tires crossed the median barrier and got stuck, causing miles of slow traffic in both directions:

Pickup stuck on median barrier

Pickup stuck on median barrier

Rough concrete roads almost worthy of California in southern Washington:

Roads worthy of California

Interstate bridge:

Interstate bridge

Entering Oregon:

Entering Oregon

Entering Portland:

Entering Portland

Exit to west:

Exit to west

Fremont Bridge:

Fremont Bridge

A glimpse of downtown Portland from the bridge:

Downtown Portland

Fremont Bridge

Downtown Portland

Freeway tunnel:

Freeway tunnel

Paladin hadn’t been using the steps, so I closed the step cover, and re-introduced him to his safe space next to the passenger chair; he was happier there:

Paladin back in his safe space

Arriving at our destination, Stub Stewart State Park:

Stub Stewart State Park

Stub Stewart State Park

Stub Stewart State Park

Untoading at the welcome center:

Untoading at welcome center

Welcome center

Untoading at welcome center

I followed our coach to our site:

Following coach

Following coach

I parked the truck by the bathroom, and took the path to our site:

Parked truck by bathroom

Our site before parking:

Our site before parking

Preparing to back into our site:

Preparing to back into our site

Travel from Ocean City to Shelton, Washington

We drove our coach 80+ miles, about two hours of driving, from Ocean City, Washington to our home base in Shelton, Washington.

Here’s the map route, heading north (exact destination omitted for privacy):

Route

Interactive map (to Shelton instead of our actual destination):

We had no sewer at the campground, and hadn’t been particularly careful, so our grey and black tanks were both very full, as indicated on the main control panel:

Control panel with full grey and black tanks

We dumped the tanks on the way out (I didn’t get any photos of that, as there was a line).

But before that, here’s our coach preparing to leave; if you look closely, you’ll see the step partway closed; I had just closed the door, as water was dripping from the slide topper:

Our coach preparijng to leave

A closer view of the dripping water; that always happens after it has rained:

Dripping water from slide topper

On our way, with a curvy road (kinda looks like the Sinclair Trails logo!):

Curvy road

Chehalis River delta:

Chehalis River delta

Paladin watching my iPad:

Paladin watching iPad

Hoquiam:

Hoquiam

Hoquiam

A rather narrow bridge; we drove down the center of the two lanes:

Narrow bridge

Narrow bridge

Artwork:

Artwork

International Mermaid Museum:

International Mermaid Museum

Mural:

Mural

More bridges:

Bridge

Bridge

A fiver pulled over after a tire blowout:

Fiver with a tire blowout

The Elma rest area, with four lanes of dump stations:

Rest area with dump stations

A very spacious rest area:

Spacious rest area

Bear artwork:

Bear artwork

Entering Mason County, our home county:

Entering Mason County

Exit to Shelton:

Exit to Shelton

Shelton

We’re not a fan of this narrow bridge, but it’s doable:

Narrow bridge

Rail bridge work:

Rail bridge work

Bay:

Bay

Travel from Seaside, Oregon to Ocean City, Washington

We drove our coach 119 miles, about three hours of driving, from Seaside, Oregon to Ocean City, Washington.

Here’s the map route, heading north:

Route

Interactive map, with potential stops marked; we didn’t stop at any:

We drove to an open area to hook up our truck to our coach:

Leaving campground

Toading up

Another RV toading up; they started before us, and finished after us; with our weekly practice, it doesn’t take us long to do:

Another RV toading up

Leaving the campground:

Leaving campground

Crossing the Astoria-Megler Bridge from Oregon to Washington; a little nerve-wracking, with a curved approach and high bridge, but it was fine:

Astoria-Megler Bridge

Astoria-Megler Bridge

Astoria-Megler Bridge

Astoria-Megler Bridge

Astoria-Megler Bridge

Astoria

Astoria-Megler Bridge

Low tide exposing the sandbar:

Low tide

Entering Washington state:

Entering Washington

We could have gone left or right, but I had decided on left to avoid some roadworks (planning the route pays off):

Turning left

Lighthouse:

Lighthouse

Tunnel:

Tunnel

Tunnel

Another bridge:

Another bridge

Aaaargh! COFFEE!

Aaaargh! COFFEE!

Artwork in Raymond:

Artwork

Artwork

An advantage of a motorhome is I can get up and use the bathroom while Jenn is driving — a very rare occurrence, since there is some risk in moving about while in motion, and we prefer to take rest stops so we can both take a pee break, but on this occasion Jenn didn’t need to stop:

Inside while driving

Pilings:

Pilings

Rusty building and structures in Aberdeen (a rather ugly city):

Rusty building and structures

A mural helps a little:

Mural

Rusty bridge:

Rusty bridge

We paused in a slow vehicle turnout to let other vehicles pass:

Slow vehicle turnout

Slow vehicle turnout

Bridge:

Bridge

Our destination, Thousand Trails Oceana:

Our destination

Checking in:

Checking in

Our coach in front of our site, preparing to back in:

Our coach in front of our site

Travel from South Beach to Seaside, Oregon

We drove our coach 125 miles, about three hours of driving, from South Beach, Oregon to Seaside, Oregon.

Here’s the map route, heading north:

Route

Interactive map, with potential stops marked:

Our bedroom with the slide-outs in; Paladin just sat in his bed while the slides were coming in. We store the steering wheel table, the bedroom air cleaner, and other stuff on the bed for travel:

Bedroom with slides in, and Paladin

Jenn bringing in the front passenger-side slide-out, via the switch on the side of the chair (Tiffin puts it there to help ensure the chair is moved forward before bringing in the slide, to avoid hitting it):

Bringing in the front passenger-side slide-out

And the front driver-side slide-out:

Bringing in the front driver-side slide-out

Leaving the campground:

Leaving the campground

Entering tsunami hazard zone; there are signs like this all the way up the coast:

Entering tsunami hazard zone

Newport:

Newport

Newport bridge:

Newport bridge

We enjoy seeing an instance of our favorite coffee stand, Dutch Bros Coffee:

Dutch Bros Coffee

Parts of the coast highway can be prone to slips; here’s the remnants of a previous slip:

Repaired road

Repaired road

The coast:

Coast

Lincoln City:

Lincoln City

Espresso in a fun building:

Espresso

Tiger:

Tiger

It’s marshmallow harvesting season!

Hay bales

Bridge near Tillamook:

Bridge near Tillamook

Tillamook Creamery; we would have liked to visit the world-famous Tillamook Cheese Factory again (we haven’t been since they built their new visitor center), but it didn’t work out this time:

Tillamook Creamery

An old smokestack:

Old smokestack

A nice house:

Nice house

Pronto Pup giant hot dog:

Hot dog

Mural:

Mural

We stopped for lunch at Lakeside Hideaway in Rockaway Beach:

Lunch stop

Menu:

Menu

Menu

I had a clam chowder:

Clam chowder

And we both had huge club sandwiches (with one of each of ours saved for leftovers) and tots:

Club sandwiches and tots

Back to our coach:

Back to our coach

Paladin waiting for us:

Paladin

Rock:

Rock

Tunnel:

Tunnel

Tunnel

Paladin keeping an eye on the Bluefire dash on my iPad:

Paladin and iPad

Seaside:

Seaside

Rope course:

Rope course

Our destination, Thousand Trails Seaside:

Thousand Trails Seaside

Checking in:

Checking in

North side drive:

North side drive

As usual for Thousand Trails, we parked our coach and drove our truck around to look for a site:

Our coach

Travel from Eugene to South Beach, Oregon

We drove our coach just 90 miles, about two hours of driving, from Eugene, Oregon to South Beach, Oregon.

As mentioned last week, we had an appointment at Oregon Motorcoach Center for some servicing, so we drove from our overnight county park stay to the motorcoach center, and killed a few hours in their waiting room and going out to lunch, then we were on our way to our next stop, back at the coast.

Here’s the map route, heading north then west:

Route

An interactive map, with potential stops marked; we didn’t need to stop:

After our service appointment at Oregon Motorcoach Center, we headed north on 99W:

Heading north on 99W

Barns:

Barns

Hazelnut trees:

Hazelnut trees

A bridge over the Willamette River in Corvallis:

Corvallis bridge over Willamette River

Corvallis county court house:

Corvallis county court house

The Corvallis Meat Pie Shop, featuring Aussie-style meat pies; we enjoyed sampling their wares the last time we were in town. Alas, just passing through this time (and no parking for a 60-foot coach and toad!):

The Corvallis Meat Pie Shop

Bigfoot:

Bigfoot

Historical society building:

Historical society building

Trees:

Trees

Newport bridge:

Newport bridge

Newport bay:

Newport bay

Our destination, Thousand Trails Whaler’s Rest:

Our destination, Thousand Trails Whaler's Rest

As is common with Thousand Trails, we parked our coach by the entrance, unhooked our truck, and drove around to find a suitable site (which was a major challenge here; see tomorrow’s post):

Our coach by the entrance

Security gate:

Security gate

A very tight curve; this park isn’t particularly big rig friendly:

Tight curve