January 2009 Land Cruise News

The December Land Cruise News left us in California spending the holidays with relatives.  We cut our visit short and headed straight to Seattle.  The initial plan was to leave California, go to Prineville, OR to have some minor warranty work done on the camper and then go to Seattle.  Chuck had doctors appointments in Seattle in early January.  The weather in Washington was horrible and predicted to get worse so we left earlier than planned and skipped the Prineville leg of the trip.  It was a good thing because we got over the summits before they were dumped with snow.  We stayed in Bellevue in an RV park for a week in the cold, rain and snow but the results of all tests were good. 

Here we are crossing the floating bridge on Lake Washington.  The wind was really honking.  Except for the Tacoma Narrows bridge, these were the highest side winds Chuck has had to deal with driving the truck/camper.  A lot of windage.

After positive results from the doctors regarding Chuck's medical tests and a nice lunch with friends, we drove from Bellevue, WA to Prineville on a very nice day.  The next few photos were taken on the ride.

Ice crystals near Prineville.  The weather was much improved in Prineville with 50 degrees and sunshine for our whole stay.  We had an opportunity to wash the truck/camper as well as have work done on both.

While in Prineville, Chuck found a Jeep we might be interested in buying.  We were planning to buy an "offroad vehicle".  This one was "talking" to Chuck from the internet pages of Ebay.  The jeep was located in Reno, NV.  Luckily, Chuck's son and daughter-in-law live close enough to Reno that they didn't mind taking a ride to check it out.  They approved and gave Chuck the go to make a bid.  He did and we won.  Now we had quickly head back south to pay and pick up the Jeep.

Lake Shasta is the lowest levels a lot of people have ever seen. 

Our new offroad vehicle.  Not the prettiest but it will do the trick on those dirty, rutted roads we plan to travel on.  We left the jeep at Chuck's son's house since we won't need it up in Sitka.  After taking two days spiffing the jeep up (after this picture), we took off for points north.  The earliest ferry reservation I could make was January 30th because of full bookings, so we decided to take the coastal route up to Washington. 

The ride was wonderful and the campgrounds in Northern California and Oregon are very nice.  In Northern CA, we ran across several herd of Roosevelt Elk.

They are obviously used to having their picture taken.  Very majestic animals. 

On this beautiful day, we were at the Harris Beach State Park near Brookings, Oregon.  These views are seen from some of the campsites in the campground. 

The Oregon campgrounds are wonderful!  Very well maintained, unlike some of the campgrounds to the south.

At the small harbor in Port Orford, OR we watched one of the fishing boats get hauled out.  There are no marinas or slips here.  You have special lifting chain plates installed so these cranes can get you in and then out.

Then on a trailer it goes and is either stored in the yard there or the owner takes it away.

Here is where the Coquille River meets the Pacific Ocean.  Big deal!  Yes, if you are one of about 20 boats in a harbor located to the right of the picture.  If you want to go anywhere in your boat, you go out this way.  You can't take a 40 foot boat up the Coquille River because of the depth.

Can't wait to see the Columbia bar if this is what you get at little Coquille River.

Our next campground was Bullards Beach State Park near Bandon, OR.  A short walk takes you to this huge expanse of beautiful beach.

Where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean was something to behold.  This is the south jetty which was built to prevent silt from damming up the entrance to the Columbia River.

Unfortunately, we could not see the Columbia bar from this vantage point but you can see the waves near this tanker as it leaves a port on the Columbia for the Pacific Ocean.

We are in line to board the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry, Malaspina. The Malaspina was built as a 376 foot ship in 1962.  It was lengthened  by 56 feet in 1972.  The Malaspina carries 250,000 gallons of fuel oil, burning 320 gallons per hour at 18 knots.  She carries up to 701 passengers.  That figures out to 39.4 passenger miles/per/gallon.  For the gear heads, the Malaspina has two 4061 horsepower, four cycle turbocharged Enterprise diesels (made in Oakland CA) turning 10'6" diameter variable pitch propellors.  She carries 105,250 gallons of fresh water and 3,000 gallons of lube oil. She also carries up to 120 vehicles. 

The next few pictures are of our transit up the Lynn Canal, north of Juneau, towards Haines and Skagway.

We think this scenery is absolutely beautiful!

After a serene cruise (except around Cape Caution), we arrived back home safe and sound.  Until next month...... (unless we don't have anything to share). 

Chris and Chuck