2016 June RdTrip niece Leigh grad UCSC, W coast CA, Mid OR and WA, Canadian relatives, Glacier Natl Park w Nancy&Leigh, home thru ID, NV

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We knew my niece Leigh Douglas would be graduating at UCSC on 11June and planned to visit Glen's Canadian relatives on our way to Glacier National Park to reunite with my sister Nancy Douglas. With our camper van, Vivian, we are self-contained and only look for a flat place to park when traveling these days. Vivian entered our lives Feb 2016 for our Death Valley Trip.

1 We camped at Gaviota State Beach Wed 08June, I was proud of my picture & movie from campground of the train on the trestle pulling the tanks

MP4 of freight train on Gaviota Trestle hauling tanks, as we set up camp

2 Lunch Dorn's Beach Breaker Cafe, Morro Bay, recommended by Steve Annear

We have plenty of time to check into Montana de Oro campsite for the night.

3 Montana de Oro next campground, Thurs 09June

Got to Montana de Oro (MdO) early afternoon. No cell or wifi, but I walked up to Spooner Ranch House, bought trinkets and found open wifi. I sat in the rocking chair on the porch overlooking Spooner Cove.
867 MB of 10240 MB Jetpack reading at Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery Went thru Cambria looking for fuel but too pricey, we'll fill up in Monterrey.

4 Stop at Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, Fri 10June along with Piedras Blancas Lighthouse and its fresnel lens on S side of road

5 Construction on Highway 1, spot light controls one-lane traffic

6 Camp at Mount Madonna Santa Clara County campground, Fri 10June

On line to UCSC learned SC bus is free tomorrow, but need to figure out how far towards SC to drive & find free, safe parking to catch bus. No service at Mt Madonna County campground, buy a little wifi. FB failed, so tried txt msg to Leigh. Msg worked with the 1 bar (or on its own?) and Leigh got back to me. Glen reminded me of the pricey wifi extender he had installed. Since we're at a powered campsite, turn it on & finally successfully uploaded pic to FB. Watched movie Secretariat, on Kindle?
Sat 11june early, Jetpack 1190 MB used of 10240. No services in Mt Madonna & 1 bar wifi. Switched on rig cell extender & could upload photo to FB. All gadgets happier.
Mt Madonna has great showers & dump station. Been reading instructions for attending graduation, they don't want us there early & leave after. Many ceremonies today, and yesterday and tomorrow. So head over to see Andy Carmen. Sent txt msg on Glen's phone & learned he was headed to San Jose for all day workshop ... next time.
Received FB msg from Cathy Zoeckler saying they were near us when at Mt Madonna county park. Turns out we can't get together this time, but asked her to phone us when she & Frank are in San Diego in August for a wedding.

7 Santa Cruz for Leigh Douglas Graduation, Sat 11June2016

8 For Leigh's graduation party at Seaside hosted by Yi and Xinhua Zha, SeasideCA 11June2016

9 Cross Golden Gate, head for Salt Creek overflow campground Sun 12June2016

PigeonPtL SF cute GG

10 Salt Creek State Park, Overflow parking is great, 12June2016

We toured the Woodside part of Salt Point State Park, but the camp sites were just nice and surrounded by trees. We even looked at the Gerstle Cove Campground on the west side of US1, but the sites were so hidden in the woods, you didn't even know how close to the ocean you were. We've stayed at the overflow lot before and prefer it, even though we did have a reservation and could have stayed at the "formal" park.
condor

11 Fort Bragg RR, maybe ride Skunk Train next time Mon 13June

12 Standish Hickey might be Tues 14 June

Continued on Ca-1 N, trying to find camp#63 Usal, 18 mi N of Westport, where we did get Glen beer. Sierra Nevada IPA in cans, cause cans fit better in the frig. Kept driving, my GPS showed Usal Rd, but never any sign about camping. So went windy road up, followed by windy road down and found Leggett US-101. Saw sign for campground & took it. Glen checked showers look good. We kept driving. I got 2 bars wifi showing.
Standish-Hickey State Rec Area, 1 mi N of Leggett off US-101. www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=423 69350 U.S. Hwy 101, Box#2, Leggett, CA 95455
"The southern gateway to the redwood country, this park offers camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing and swimming on the South Fork of the Eel River, with trails weaving through steep canyon bluffs, second-growth forests and pockets of old growth redwood and Douglas fir. Max trailer: 24 feet; Max camper/motorhome: 27 feet". We did couple hour hike to Capt Miles Standish Tree before leaving his namesake park.

13 Patrick's Point State Park Wed 15June, after EurekaCA, Humboldt Lagoons

Lunch in Eureka at Lost Coast Brewery. Glen had the sampler and wasn't impressed with the beers. I had Chinese chicken salad, very good. I had checked menu on line before we got there and was looking forward to their bread pudding w caramel sauce. It was just ok. Got to Target in Eureka & got the 3 BluRay movies I was looking for - London Has Fallen, Anomalies, Eddie the Eagle. Drove to Patrick Point State Park w no reservation & got a nice site.

14 goal is DonG and Susan C, Harbor OR

Thurs 16june2016, Don Gilbert used to live in our Oak Knoll neighborhood. Not sure when he left for Oregon, Thie morning, Don picked blueberries from their garden for breakfast cereal Susan Catto is a treasure for Don.

15 Wilhites in Bandon OR

On our way to Bandon to do laundry. Then see the Wilhites. May go w DaveW to see son Jason basketball game in Newport. Past Gold Beach where we got fuel $2.48 diesel and they do the pumping in this state. Jetpack 3072 MB of 10240, cycle end 8/6/16. Great chat with Dave Wilhite, lots of surf stories. Dave recommended Boardroom, surf movie on legends of shapers. I ordered on Amazon, its in my video library. Had lunch in Bandon. Dave invites us to watch his son Jason's basketball game in Newport OR, tomorrow.

16 Tour Rogue Brewery, Yaquina Bay WPA bridge

Driving thru Coos Bay, we saw RR museum. Maybe next time. Heading for Newport OR.

17 Banklers in Newport

Harbor Village RV Park https://harborvillagecoop.com/ Checked in at 4:30p and Deb Bankler saw us drive up & entered RV Park office and said hi. She & Doug were next door doing laundry, so I walked over to say hi to Doug while Glen checked us in. We needed to leave right away to get to Jason's bball game - turns out site moved. But eventually saw his basketball game. DaveW shared this great photo of us with Jason. Back to Banklers after the game, for nice chat w D&D, but it was 8p and we were interrupting their dinner. Deb gave me a nifty free tourist book "Travel in Newport". Nice article on the bridge, a WPA project you can walk over - 1/2 mile span of Yaquina Bay.
Doing lots of online searches, Glen mentions we need to map out last 10 days to get to Glacier NP for Nancy's birthday. Need to up the mileage a bit now
221 miles to Seattle, coffee w Tim Andersen.
320 miles to Surrey BC, Aunt Elizabeth, Cam & Ellen Shippet
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I had taken a turn as we drove here cause Glen was sleepy. I drove over one of the 5 WPA bridges for US 101 and it's a draw bridge. I couldn't see where it parted. Need to find this out later. Dinner w Doug & Deb B. Deb has Crohn's Disease, just like sister Jeannie in Beaumont AB - a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines, especially the colon and ileum, associated with ulcers and fistulae. Diagnosed 2 years after several emergency room visits. Finally did colonoscopy - bingo! Cookbook she uses for the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) is "Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Intestinal health through diet" by Elaine Gottschall and has been symptom free.
Deb uses Instagram, which caused me to sign up as dr.krisstewart; added Leigh Douglas and Doug & Deb's ?niece ?grandchild Claire. Contacted Glen's sister Julia Melnyk to visit on way to Beaumont. Yes she's in Sicamous, BC. Great chat in am w Doug & Deb, breakfast at Chalet Restaurant, still looking for cookies.

18 Birch Bay WA camping year-round, ?19June

18June head out from Newport OR, passed the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville OR, which has become the home of Spruce Goose. Next time, let's stop. The Spruce Goose, largest wooden airplane ever built. Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, 500 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way, McMinnville OR 97128 503.434.4180 Museum Hours Daily 10a-4p, closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas $22. Passed the 45th Parallel near Lincoln city, I didn't see, was doing these updates, but Glen called it out as we passed. 18 from coast to I5 Portland, next stop Tim Andersen in Seattle. www.timandersenarchitect.com. Tim told us his passion & writing essays that he has on his web page. But when he dies & stops paying the fee for his page ... his writings will disappear. Birch Bay and Fred's house & yard look similar to how Glen left them. Car seems to have moved some. Got a good supply of Caramel from C Shop. Then headed to Birch Bay State State, campgrouond near the water.

19 Shippets White Rock / ElizabethS in Surrey BC ?19June

Uneventful border crossing. We saw Ellen since we ended up driving right by their house on our was to Surrey to see Aunt Elizabeth. Then we found Aunt Elizabeth home in Surrey. She made lunch, salmon salad sandwich w potato chips. Cam, Ellen & Luke came over. 19 June 2016 is Luke's 19th bday and they have plans to celebrate with liquor & gambling in Vancouver w others. Elizabeth asked me to set her up on FB, so we started the process. Great dinner with Elizabeth at Cactus Club Cafe, very close to her home #30. Got home to ES and watched Eddie the Eagle DVD. Good night sleep. Glen had shower.

20 Sicamous BC with JulieM 20June

Drive from Surrey to Sicamous, houseboat capital of Canada, to see Julie Melnyk. J sent txt msg with details instructions. Our GPS working great. Julie M let us use her computer and cell phone to find campsite in Banff for tonight and then Jeannie tomorrow night for 2 night. Jill FB wants to get together. Had a lovely walk to the lakeside beach. Freight trains all night long, what a GREAT life! Eagle River entering Shuswap Lake at Melnyk riverside resort. Phoned Jeannie to warn her, we invade tomorrow. Breakfast riverside, waiting for a train

21 Last Spike, Craigellachie BC, Eagle Pass, Paving, Rogers Pass 21June AMZfireHD7

Caught up with the Rocky Mountaineer tourist train east of Sicamous on Can-1. Glen asked if I wanted to pull over at the rest stop, I hesitated but then saw we had passed the train as it went under us. Craigellachie is a locality in British Columbia, located several kilometres to the west of the Eagle Pass summit between Sicamous and Revelstoke.[1] Craigellachie is the site of a tourist stop on the Trans-Canada Highway between Salmon Arm and Revelstoke. It was named after the village of Craigellachie on the River Spey in Moray, Scotland, the ancestral home of Sir George Stephen, the first president of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). At a critical time in the railway's development, Stephen travelled to Britain to raise desperately needed capital funding; when he succeeded, he telegraphed his associates in Canada quoting the familiar motto of Clan Grant: "Stand fast, Craigellachie!" The Canadian Craigellachie is most famous for being the site of the "Last Spike" of the CPR, driven by Sir Donald Smith, a director of the CPR, on November 7, 1885. From Wikipedia. Turned out this is the Last Spike for CPR. Train goes thru slowly. Gift shop too

22 Rogers Pass, then Banff, 21June AMZfireHD7

23 Beaumont AB, Jeannie Kristjana 22-24June AMZfire

Got a good swim at Beaumont's Aquafit, $9.25 and worth it. Have pic on Panasonic. So here's the church that greets you coming into Beaumont. Jeannie had fixings for dinner. Glen bbq's the Costco salmon, so a hit. Ursula, Cameron, Kristjana & Amelia. Amelia had an overnight planned w Nana. 24 June 2016 Lunch w Jill before movie. Finding Dory with Jeanne, Kristina, Hadley, Amelia, me & Glen - their 1st 3d movie. Dinner is at Ursula

24 Friday, Medicine Hat AB, 24June

Should take 5 hours, says Jeannie, but we did not check the Nuvi GPS route. Asked for places to see on route to Medicine Hat, only new suggestion was the buffalo jump, yucky! Ended up on 21 and sign for .?Dry Island Buffalo Jump before Trochu. Nice dinner with MD crew. Kerry will be here soon. He cooked dinner at last moment since we didn't give SandiS more than a day notice of our arrival from Beaumont

25 Lethbridge AB, Softball Valley JimS, Bridgeview RV resort, 26 June

Jim has ball games at Softball City 10a, 12:15p & 4:15p. Recommended we stay at Bridgeview RV Park, so we made a reservation there before leaving Beaumont. USA Flag, Canada Flag and ?Alberta flag - very friendly place, US Canada Alberta Flags. It is near the railroad trestle. Added photo of sign when crossing the border saying "be prepared to show identification, declare all articles acquired outside USA"

26 Whitefish MT, NancyD bday 26-27June

Tanked up w diesel in Lethbridge, heading to Carway AB to cross border. Uneventful until I trusted Viv's GPS and she took us to Park HQ rather than Whitefish Lake State Park, taking us 15 mi south to Kalispell MT on a Sunday, so it was a closed office building. Found they have a Costco and Best Buy. 2016 Glacier Vehicle size restrictions states "Vehicles and vehicle combinations longer than 21 feet (including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and Rising Sun. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs. Stock vehicles are able to access Packers Roost and Siyeh Bend.", so we had to drive around the southern border of the park to get to our campground. Entered the park and drove from East Glacier Amtrak Station, across the park, to Whitefish Lake State Park. Finally got here and have 3 days in Site#23 pics taken with phone & uploaded to FB right away. The campground was nearly full, only 1 site for 1 night. We looked at & was ok. Walking back to kiosk, passed a handicap place - but reserved. Dinner w Nance & Leigh in town, Craggy something.

27June Mon, NancyD and KrisS do "Going to-the-Sun" tour for Nancy's bday.

It's been great reliving this Glacier exploration with Nancy. Years ago, Glen & I rode the Empire Builder, pdf, from Solana Beach, to Portland, to Glacier.

28 June Tues Anglers Roost, HamiltonMT

Kinda long drive for Glen today. Left Whitefish MT by about 8a, after swinging by JD's place at 2nd & Park. Turned out Viv's GPS can find intersections, once you work thru the menus. I took photos of the homes on the 4 corners on my phone. Lots of heat starting today. Angler's Roost on the Bitterroot River for tonight

29 June Wed Hamilton MT to to Stanley ID, with sheep

Goal is Stanley ID, staying at Valley Creek RV Park so there was power for AC. Glen deployed the awning to cut down sun. Watched movie - ?Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (another of those purchased at Target in EurekaCA. Drove through Shoshone ID and had to deal with a herd of sheep on the road. Thunderstorms last. Grateful it cooled off. Headed to Galena Pass on Sawtooth Scenic Drive Id75 to 84 to 15 no on I15. Galena Stagecoach, Twin Falls ID has great bridge, VisCtr w WiFi

?30June Thur StaleyID Twin Falls VC & Bridge

Camp at Cave Lake NV