The Oregon Coast

The Oregon Coast

April 10^th - April 29<sup>th

Written, May 14, 2015</sup> 

We left California via the Redwood Highway, passing through the Redwood National and State Parks. In 1968 after 90% of the original redwoods had been logged, the National Park Service and the California State Park System joined together and made a 62 mile long “Park” along the coastline, protecting what is left of the redwoods from the logging industry. What they saved is quite magnificent. 

 

A scenic, twisting, often narrow drive through some old growth Redwoods is Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park.  It is just east of Crescent City, California, right near the California / Oregon state line.

The stump of a Redwood alongside our rental car

Driving between the Giants

 

Arriving in Brookings, Oregon (six miles into Oregon) we experienced a little 2006 Ford Diesel Super Duty (herein further known as “Truck”) problem. Our original plan was to spend a little time elsewhere, but at the north end of Brookings Truck decided it had had enough and needed a little time off. After all it has been working everyday since August 1^st, didn't even get Christmas off! At the north end of Brookings there is a rest area that Truck decided it wanted to rest at. Huge puffs of black smoke rolling from the exhaust and the power pedal producing little to no power, we limped into the rest area, and I mean limped!  It is 4:30 Friday afternoon, so Julie immediately calls the first of many AAA operators she will get to know quite well, explaining our situation. I am on the phone “Googling” Ford dealers or diesel mechanics. Nearest Ford dealer is 204 miles away. AAA says it will be 45 minutes to an hour for the tow to arrive, but informs Julie “Carpenter Tire Factory” in Brookings repairs diesels. I call Carpenter, Dan (who we get to know much better) says they close at 5:00 but are less than two miles from us, and are a AAA towing facility. “Nice” Julie tells the AAA-Operator about Carpenter being so close but AAA-O says NO, she has to use the service farther away because they are next on her list. “Nicer” Julie attempts to “splain” Carpenter closes in 15 minutes, tow Truck won't get here until long after they close and then what are we to do. AAA-O says NO, she has to use the service farther away because they are next on their list. I tell Carpenter to come with a hook and get us, we will figure everything out later. “Nicest” (almost tearful) Julie begs with AAA-O to just cancel the other tow Truck and assign Carpenter. AAA-o says NO, she has to use the service farther away because they are next on her list. “Nicest Yet” Julie turns and in a voice that sends fear up and down my spine tells AAA-O to just cancel the tow. AAA-O cannot believe what she is hearing and asks if she really wants to cancel the tow. JULIE says yes “cancel the #$*^ tow (no I didn't says Julie!) and hangs up (since one cannot SLAM DOWN a cell phone).

Tow # 1 into Brookings, Oregon.  We had no idea what was ahead of us!

Mike (the tow Truck driver, who we get to know much better) arrives, and hooks us up. While he is working, we ask him of campgrounds in the area. He says not to worry, he will just park us in their lot, they do it all the time. We climb into the cab with Mike and in a few short minutes we pull into Carpenter Tire Factory. We get out and Mike maneuvers the Truck and trailer around other vehicles and backs us up in front of one of the many service bays. As Mike is unhooking us, Dan comes out and says he will see us in the morning, and we can do the paperwork then. Mike hooks us up to electric and water and he goes home too. We set up the trailer and since we are right downtown, we walked to a nearby restaurant for supper. The next morning we are introduced to the staff at Carpenter Tire Factory/U-Haul dealer/used car dealer/car rental agency/AAA towing service/storage shed sales office and part time RV Campground, :).

Our first camping location, Carpenter Tire, where the people were friendly and the c.g. cost was just right.

Brookings, according to the literature is a “picturesque town (population 6,300) known for its atypical Oregon weather, dramatic setting and amazing sea vistas. Temperatures are relatively warm year-round, and pristine water, forests and mountains are all around.”  We spent the next eight days getting to know the area around Brookings, including very northern California, in an unlimited mileage $20 a day rental car. The California coast is beautiful, the Oregon coast is awesome.

Jim walking on the beaches at Brookings that are full of drift wood.

A rock outcropping at Brookings, topped with moss and trees - pretty.

Another view of the rocky Brookings beaches

The sound of the waves was so soothing.

Port Orford Pier, where the boats are always removed from the water.

You can find lady bugs just about everywhere - even on some of the beaches, definitely not camouflaged.

The tide is ebbing and the beach is still damp, but easy to walk on.

The Ocean breezes certainly affect the shape of some of the trees along the coastline.

Eight days later with Truck “fixed” we decided to go to a state park campground north of Newport, OR for our next adventure. We got to the campground, at the bottom of a looong hill, only to find out they were full. (Julie had checked the day before and was told they had plenty of room, oooops). We started up the hill and Truck decided it had had enough, black smoke rolled from the exhaust pipe and no power at all to even attempt to climb the hill. It is now Saturday afternoon, and did I happen to mention, Oregon is closed on Saturday afternoons!

Tow #2

Heading to a Waldport, OR. Campground

Julie gets out her cellphone to call AAA, no bars! We walk up the hill to a “stop and rob market”, no bars yet, we step outside between two buildings, one bar!! We left all our information down a the bottom of the hill in Truck, so I start googling campgrounds while Julie AAA's. This time no problem getting a tow truck but our problem now is where to take our rolling home. Campground after campground denies us access since we have no way of moving the trailer once we get there, and they don't want squatters in their campground. We finally find a campground 38 miles from us who will gladly accept us. Two tow Trucks show up, one to flat-bed Truck and the other to tow the trailer. They take us to Chinook RV Campground on the Alsea River in Waldport, where Ben and Becky welcome us to their campground, offering us anything they have available that we might need, even rides to where ever we need to go. Since Oregon is closed on Saturday afternoons, Sundays are completely out of the question. There is a Ford dealer in Newport, however, but everyone we talked with told us to forget Newport and take Truck to Corvallis – an hour and a half away.  Thank goodness Julie had been wise to increase our AAA coverage to Premier before we left on this journey, which will tow us and Montana up to 200 miles on their dime.  Who knew we would need it?

The resident Eagle at the Chinook RV Park that you can watch daily as it soars, and sweeps to get fish from the Alsea River, right in front of the campground.

Chinook CG picnic area, bench, and dog running area along the Alsea riverfront.

The  Chinook Campground Pier/Marina was lost when the receding high water following a tsunami in 2011, changed the flow of the  Alsea River more to the north side.  It is a beautiful backdrop for photo's and perches for all different species of birds.

Low tide on the Alsea River in front of the Campground

A nice soft perch

Moss was heavy on the trees along the coast and nearby rivers, with some area having every surface thick with moss.

Monday morning we call Scott at Wilson Motors in Corvallis and are told to bring it in. I started Truck but did not have enough power to pull from the parking place. Called AAA for another tow. Jamie came and put Julie and me in front and Truck on the back and off we headed towards Wilson Motors. We were treated to our first trip across the Alsea River Scenic Drive. Stunning! Dropped Truck, and called Enterprise (they will pick you up, you know!). Thinking the worst, we rented a car for a week. We were called late Tuesday saying Truck was ready, we drove the Scenic Byway and retrieved Truck (luckily, with the track record we have been having we decided to keep the car). We made it back to the campground and very near the end of the 1 ½ hour drive, Truck again began spewing black smoke! Called Scott, then called AAA. Jamie was off but his replacement showed up and loaded Truck once more. This time we just kissed Truck good-bye and sent it on its way.

Nye Beach Historic Area, Newport, Oregon

The BEST Clam Chowder ever - at Nye Beach, at The Chowder Bowl.

A view at Nye Beach, Yacquina Point Lighthouse

Crazy Surfers going out on a stormy day!

Being kept informed of the progress, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and finally we were once again summoned to Corvallis on Saturday morning to retrieve Truck. Remember it's Saturday, and the service department closes at noon!!. We arrived at 12:30, jumped into Truck and headed towards Newport. Made it 43 miles and I looked down at the dashboard and glowing brilliantly bright was the Check Engine Light! I said “Oh, heck”, and turned Truck around and we (me in Truck, Julie in car) headed back to Corvallis, parked Truck in front of the service door and left the keys with the parts department at 4:55. (Dealership closes at 5:00). Monday morning gave information to Scott, a very distressed, disheartened, apologetic service manager. Scott called late Monday stating the “think” they have it fixed. The mechanic had changed the EGR valve in the morning and when he started out on a test drive, he made it almost to the end of their driveway before he lost all power! Computer told him the EGR valve (4^th one installed) was bad. Replaced this one and was able to test drive with no problems. However, they wanted to test drive one more time in the morning, we thought that to be a great idea also. 

This eccentric fish merchant captured everyone's attention as he pulled into McDonald's for breakfast.

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

The Rhododendrons in this area are huge and just stunning.

A stormy sea at Smelt Sands Point

A plaque on Smelt Sands Point to remind us of the dangers

In 1964 a Tsunami hit this coastline following an earthquake, measuring 9.3 at the epicenter in Anchorage.  There was massive damage and loss of life, with Crescent City, California taking the biggest hit.  It received 20-21' waves.  They had another minor one in 2011 following the tragic tsunami that caused devastation in Japan.  Now you will find these signs all up and down the coast, telling of the dangers as the highway drops into lower areas, and others showing evacuation routes.  It's a big deal as they also have a large fault under the ocean, just off shore, so any movement there experts predict, would certainly very quickly cause a large wave.

The tide is rising as is the water line on the horizon, interesting.

Sea Anemones in a Tidal Pool on the beach

One of many Tidal Pools seen during low tide

Jim walking along the beach as the tide recedes.

What a stunning setting.

These flowers were in the rocks along the beaches

More Sea Anemones

A local walking the beach told us these small fish in a Tidal Pool were Long Spined Bullheads

A Sea Urchin tucked in underneath

Barnacles on the rocks in a Tidal Pool area

Seals near the Newport Marina.  The flippers in the air, top center, are from seals who are floating to rest sine there is no room on the docks for them! 

Oh, that sun feels wonderful!

A stream spilling into the ocean at Agate Beach

A walkway down to the beach from Quail Street, just north of Waldport.  This is a very small parking area that the locals know about and use, down to a stunning beach as you will see below.

We just can't get enough of the beaches, rocks and Tidal Pools

Wow

Just beautiful

 

Wednesday we got the call we have been waiting on for 19 days now. Truck passed all tests and was ready for us to come and get it!! We drove the Scenic Drive again and retrieved our wayward child. With all senses in overload I drove Truck to the campground with no problems at all, really nothing was wrong – not even smoke!! Wednesday morning we hooked up the trailer and caravanned to Corvallis, dropped the car at Enterprise and motored away on our adventure.

Oregon is such a beautiful state, and they take littering as a major offense.

Just to clear the air about our dirty Truck.  Finally dirt turned out to be the culprit for all our consternation.  After many many tests by the computer, and finding nothing wrong, the only commonality was the EGR valves being filled with carbon. Travis, our mechanic at Wilson Motors removed the intake heads and found more carbon than he and the other mechanics had ever seen.  The last EGR valve had quarter size pieces in it, that sorta clogged up the whole thing.  After removing all of the carbon from the inside of all the motor thingies Truck is happy and runs like it did when new. 

.