Road Trip!

fintail · September 2016

Nice, xwesx. As I sit in my 10mph commute, I am jealous. Beautiful weather here too, anyway.

gagrice · September 2016

How about living on the road 24/7/365??? Many have given up on the high rents and opting for the van life. One long camping trip. That has always been my PLAN "B" if I lost it all. Could be a lot worse following the sun around the country.

The 'van life'

Imagine paying $120 to live in a studio in Los Angeles, California, where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is about $2,300.

Sounds nice, huh?

Stephen Hutchins, 22, a freelance animation artist and rapper by the name of Lateral , does just that, except he doesn't live in an apartment -- or a studio, really. He lives in a van.

http://circa.com/whoa/the-bizarre/people-are-ditching-apartments-to-live-the-van-life

Of course I would get something nice before the end was near.

Worse comes to worse, I could live with this one.

stever · September 2016

I thought of Jewel when I read that story.

gagrice · September 2016

I think she was living in a VW bug.... She was from Homer, right.

stever · September 2016

Ya, one of the Kilchers. The version of the story I heard was that she (and later her mom) were living in vans in San Diego and they'd move 'em around occasionally..

fintail · September 2016

Live in a van down by the river, no thanks. It would have to be necessity, not choice. It might be easy to park in CA, but I think in most of Murka, you'll face continual harassment from the serve and protect club finding a place to park it for more than a few hours. Or you can park at a campground or RV park and end up spending as much as you would on rent. Might be fun on a vacation.

That first pic probably costs as much as a house in Bellevue, the second one is a fun cgi apparently based on a Dymaxion.

Comments on that article are funny too, nice real estate shilling. I suspect site hosts thought making comment sections tied to facebook profiles would remove anonymity and make people civil - nope. I think it makes them worse.

gagrice · September 2016

We have several wide spots that are almost always taken by small RVs or people selling vehicles. Never have seen one ticketed. The beach is covered with them.

tifighter · September 2016

Michaell said:

What about the 15 to the 210 to the 5 to avoid downtown LA altogether?

Art Fern says you should take the 405 to the Slauson cutoff, get out of your car, cutoff your Slauson, get back in the car, then take the 5 to the...

xwesx · September 2016

Been a little quiet lately....

Just too darn busy! We're starting our trek north tomorrow from Pendleton. Our time on the coast was nice (but short!), and we even made a stop at Crater Lake!

It wasn't the best day for seeing the lake (or even getting out of the car to *try* to see it)!

gagrice · September 2016

You were in the clouds at Crater lake. It looks like you picked a good time to be at the coast. If the 10 day forecast holds, our time in Oregon may be rainy. Oh well, that's life.

jpp75 · September 2016

Great pics @xwesx I'm out in Oregon right now as well, spent yesterday over in Astoria and down the coast a bit. Always one of my favorite parts of the country.

Hope you all enjoy your trip up the coast.

xwesx · September 2016

Yes, it was quite beautiful! The only significantly dismal weather was the day we drove to Bend / Crater Lake. Even then, I thought it was rather novel driving through several inches of snow up on the rim, as well as having a fog so dense that I could barely see the lake (and that was looking straight down from the precipice of the rim near "Rim Village"). My son, as you can see, was not thrilled about being there (nor the ~20 mph winds that were howling over us).

We are way up north now, in Teslin, YT, for the night. Below is a video from this morning, as we were driving up the Cassiar just south of Dease Lake (after having just climbed out of the Stikine River gorge).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNGXKMRDkYc

fintail · September 2016

Very cool, I've never been up into BC that far. Better road conditions than I expected. I guess it's about that time of year for the first occasional dusting. Around 80 in metro Seattle yesterday

gagrice · October 2016

I am in Oregon. We drove up to Portland to visit Powell's huge book store. People were lined up around the block to get in. Their underground parking was full. We lucked out and got a parking spot. Went through security and found out what all the excitement was about. We only spent about half an hour and went and had a great lunch at Deschutes Brewary. Here is why all the excitement.

http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2016/10/bruce_springsteen_powells_born_to_run.html

kyfdx · October 2016

gagrice said:
I am in Oregon. We drove up to Portland to visit Powell's huge book store. People were lined up around the block to get in. Their underground parking was full. We lucked out and got a parking spot. Went through security and found out what all the excitement was about. We only spent about half an hour and went and had a great lunch at Deschutes Brewary. Here is why all the excitement.

http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2016/10/bruce_springsteen_powells_born_to_run.html

Very cool!

But, considering the lines, I would have gone to Deschutes, as well. One of my favorite craft breweries. For the beer, as I've never been there.

jpp75 · October 2016

gagrice said:
I am in Oregon. We drove up to Portland to visit Powell's huge book store. People were lined up around the block to get in. Their underground parking was full. We lucked out and got a parking spot. Went through security and found out what all the excitement was about. We only spent about half an hour and went and had a great lunch at Deschutes Brewary. Here is why all the excitement.

http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2016/10/bruce_springsteen_powells_born_to_run.html

Powell's in a must visit each time I'm in Oregon, but have to say I've never seen a line but I understand why after I read the link.

Hope you're enjoying your time there Gagrice!

xwesx · October 2016

It has never even crossed my mind to actually stop in Portland for something. It is always just an obstacle to making decent time getting somewhere else! :@

gagrice · October 2016

xwesx said:
It has never even crossed my mind to actually stop in Portland for something. It is always just an obstacle to making decent time getting somewhere else! :@

I don't generally do big cities. And now that I have been to the largest book store, I have no intentions of repeating. Much easier to find books on the web, and cheaper. As I map our way home, I will try to time any city I am forced to pass through during the lightest possible traffic. Did not try the beer. The food was excellent.

https://www.deschutesbrewery.com/pubs/portland/

xwesx · October 2016

I'm not sure which way you're headed home, but we stopped at this little hole-in-the-wall place on highway 97, just outside of Crater Lake, for lunch. It was pretty good, aside from the fries. I'm trying to remember its name.... something Junction Cafe..... Ah, Diamond Lake Jct Cafe.

Rustic.

tifighter · October 2016

Ha, was in Portland over the weekend and almost stopped by Powell's on Sunday. If you like lines, don't forget to stop by Voodoo donuts...

berri · October 2016

That's a place I don't get. Good, but not all that special to me at least.

fintail · October 2016

It helps to have a beard, plaid/flannel, ironic glasses and t-shirt, etc

Voodoo is interesting, but I'll take Chuck's in Renton highlands any day.

gagrice · October 2016

We had to get Blue Star donuts in Portland. Very expensive. Way over priced and just ok. My son said VooDoo donuts are also over priced. Claims he makes better donuts.

berri · October 2016

You gotta pay for folklore

xwesx · October 2016

Seems like a reasonable philosophy. Perhaps you can attempt to remove the vagueness of your comment with an example or two.... ?

stever · October 2016

To the desert!

fintail · October 2016

A few random clips from on the road. I accidentally disabled sound on the dashcam, just figured out the problem, so these are silent clips. It's nice being away from the traffic volumes and timid dopes closer to home.

Am I am Kansas?

https://youtu.be/z_HcvEfau7s

Diverse landscapes in this part of the world:

https://youtu.be/XDxdsYacUdw

I like these relatively deserted rural roads with pretty skies, would be good in an old car or motorcycle too:

https://youtu.be/MjyW_FJ6g0c

slorenzen · October 2016

fintail said:
A few random clips from on the road. I accidentally disabled sound on the dashcam, just figured out the problem, so these are silent clips. It's nice being away from the traffic volumes and timid dopes closer to home.

Am I am Kansas?

https://youtu.be/z_HcvEfau7s

Diverse landscapes in this part of the world:

https://youtu.be/XDxdsYacUdw

I like these relatively deserted rural roads with pretty skies, would be good in an old car or motorcycle too:

https://youtu.be/MjyW_FJ6g0c

What windshield treatment are you using?

Looks pretty effective...

fintail · October 2016

Every now and then I use Rain-X glass cleaner (not the normal Rain-X fluid, but the big yellow spray bottle), that's it. It seems to work almost as well, and is a lot easier to apply.

slorenzen said:

What windshield treatment are you using?

Looks pretty effective...

stever · October 2016

Can highly recommend FS 42 from Portal AZ over to Chiricahua National Monument. Nice moon for camping.

berri · October 2016

Am I am Kansas?

Do we call you Wiz, Tin Man or Cowardly Lion? You are in the Seattle suburbs so I can't call you Aunty Em

fintail · October 2016

Pretty far from the King County rat race right now, but I will be back by next weekend. Heading through the lower Palouse and into the Columbia Basin tomorrow, then south again, then back home.

iluvmysephia1 · October 2016

Can highly recommend FS 42 from Portal AZ over to Chiricahua National Monument. Nice moon for camping.

Always loved Chiracahua National Monument near our Willcox, AZ, home. Fort Bowie is fun to see, too. The walls are still standing there, along with displays describing the Fort's store, hospital, barracks. Love to poke around there and enjoy breathing the history in.

gagrice · October 2016

stever said:
Can highly recommend FS 42 from Portal AZ over to Chiricahua National Monument. Nice moon for camping.

We have stayed at the Hampton Inns at Lordsburg and Deming, does that count?

stever · October 2016

Morning camp at Organ Pipe:

kyfdx · October 2016

What's for breakfast? Is it better than the Hampton Inn?

stever · October 2016

Fig newtons and coffee. I love breakfast but not until around 10 am or later. Might go to Lukeville for a meal today.

xwesx · October 2016

fintail said:

Diverse landscapes in this part of the world:

Nice vids! Were you just outside of Moses Lake on that second clip? It strongly reminds me of the channeled scablands that dominate the landscape through there. We drove 17 north through that area, before catching 97 through Oroville, when we drove home last month. I love that area of the Columbia Basin.

The raw power of that flood is just staggering to speculate.

xwesx · October 2016

Flood area:

fintail · October 2016

The second clip is actually up around Coulee City, so not terribly far from ML I guess (coincidentally, I am in ML right now). I like this area too, the geography and geology is amazing. I lived here for some years when I was a kid, and I was into it then too. I might get some clips off the dashcam later today.

xwesx said:

Nice vids! Were you just outside of Moses Lake on that second clip? It strongly reminds me of the channeled scablands that dominate the landscape through there. We drove 17 north through that area, before catching 97 through Oroville, when we drove home last month. I love that area of the Columbia Basin.

The raw power of that flood is just staggering to speculate.

fintail · October 2016

Another lovely day in the very lower Palouse/Blue Mountain foothill area:

https://youtu.be/KigEhIMO28c

Scenic high based showers over the Tri-Cities:

https://youtu.be/zGDmEAYALI0

Heading up to the Columbia Basin, more rain - the rainiest I have seen it east of the mountains in some time:

https://youtu.be/Z89-9uMJWoQ

Good news - I have sound again. Irksome news - camera occasionally resets itself. Time to swap cards and see if that cures it.

iluvmysephia1 · October 2016

The raw power of that flood is just staggering to speculate.

That flood was a Duesey, men!

xwesx · October 2016

fintail said:

Heading up to the Columbia Basin, more rain - the rainiest I have seen it east of the mountains in some time:

Good news - I have sound again. Irksome news - camera occasionally resets itself. Time to swap cards and see if that cures it.

Quite rainy! The weather was hot and dry while we were there, save for one Saturday that was a bit drizzly. Shoot; we even had beautiful weather on the coast! Overall, we couldn't have asked for better.

That camera situation is just a reminder that life is a series of challenges...

stever · October 2016

We were going to camp near Borrego Springs tonight but decided it was a bit early to stop and we were ready for some trees. So we moseyed over to the Julian area and found a county park with lots of live oaks. Big fire tonight since there's a red flag warning starting at 2 am with low humidity and high winds. This area burned in 2003 but you have to look hard to realize it.

Will need gas tomorrow unless we layover a day, and it's running $2.99 to $3.14 around here. Welcome to California.

gagrice · October 2016

Stever: Will need gas tomorrow unless we layover a day, and it's running $2.99 to $3.14 around here. Welcome to California.

If you owned a diesel you could have fueled up in Yuma for $2.17 a gallon, gone to Borrego, up to Julian, across to Mt Laguna, that have some nice camping areas, and back to Yuma with over half a tank of fuel left.

And that is why I will NEVER buy another gas powered vehicle. I could have returned home via Gardnerville, NV and avoided the Los Angeles traffic. Saved enough on diesel to make up for the 47 added miles going the more relaxing route. Blasting down Interstate 5 it is 977 miles to home. Going across the beautiful drive passed Mt Shasta to Reno NV and home is only 1024 Miles. We did enjoy the roundabout way we came home along very scenic US Hwy One from Ft Bragg to Navarro Redwoods. Very windy road getting over there.

Very good fish with a nice view of the Harbor in Ft Bragg.

Michaell · October 2016

Nice pictures.

Years ago, when I lived in CA, I drove up to Arcata to visit a childhood friend. Took 101 up from my home north of LA, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, then highway 1 the rest of the way.

Took something like 12-13 hours total. But, a beautiful drive.

xwesx · October 2016

Michaell said:
Nice pictures.

Seconded!

My only crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge occurred on my ninth birthday. We were in my family's 1980 Subaru GL wagon, and I was laying on my back with my head next to the tailgate, looking up. Unforgettable.

stever · October 2016

If I gassed up with diesel, my wife would be curled up with her inhaler. Might have to check out Mt. Laguna - our hiking friends (recently hiking on the PCT) raved about it not long ago. It's ~30 miles from here.

stever · October 2016

Decided to go to town, so after a little walk around Julian, we stopped for a breakfast/lunch at 11 am in Santa Ysabel and then drove in to La Jolla and walked the beach for a little while. Warm out, lot of swimmers in the ocean. Then we cruised to a Chevy dealer and sat in a couple of Volts. Didn't feel like testing one out in traffic. Didn't spend a lot of time in the cloth one, but the two-tone leather interior on a white one made for a nice combo. A bit snug for camping compared to our usual rig; no ground clearance to speak of and the liftover height was noticeable. Not pickup high but higher than a minivan. Certainly livable as was the mpg.

Then we blew back out of town around 2:30 to miss traffic and checked out Mt. Laguna. Very nice but it's cooler up high so we drove down to Lake Cuyamaca and wound up at the state park campground. Finished the day up about 10 miles away from where we started this morning.

hilda010 · October 2016

I used to visit our old home in Canada.. It gives me a lot of feelings while visiting there. That was the place where we used to play, fight, make outdoor dinner, relax etc. So it gives me an immense pleasure to go there and spend some joyful time over there.

Road Trip!

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