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Day 38

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Desert Palisades remembered       The breakfast package was everything we could have hoped for in a breakfast package. Except for the instant oat item which tasted not so much gluten free as gluten only. The service was impeccable particularly the silvery metallic plastic utensils. Down to the immense beach. D found two mates and then the rain rolled down upon us. D was recovering emotionally from an earlier correction delivered by a red Heeler in the parking lot after an overly enthused approach. The day is young and checkout is a generous 12 pm. Whizzed to the beach for a short dog run and then off to Fort Stevens SP due west of Astoria - the northwestern extreme of Oregon where Lewis and Clark and their whole team froze their butts in November of that year. For us it was sunny but with the cold wind. Our camp was nothing to write home about but deep in the woods back from the sea and windless. S stuck a 20 in the self registration envelope but the ranger came by and sa...
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Day 37

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room with a view and a pup   dirty, satisfied       Driving north. Rain at times heavy. Wind. Met Whidbey countrymen, S and S, at Walport Mexican restaurant on a back street. Lashed our way to Newport and The Whaler and a nicely appointed second floor unit looking out on the sea. Signed up for the complimentary breakfast package and eagerly await its arrival for pickup at the reception desk after 6 am. Wifi spotty.
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Day 36

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  mudder later Ukiah @ Travelodge good wifi replaced entire HOA unit in minutes after S's call great dog park with some mud D got in thick with a husky who was a mud lover washed D in the creek Arrived Brookings OR and Harris Beach SP D had big cavort on beach with several of his countrymen
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Day 35

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S and D at Muir Beach D enjoying some creek water at the beach       Out of Pinnacles early without breakfast which we hoped to find once again at the Paicines Store but alas the ladies there were no longer cooking. Returned to strip mall civilization at Hollister and made the dog park at Gilroy or Morgan Hill where we had leftover hash. Tensed it through the Bay area and across the big red bridge there to Muir Beach for a great off leash romp. Bashed on north on 1 to 101 landing about 6 in Ukiah. I explored the In and Out Burger and Raley's Fresh Market and the Compassionate Heart pot shop. Back at the Travel Lodge getting ready to feed pup heard a bad sound on the busy street in front of the motel. Motorcyclist down after pickup pulled out in front of him. S rushed into street as did the pickup driver. I was holding the dog trying to decipher what was happening out there in the dark. S yelled for me to call 911, but the young dude guy from the next room standing next to...
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Day 34

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the road to Pinnacles and John Norby's hat A clouded day. Superb backroads. Pinnacles has lost its charm. Its all recreation co. and $12 bundles of wood from some contractor or presto logs for 17. Who knows what the condors are up to. $3 for an hour of wifi.   Glamping tents they are calling yurts though they are rectangular.   It has been suggested we slide into a motel tomorrow night; I seconded that. Last night at Carrizo makes up for   it though. Paso Robles for lunch at the Backyard and grocery at Smart and Final. No pot shop in Robles. Pinnacles camp well subscribed but the mood is a bit dark. The condors brood. D much happier at the Plain.
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Day 33

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      Our camp at Carrizo Plain National Monument - van under tree on the right       Bit of a hummer, compared to hanging in condo in the city.   Said a fond farewell to M and Palm Springs Dog Park. First it was wind. After a couple of hours it was wind and snow, by Palmdale. Soon S routed us into the mountains between the San Joaquin Valley at the latitude of Bakersfield and Santa Barbara in order to drop into the Carrizo Plain from the south. All fine but still snowing and 32ยบ. 20 miles of bad road once we entered the monument. Wilderness, range upon range of low snow colored mountains. Hwy. 62, 138, 18, 247 and Frazier Mountain Hwy stood out and there were other numbers because taking the side roads is like that. One forgets how much more interesting the by roads and towns are than the interstate. About 20 miles into the Plain we came to the best camping spot with its own owl and nice toilets. The flowers at this time on the Plain are a half inch o...
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Day 32

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  front Dust       S to DP, me to fitness. Spoke by phone to R in Seattle about Xmas playlist and the turbulence of her flight out of the valley quartering the power wind. Began to pack the van for tomorrow as we will ramble north. Wind in the forecast. Heading for the Carrizo Plain National Monument, the largest native grassland left in California (1,200 sq miles) which may be a vast carpet of flowers. Biked with M to the Deep Well community, the Revival thrift store for pillow case and Rite Aid for ice cream in a cup, butter pecan. M, S, D and me up into Desert Palisades for the last time and then to M's for dinner which was super-good. Also Ralph's for supplies for the road.
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