Maps of the Northwest USA

Maps of the Northwest USA

Yurt Camping in the Northwest

Information on the Cities and Towns in the Coastal Northwest

Washington, Oregon, California, British Columbia

Olympic Peninsula WA

California

Highway 99 & Interstate 5

California

Highway 101

Packing Up for Going Away

Today, I pack my yurt camping gear into my Ford Escape SUV.

Remember: 16 hours of night time, 8 hours of daylight.

Tomorrow, I will drive up Oregon 30 from
Vancouver, Portland, Scappoose,
St. Helens, Ranier-Longview Bridge,
Clatskanie, Cathlamet Ferry, to Astoria.
Sightseeing and lunch in Astoria.
Over the 4 mile Astoria-Megler Bridge on Highway 101.
Arrive at Cape Disappointment State Park, near Ilwaco.
Check into my yurt at 4 pm, unload, relax, take a nap.
Remember: 16 hours of night time, 8 hours of daylight.

Reading, research, and study,
Monday evening to Thursday morning.
What paperback books will I bring?

Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
I Sing the Salmon Home: Poems from Washington State
The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within
message from the vessel in a dream
Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry

Each typical early January day,
at Cape Disappointment State Park,
Ilwaco, WA: Cool, Windy, Rain.
However, the current weather reports
predict dry cool weather until Friday
this week. Horray!

Remember: 16 hours of night time, 8 hours of daylight.

Indoors: Reading, Writing, Harmonica, String, Qigong

Bring:
Writing tablet, pencils
Books
Cellphone, Tablet, MP3
Photography gear
Kites
Fireplace Tools
Firewood, starters
Fishing gear bag, license
Electronic, lights bag
Medicine and cleaning bag
Food supplies
Eating cooking utensils box
Sleeping bag 6lb
Blankets, throws, towels
Clothing bag
Shoes bag
Wet and cold weather gear
Trash bags
Toiletries
Eyeglasses
Backpack and hiking gear
Water bottles, thermos, canteen
Wallet and credit cards
Gas in Ford, cleaned, oiled, ready to drive
Maps as needed
Cane, walking stick
String Figures Kit, Caroline Jayne
Harmonicas (C Low, A Low) + Book

Mt. Ranier, Washington

Stratovolcano, 14,411 Feet (4,392M)

Cascades Mountain Range, Western Washington

Due East of Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Puget Sound

Mt. Ranier - Wikipedia

Cascade Volcanic Arc

Karen and I have traveled all around this immense and dramatic mountain many times since 2010.  

Cascade Volcanic Arc

Mt. Adams, Washington

Stratovolcano, 12,281 Feet (3,743 M) 

Cascade Mountain Range, Southwestern WA

Near Yakima, Packwood, Klickitat, and Goldendale WA

Mt. Adams - Wikipedia

Cascade Volcanic Arc

Karen and I have traveled all around this immense and dramatic mountain many times since 2016.  

Cascade Volcanic Arc

Mr. Hood, Oregon

Stratovolcano, 11,240 Feet (3,425 M)

East of Portland, Vancouver, Gresham, Troutdale, Sandy OR

Cascades Mountain Range, Northwestern Oregon

Mt. Hood, Oregon - Wikipedia

Cascade Volcanic Arc

We can view Mt. Hood from many locations in Vancouver and Portland, Washington.

Karen and I have traveled all around this dramatic mountain many times since 2001.  

                                            

                            

Cascade Volcanic Arc

Buying a Used Car

We purchased a 2003 Ford Explorer for $3,000 in 2016.  We have put in probably under $2,500 in maintenance since then.  Thus, over five years for $5,500, not, of course, including gasoline.  

We have traveled in this 2003 Explorer between Red Bluff, California up to Portland and then north to Bellingham, Washington.  From  Okanagon, WA, Hanford, Yakima, all parts of The Columbia Gorge, the high deserts of the Columbia Plateau, and everywhere in Oregon.  The fabulous Pacific Coast from Bodega Bay, CA, to Port Orford, OR, to Cape Flattery, Makah Indian Reservation, Neah Bay, WA.  

We have many fond memories of our travels together, Karen and I.  Also, many trips with family and friends.  That old reliable 2003 Ford Explorer tackled all the hills and valleys of the Cascades, and provide all the suburban ease (e.g., good heat in the SUV, space for outdoor recreation gear, etc.).  

However, it is now time for me to give this old 2003 Ford Explorer to my son to sell and keep the proceeds.  This old Explorer SUV runs fine, has OK tires, 4WD, 120,000 miles, a few rusted areas in roof, ... yet still may have some practical uses for on the cheap (mas o menos $1,300??) for somebody else.      

So, what other used car to choose?  1.  A SUV that my wife is very comfortable driving.  She does most of our driving, because she likes to drive the most and is a very safe driver.  2.  Under the amount we have saved for cash purchasing.  3. Under 40,000 miles.   4. A newer Ford product.  

So, we purchased and are now (2/27/2021), driving a 2018 Ford Escape, Titanium Model, SUV, AWD, 4 cylinder, 2.0 L engine, 22-27 mpg.  This SUV has 35,100 miles on its bones and engine.  The 2.0 L Turbocharged engine can put out 245 horsepower.  Reviews?  

The Ford Escape SUV has many safety features and road handling AWD capabilities, and meets all the Washington State emission control and road safety standards of 2018. This model uses a Sony electronic, audio, and communication system.  There is plenty of room in our "new" Ford Escape for loading groceries from the Kroeger Fred Meyer's in the Orchards area.  Or, room for moving gardening supplies and plants, boxes, travel gear, clothing, lunches and coffee, and recreational gear.  This SUV model has new tires, good handling and AWD stability and adaptability, good lights, and is silver in color.  

99.9% of the time there are either one or two persons in the car.  We will not be towing anything, or carrying any gear on the hard top of this Ford Escape vehicle.  We rarely camp anymore; and stay in motels, cabins, or hotels.  Besides suitcases, we have a variety of recreational gear (boots, camera, backpack, maps, emergency supplies, raingear, tools, folding chairs, blankets, backup food and water, backup clothing, toiletries, auto stuff, etc.) to carry on some day trips or overnight trips.  Plenty of room for two travelers!!  

This kind of newer used card should provide good service for our uses for many years in Southwestern Washington, Clark County, Washington.  We have traveled many U. S Interstate  highways and roads, Washington and Oregon State roads, U.S. Forest Service Roads, local Clark County roads and backroads into and through and over the Cascades to the east of Vancouver, WA. This Ford Escape should have plenty of power and safety features for two auto travelers in our typical 150 mile and less radius of travel ... Portland Metro and Beyond from Desert to Mountains to River Valleys to the Pacific. 

Post from 2019

Travel and Camping in 2019

Traveling in an SUV (2003 Ford Explorer)
2019-2020
Northwest United States and British Columbia
Camping Notes, Equipment, Plans, Experiences
By Mike Garofalo
January 2019

Travel in Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and B.C.
Books, Maps, Travel Guides, Natural History Manuals, Maps
Bibliography, Links, References, Notes
By Mike Garofalo
From 2006-2019

My Travel Plans for 2019-2020

I write about these short travel adventures in my Cloud Hands Blog. Follow the adventures by the Category Labels: Oregon, Southwestern Washington, Washington, Travel, Camping.

North Cascades National Park

In June of 2019 we enjoyed a sightseeing trip to northern Washington.

Day 1: Vancouver to Bellingham via Interstate 5 and 405. Good views of Mt. Ranier. 

Day 2: Bellingham via 9 to Sedro-Woodley, Skagit River, then on Route 20 through the North Cascades National Park, over Washington Pass, and down to the Methrow River Valley and to the town of Winthrop. 

Day 3: Twisp, Okanogan, Omak, apple orchards, Route 97, Lake Chelan, Columbia River, Wenatchee. 

Day 4: Apple orchards everywhere, Route 2, Levingston, Monroe, Seattle, Olympia, Vancouver.

The North Cascades Highway: A Roadside Guide to America's Alps.  By Jack McLeod.  Seattle, University of Washington Press, 2013.  Index, 104 pages.  ISBN: 978-0295993164.  VSCL. 

North Cascades: The Story Behind the Scenery.  By Saul Weisberg.  KC Publications, 1988.  48 pages.  ISBN: 978-0887140211.  VSCL.  

Our Travels in Washington: Notes, Bibliography, Guides, Resources

Mt. Ranier Trip

Karen and I enjoyed our three day trip up north to the Mt. Ranier area.  We drove 360 degrees around Mt. Ranier via the towns of : Elbe, Mt. Ranier National Park entrance, Longmire, Paradise, Stewart Canyon road, Chinook Pass, Greenwater, Enumclaw, Puyallup, Auburn, Carbonado, and Eatonville.

We stayed for two nights in a yurt at Kanaskat-Powell State Park along the Green River.  The river and rapids were delightful, and the park with lush vegetaation..  The yurt was 9 miles from Enumclaw.  We explored around the town of Enumclaw from 9/5-9/7.

Unfortunately, there was much fog, haze, and clouds at lower elevations that completely obscured Mt. Ranier from the headlands west of this massive mountain.  Above 4,000 feet the mountain was clear and impressive from Paradise Point and many road turnouts and viewpoints as you drove up to Paradise Point.  As usual, there were many summer tourists and the parking lots were jammed and roads busy.  Stunning high mountain scenery. 

Some of the roads we drove on are open only in the summer.  Next summer, we intend to drive up to Sunrise Point, the highest point you can drive to in Mt. Ranier Park, and also visit the Crystal Mountain Resort.  These are areas on the northeast side of Mt. Ranier.