01-14 and 15 2020 Sunny Days and King Tides

We had big plans for the next couple of days at the beach.  We were close to some truly gorgeous coastal views of big cliffs along the Cape Arago Highway.  We also knew that there were king tides making stormy wavy watching quite spectacular.

We woke to a gorgeous morning with not a speck of fog.  It was very wet though, and quite chilly, but the sun was incredible.  Not something we expected at the coast in winter. 

We have camped a few times nearby at Sunset Bay State Park, just a mile south of our current location at Bastendorff Beach.  There is a beautiful hiking trail that meanders along the rocky coastline from Sunset Bay toward Shore Acres State Park and ends at the Cape Arago State Park Viewpoint.  It is a lovely walk and when we camped there in 2014 (the story is here) I was trying to walk at least 5 miles each day.  That part of the coast was a perfect location for wonderful walks.

On this trip however, we decided that driving the Cape Arago Highway was the best choice since my days of walking 5 miles are behind me. We checked out Sunset Bay, which was lovely, but even on the sunny morning it was still almost completely shaded.  Traveling south toward Shore Acres we drove through the entry kiosk with notice of the required $5 per day to use the park.  The gardens and buildings associated with them were closed but it looked as though the gates weren’t locked and one could possibly walk through on the open pathways.

We have visited Shore Acres at different times of the year, both when things are in bloom in the summer and during the winter nights for their wonderful Christmas light show. Each time we have visited, with our state park camping receipt, we never had to pay that fee.  We decided to skip the fee and continue south toward Cape Arago.

Along the road there are several places to access the coastal trail and a truly spectacular overlook.  When we visited Harris Beach State Park near Brookings last month I was impressed with the newly refurbished information signs. 

It seems this is something that is being done all along the coast at the state parks.  The signs were beautifully redone, colorful and fun to read.

Even far out on the rocks we could see the seals, although from this vantage point it was a bit difficult to identify which of two types of seals and two types of sea lions that frequent the area were on the rocks.  I could also see sea birds, but only able to actually identify cormorants perched on the highest points of the rocks.

After enjoying the surf and the views we drove a bit further to the end of the road at Cape Arago. The skies were brilliant and the air was a bit chilly and breezy. 

We walked down to a point overlooking the rocky shoreline and watched some seals happily playing in the surf and sunning themselves on the rocks.  The waves were spectacular crashing wildly in all directions.  Being a cape, the view is a bit more than 180 degrees in both directions.

The picnic tables were sitting invitingly in the warm sunshine and lucky for me I had actually remembered to pack a picnic for our day.  We enjoyed our lunch and the beautiful views and sounds of the wild ocean for some time before walking back to the car to return to the MoHo.

Once back at camp, we decided it would be nice to check out the namesake beach of our park.  Bastendorff Beach was wide and long, and the sand was clean.  The waves were again huge, and the crashing surf accompanied our walk.  There were bits of kelp and old wood on the sand, and a few broken clamshells, but no sign of any rocks or agates in the area.

Mattie again got to run off leash a bit, with no problems from other people with off leash dogs on this sunny afternoon.  We were truly surprised to see just how many people were there and how full the several parking lots were. Coos Bay isn’t that big of a city and this part of Highway 101 isn’t usually that busy. 

Most of the people recreating on the beach seemed to be local, with Oregon plates, not the out of state tourists that frequent the beaches farther south near Brookings or Bandon, or farther north toward Florence, Newport, or Lincoln City. 

After returning to the MoHo for a bit of relaxation, we decided to take advantage of the very last day of inside dining in Coos County.  We have had a truly marvelous dining experience at the High Tide Cafe. When we heard they were remaining open for one last day before closing due to an increase in COVID numbers in the county we decided to try it.

After talking about it a bit, we thought better of the inside dining experience and made a call to order take out fish and chips.  Arriving around 4 we found a completely empty restaurant.  Our dinner was ready and packed to go but the empty table with a view looked so inviting.  I asked if we could eat in and the waitress said “Sure”, and brought us our meal and some real silverware.  Another nice part of this is that we could have a local beer with our food.

The beer was good.  We ordered just one fish and chips dinner and one bowl of chowder to share, but realized that we also should have ordered just one beer.  Hard to drink that much beer I guess.  Sadly, the dinner was simply adequate, not the superb meal we enjoyed two different times at this restaurant.  It seems that they previous owners sold the business and the new owners took over just last month.  They are excited about their new project and planning to open up the patio with heaters and lights to accommodate more outside dining.

The fish and chips only cost $15 instead of the $22. that we paid with the previous owners, and the difference in price reflects the difference in the meal.  We like a light breading and while the fish was tasty, the breading was the typical somewhat soggy beer batter.  The fries were boring and there was no cole slaw or salad served with the meal.  Also, the chowder was good but not fabulous.  It is sad that the new owners didn’t realize that they should have kept the previous menu.  I wish them well, but I doubt we will rush to return for fish and chips here again.

The sun stayed with us the rest of the day until nightfall brought in a thick fog.  We settled in with another game of cards and a good night’s sleep. 

The weather forecast had mentioned rain for Thursday and when we woke that morning in addition to overnight rain, the fog was heavy and thick. It was more like what we had expected at the beach and we spent the entire day in the MoHo, relaxing, reading, knitting for me, a  bit of card playing and some short walks.  With such a quite indoor day it really made us appreciate the sunshine we enjoyed so much the day before.

03-20 through 03-24 Great Days in Colorado

Current Location: Flag City RV Resort, Lodi California

Breezy, partly cloudy, and 65 Degrees F at  6PM

On Wednesday, when we arrived in Colorado Springs, the skies were a blue so brilliant and perfect that I was enthralled.  What better way to do laundry than to walk through a pine fragrant campground with an armful of clothes in the bright sunshine. I took my time catching up laundry, shaking out rugs, cleaning up the MoHo a bit and preparing for the next few days with the luxury of our home parked in one place. At Peregrine Pines, laundry is not free, but the machines are new and nice and the $1.75 per load for washing and $1.50 for drying is reasonable.

Our campsite isn’t far from the laundry and bath house at USAFA Peregrine Pines Family Camp

We decided that with the coming days of driving around both Colorado Springs and Denver, it would be a good idea to take the kayaks off the Tracker and lock them up at the campsite.  With the cooler temperatures, and visits with friends and relatives on the agenda, there wouldn’t be any kayaking happening.

I let Erin know that we were settled in and we made arrangements for the following day.  Since we weren’t planning to get together until lunchtime, Erin suggested that we might like to hike the short pathway from the Academy Visitor Center to see the iconic Cadet Chapel that is a landmark visible for a long distance from many parts of Colorado Springs.

The morning wasn’t as perfectly gorgeous as the previous day, and the air was chilly.  We meandered around the base, which is huge, and found the VC and the trail to the chapel.  As we entered the chapel, the sun came through the clouds at just the right moment to illuminate the colorful stained glass windows perfectly.

This magnificent chapel was completed in 1962 and in 2004 was named a US National Historic Landmark. There was a docent who showed us around, discussing the architecture, the lighting, and many small details that I might have missed. 

For instance, the ends of the pews are made of walnut and oak, shaped like airplane propellers.  The metal railings on the pews are made from aluminum, and represent the wings of an airplane. 

The architecture of the building is fascinating, with huge tetrahedrons bolted together to create the modernistic shape that soars skyward.  There are services held at the chapel for several denominations so that all cadets are represented. 

The cross at the front of the chapel is 99 feet tall and is shaped to symbolize not only the Christian cross, but also a soaring bird in flight, or perhaps an airplane. 

The windows were the most fascinating, with colors and angles that challenged the ability of the camera to capture light, turning everything a bright blue, even though that isn’t exactly how it was perceived by the eyes. 

The docent pointed out the stairs leading to the Roman Catholic chapel below, in addition to the Jewish Synagogue, and a Buddhist Meditation space.  The entire building was so inspirational.  I would have loved to be there for a Sunday service, just to hear the magnificent pipe organ, but our schedule demands that we be on the road early Sunday morning, so we will have to save that for another visit.

After we returned to the campground, Erin and Mui drove out to our campsite and then suggested we follow them to the lunch restaurant they thought would be a nice place for the four of us.  Most travelers with a tow vehicle know about the use of said vehicle as a sort of garage.  We were unable to take Erin and Mui in our car because it was crammed full of all the winter clothes we didn’t need in Florida but did need in the Pacific Northwest and in Colorado, with kayak gear, paddles, extra dog food, and wet water shoes.  Not a nice place to sit.

Erin and Mui had a bit of the same problem.  Having only recently ended their full time lifestyle, their car had been without a back seat, and once it was replaced, they had yet to find the proper seat belts.  Hence 4 people in 2 cars meandered through Colorado Springs toward the charming historic town of Colorado City. 

I was delighted with the lovely town, with lots of restaurants, shops full of enticing goodies, and brilliant murals on the old brick walls.  We didn’t have time to dawdle, with lunch at TAPAteria next on our agenda. Erin and Mui know good food, so I was excited to experience their choice of restaurant. 

I wasn’t disappointed and we shared several small plates and a couple of salads.  I even tasted Mui’s octopus, a first for me.  Our shared pitcher of frosty fruity blood orange sangria was the perfect accompaniment to our delicious meal.

After lunch we decided that a trip to the nearby Garden of the Gods would be a great way to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.  Once again, we caravanned to the park and began our visit by an exploration of the Visitor Center.  The view from the outside deck is perfect, looking west toward the red rock fins of the park with a backdrop of snow covered Pikes Peak.

We decided to take a few minutes to see the park movie, shown in a round theater with seats that are supposed to represent a spaceship.  The movie travels back in time a few billion years, explaining the creation of the rock formations of the park over the eons.  Of course I loved it, even though it did seem that it was made mostly for kids. 

The displays at the Visitor Center were beautifully done, and I especially fell in love with the backlit artist’s renderings of the progression of time through the ages with the associated plants and animals.

With the afternoon passing by very quickly, and the somewhat windy and chilly air, we decided that a drive through the park was more reasonable than hiking.  The caravan once again took off for the 7 mile loop drive, stopping at the viewpoints to enjoy the panoramic views, and competing with a lot of people for parking spaces.

The Garden would be a lovely place to hike, and I will have that on my agenda for my next visit to Colorado Springs as well.  My favorite moment, however, was when I decided to climb up the rock around Balanced Rock so Erin could get a photo.  The minute my feet hit that slickrock, I was in heaven.  Climbing slickrock takes at least a dozen years off my life, and instead of doddering along trying to keep from stumbling around, I am suddenly a mountain goat, bouncing up the rocks without a qualm.  I love love love slickrock, probably my most favorite feeling underfoot.  Slickrock is not slick at all, and almost vertical hiking feels so simple.

One last time, the two car caravan meandered across Colorado Springs back to the western edge facing the prairie toward Erin and Mui’s brand new home.  What a treat!  Having just completed the building of our own new home in the last couple of years, we knew exactly how it felt to have it finally finished.  We were thrilled to have the honor of being their first guests.

One of my favorite moments came as we entered the lower level where all of Erin’s beautiful needlepoint and framed photographs were lined up along the wall waiting for their someday placements.  Having been blogging friends with Erin for at least a decade now, I have seen occasional photos of her work.  It was quite a thrill to see it in person.  So beautiful!  I can hardly wait to see how their home evolves as they add their touches and make it their own. 

I didn’t take photos at their house, figuring that Erin could share what she chooses at her leisure, but let me tell you, that view out the windows facing the prairie is spectacular. Across from their home is open space and an arroyo that is home to antelope and other wildlife.   Here is a blog post from Erin that ends with a sunrise from those gorgeous windows.

As the sun lowered in the sky over the mountains, we bid our farewells for the day, making plans to get together one more time before Mo and I resume our journey westward.

The next morning, Mo and I left the MoHo safely parked at the base, and loaded up the Tracker for a trip north to Denver to spend a night with Mo’s sister Edna.

I had to laugh, because even for a single night, traveling with our little dog is as bad as having kids.  We had to pack up the dog crate, the dog bed and blankets, dog food, and halter and leash, making sure we didn’t miss anything.  Mo and I didn’t bother to take much more than a toothbrush and some nightclothes.

The trip to Denver was uneventful, and we arrived at Edna’s early enough in the day to share some morning coffee and conversation before sitting outside in the lovey sunshine and taking Mattie for a nice long walk through the neighborhoods.

We spent a quiet afternoon visiting and collaborating on a 1000 piece puzzle that Edna had previously started.  Made me want to buy a puzzle, but it also made me a little bit crazy.  Early evening we ordered in pizza and enjoyed the company of Edna’s daughter Marci and her husband John, who came over to join us. The next morning we shared a nice breakfast Edna of leftover fabulous cherry pie before getting on the road back south.

Overnight, the crazy weather in Colorado changed again, and snow covered the hills as we traveled back south toward Colorado Springs.  There was a big slowdown on Interstate 25, long enough to give me a chance to get a photo of gorgeous Pikes Peak in the morning sun.

Once back home, I let Erin and Mui know that we had returned.  Initially we had thought we might do something as dramatic as visiting the Broadmoor Hotel and Manitou, but Mo and I were feeling a bit worn, and we all decided to keep it simple. Having camped at Peregrine Pines for a few weeks prior to moving into their home they knew the good spots.  Erin suggested a walk around what we think is a water retention pond, and a visit to a special spot at the base that we might have missed otherwise.

Once we knew they were on their way back to the campground, we said the magic word “walk”, in fact I am pretty sure we even spelled it out, which doesn’t help at all because Mattie knows how to spell a few important words.  The walk was lovely, with views of Pikes Peak, and we discussed how nice it would be to get up early enough to take photos at sunrise with reflections on the pond.  Something I never quite managed to do.

W –A –L –K ?? Really, Mom? what’s the hold up??

The Heritage Trail at Doolittle Hall was lovely in the afternoon light, with memorials and statues honoring famous graduates of the Academy. Doolittle Hall and the Association of Graduates honors the heritage, legacy, and history of the USAir Force Academy and its graduates. 

This lovely bridge is called the Challenge Bridge and was donated by the graduating class of 1959. We enjoyed the wildlife along the trail as well.

Dark Eyed Junco first time I have seen one

We then meandered back toward the Visitor Center Mo and I had passed on our first morning of explorations and spent some time viewing the wonderful displays of Academy history and cadet life.

As I read more and more of the codes of conduct of Academy cadets, I was so moved by what kind of inspiration it must be to young men and women to be part of such a tradition. If only part of the people that attend the Academy live up to such lofty ideals, we are lucky to have them in our world.

Great man, great smile, Mui was in the Air Force and knows how to do those hospital corners

Once again, the afternoon was waning, and it was time for Erin and Mui to lead us to supper.  And what a great supper it was. The big surprise was that the Italian bistro type restaurant that we visited was in a mall, and such a mall it was.  Colorado Springs seems to be a hotbed of wondrous shopping, and I really wished I would have had time to explore some of the real sticks and bricks stores that were clustered around our restaurant, Il Vicino.  Add that to the list of things to do when someday we return for a visit to Colorado Springs!  What a fun place to be.

What a yummy place and a truly delicious supper.  I can’t believe we didn’t take any photos that evening, but we were enjoying the conversation, knowing it would be the last real time visit for who knows how long.  We bid our final goodbyes and headed back to our little home on wheels, waiting patiently in the forest at the USAFA campground for the next leg of this long adventure.

 

03-03-2019 A Few Days at Mayport

Current Location: Pelican Roost RV Park, Mayport Naval Station, Jacksonville, Florida

Cloudy and humid at 66 degrees F at 9AM

Our time here at Pelican Roost RV Park has been a bit low key.  Some of that is due to Mo’s less than perfect knee, but she has been plugging along reasonably well.  We are now taking turns walking the dog, and we have managed a few beach walks as well.

Even a dull gray day Mattie loved the beach at Mayport NAS

The other limiting factor in our adventures this week has been the weather.  We love outdoor stuff, mostly kayaking  and hiking. While there have been breaks in the gloomy weather, most of the days are foggy in the morning, gloomy during the day, and almost always with a prediction of rain ranging from 20 percent to 100 percent.  Not good kayaking weather.

One of the nicer amenities here at Mayport is the great view of the St John River and all the passing vessels coming and going.  The other amenity we came to appreciate more as the week progressed is the lovely beach, stretching for as far as the eye can see.  It is quiet and uncrowded, clean and peaceful. One morning we managed to get down to the beach in time for the sunrise.  Being from the west coast, sunrise on the beach is something we never see, and it was beautiful.

Atlantic Beach

Our adventures have been more connected to the car than usual, but we have managed to do some exploring in this area that was interesting.  I will say up front, that I am not particularly enamored with this part of Florida. It isn’t quite as crowded as the more southern parts of the Gulf side of Florida, but it isn’t even close to the Old Florida charm of the limestone backbone of the state around Ocala and Gainesville. 

This part of Florida certainly isn’t a bad place to be when almost the entire country is encased in snow and ice, blizzards, floods, storms and horribly cold temperatures.  I am glad we are here and not complaining in the least.  Just sayin’ I would choose North Central Florida over the Atlantic side of Florida.

Mom runners on Atlantic Beach.  Dedication!

On our first full day here, we decided to do a bit of reconnaissance and traveled south on A1A toward Atlantic Beach.  One of the better parts of Florida beaches is that many of them are actually dog friendly.  I had no idea about this, since most of the beaches in the state parks do not allow dogs, even on leashes.

Reading about the dog friendly sands at Atlantic Beach, just a bit south of us here in Mayport, was all we needed to pile into the Tracker with the dog and head for the beach.  The skies were sunny, and the breeze was a bit cool, but the walk was wonderful.  We saw a few people walking the beautiful beach, but not nearly as many as I expected to be out on this lovely day.

Beach parking in Atlantic Beach consists of a couple of spaces at every cross street that ends at the beach, with 15th street having the most spaces.  We were lucky to find an open spot on 14th street near some rather lovely beach homes. 

Beach homes at Atlantic Beach

Something that doesn’t show in the nice photo is the damp, moldy, musty smell that accompanied our walk from the car to the beach.  Lots of water here, and lots of humidity.  Of course that damp smell is to be expected.

Atlantic Beach in the vicinity of 14th Street

Mattie loved walking the beach as much as we did.  It was a gorgeous, long stretch of sand that extended north to the base that we could barely see in the distance and south as far as the eye could see.

Our next stop for the afternoon was  Dutton Island Preserve, where we read that the trails are open to dogs with leashes, and there was a kayak launch. The afternoon had warmed beautifully, the winds abated a bit and the sun felt wonderful.

Kayak launch at Dutton Island

We found the kayak launch where some fishermen were working their lines, but the tide was out and the launch looked rather uninviting with all that mucky mud.  Kayaking in a salt marsh can be interesting, but not necessarily during mid afternoon in hot sun.  It didn’t excite either of us, and we decided to simply explore the preserve a bit, and save our kayaking for areas that might entrance us more than this one.

Look close. That is me at the base of that huge trunk, see the blue shirt?

I did love the huge old oaks at the park.  There were walk-in campsites, and a lovely pavilion for picnicking. Once again, wildlife was almost absent, and even in the muddy shoals we didn’t see any alligators and very few birds.

Fishing boardwalk at Dutton Island

On another day, we decided to drive north, using the St John Ferry to save 20 miles on the route toward Amelia Island.  I have heard of Amelia Island since forever, and am pretty sure I have read a few novels from the famous getaway.  Long ago I imagined it as a high end ritzy place that catered to wealthy easterners.  Lately I have read about the wild parts of Amelia Island, and thought it would be fun to see what it had to offer.

We decided to travel all the way to the north end, to Fort Clinch State Park, and take our time on the return trip checking out Little Talbot Island and Big Talbot Island, state parks that are all part of the Amelia Island Complex.

Traveling north along A1A, we were shrouded in the deep darkness of ancient oak forest, and the extremely high end houses on the east side of the road were only barely visible beyond the gates and signs for each “community”.  It definitely looked like a place where moneyed people choose to come and play, and we didn’t see much of the beach on the west side of the road either.

Once we arrived at Fort Clinch, however, we could see the charm of the beautiful beaches and lovely forest in the wilder part of the island. We had a picnic with the area entirely to ourselves before we left Mattie in shade with windows open enough that we didn’t have to worry about her as we entered the Visitor Center and the grounds of the fort.

We have visited a few forts from this era of our history, built before the Civil War. Amelia Island and Fort Clinch were considered strategic, and the fort was taken by the Union Army from 1862 until the end of the war.  It has been restored several times, and it was interesting seeing the old brick of the original fort compared to areas of the smaller new brick of the restoration efforts.

Union uniforms at Fort Clinch

The views of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south were gorgeous, and the views to the northwest of the huge St John River harbor were impressive. The fort had that same lovely red brick, blue sky, black and white trim look that makes photographing them so much fun. 

We took a bit of a side trip in the park to check out the campground, and were somewhat disappointed.  With all that space, and all that gorgeous forest, the camp was located right on the sandy beach, in the wide open somewhat weedy spaces.  The sites were narrow and all crammed in tight with no breathing space at all between them.  Not something we would chose to do no matter how lovely the beach might be. Especially a beach that had a no dogs allowed sign on it!

We stopped on the return trip to view the Amelia Island lighthouse from the Egans Creek boardwalk, finding one lone great egret watching  fish jumping in the low water.

Egans Creek Overlook

I think what I loved most about Amelia Island were the huge oaks overhanging the roads.  They are so dark and mysterious, and even more so with their shrouds of gray Spanish moss.  Our route back to the base passed by both Big Talbot Island and Little Talbot Island, but the skies were darkening, and we decided that it was time to get on back home.  Both parks would be great for more hiking trails, but you must pay a separate fee for each park, and with our limited walking distances, it didn’t seem like a good choice.

That evening the rains came at supper time, and my plans for pulling out the BBQ went by the wayside and we drove the short distance back north toward the Mayport St John’s Ferry, where we had dinner at a place that came highly recommended.  The Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant was perfect.  One could choose fish from the case of fresh fish and have it cooked to order, or choose from the menu, or stock up on fresh fish for the home fridge.

We chose to sit on the covered porch and watch the pelicans and river boats while we ate a truly yummy supper.  Grilled haddock for Mo and blackened shrimp for me.  Gotta thank Laurel for introducing me to the yummy flavor of blackened shrimp.  What a treat!

Yesterday it was raining and thundering, but we needed to get out for a bit at least, and once again piled into the car with the dog to go exploring.  We chose this time to continue south toward Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach.  Along with Atlantic Beach, these places are listed in the “things to do” in this area.  It was an interesting drive, with the “beach” being completely obscured along the route by houses, condos, and development. 

A short side trip into the main area of Neptune Beach led us into an enclave of mostly restaurants.  There were a LOT of them.  We drove on south toward Jacksonville Beach which our pedicure person had extolled as a fabulous place to go.  Maybe it was the rain, but it wasn’t all that exciting either.  In Jacksonville Beach, the main draw seems to be the restaurants and bars and it was happy hour.  The bars were overflowing on the decks with young people drinking and partying and having a great time. 

By the time we headed back north, we both decided that visiting the beaches along A1A isn’t exactly on our high priority list of fun things to do.  We don’t like to eat out all the time, and walking beaches in the rain isn’t all that much fun either. 

We pulled out the BBQ for the steaks I had planned for Mo’s birthday dinner.  That dinner turned into indoor enchiladas due to rain, but I didn’t let the rain stop me last night.  I managed to get the steaks done before the worst of the rain hit and we enjoyed a great dinner to the sound of drumming rain.

Today we are traveling a short distance back to the other side of Jacksonville, to set up for another week in another Military Family Camp.  It will be interesting to compare JAX NAS to Mayport NS.