Lessons learned while taking the long way home
Breakfast near Manzanita, Ore., overlooking the Pacific Ocean. (Leslie Kelly)
Don’t you just long to get home after an extended trip?
That’s definitely the way we used to approach travel, rushing back to the comfort of our own bed. But things changed when we started road-tripping in our RV.
So as spring approached, we mapped out our month-long journey from SoCal to the PNW. We’ve already filled you in on the joys we experienced while attending spring training, hiking in Sedona, navigating the snow at the spectacular Grand Canyon and making a return to Death Valley.
We didn’t plan on taking a detour to the Oregon Coast, but the West’s wild late-winter weather pointed us in that direction and we’re so glad we heeded the call. We had a blast and best of all, we lucked into some comfortable full hookup sites that we hadn’t booked in advance.
This is the best lesson we’ve learned in a long time: Traveling in shoulder season is, in many ways, the absolute way to go. Campgrounds are far less crowded, the beaches are empty. But first, the epic drive to get from Point A to B… as in Bandon, Ore.
Early start: We’d had a fairly easy drive from Death Valley to Reno, NV., pulling into the Grand Sierra Resort around noon. The casino has an RV park with very nice facilities and our back-in spot was less than $40, so we felt like we had already hit the jackpot. Unlike our eventful stop in Vegas a few years ago, though, John got skunked this time in the keno lounge. (In November 2018, he won $1,600 hitting a six spot.)
We studied the map and decided to go big the next day, with southern Oregon as the goal. Maybe we’d make it to Grants Pass, maybe a little farther. We made good time even after stopping long enough for Leslie to make breakfast burritos. (It’s so nice to DIY meals on the road instead of running into random fast food joints along the way.)
When we hit the Oregon border, we decided to press on and take our chances at Bullards Beach State Park in Bandon. We pulled in after 10 hours on the road and whew! No problem finding an open electric and water site. It was so nice, in fact, we talked about staying another night but decided to press on.
Same story repeated at Carl Washburne Memorial State Park near Florence and Beachside State Recreation Site near Yachats, where we had a reservation, but showed up a day early. We were excited about rolling the dice and coming up big winners.
But here’s the second lesson we learned: Driving, setting up and breaking down the very next day can be exhausting. We vowed to move forward with an agenda that involved fewer one-and-dones, more of the two-night minimum.
That served us so well at Cape Disappointment State Park, where we were fortunate to catch some lovely weather. This remote and wildly beautiful park on the mouth of the Columbia River felt a little like home. We spent last June there, volunteering in the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
We scored a fantastic site near gorgeous Benson Beach – book A9 if you ever get the chance – and spent a couple of days exploring. When you go, don’t miss a walk on the jetty, a trip to North Head Lighthouse and the short trail to McKenzie Head for a stunning coastal view.
Our final two nights out on this fall and winter adventure were back in another state park where we volunteered. It was so good to revisit Fort Worden Historical State Park, which is located in charming Port Townsend. While wandering the beach near the lighthouse on Wilson Point, we could clearly see Mount Baker. That magnificent view is similar to the one we savor from our home base in Bellingham.
We’re back now, but not for long – stay tuned for the next adventure.