CAP and TRADE Dead?

I always compared the idea of Cap and Trade Congressional Mandates, as similar to Self Castration. Both have the same effect. Both are exceedingly Painful. Both have the soon noticeable effect of ending society. Many (who do not practice this themselves) view this schadenfreude

as their ultimate goal. Climate History is overwhelmingly comprised of facts to dispute these individuals own personal 'Dream' that has surfaced to 'Control' humanity.

Of course we recall vividly the black diesel smoke being emitted from the exhaust of buses and trucks years ago, along with the stench of unburned fuel in poorly maintained cars before emissions requirements came into effect. I am totally in support of environmental issues...within reason. I love wild animals and their domain. I enjoy National and State Parks. Wetlands are wonderful to visit.

The USA is comprised of fully 1/3rd publicly owned lands. We join others in support of the 'Management' of our resources. By Management, we refer to the resource being of access to the public Taxpayers. It belongs to the Taxpayers, not the exclusive domain of the self appointed Regulators. US Sovereignty demands that surely not any International organization take over control. If they desire to donate or fund out of their own pockets, a share of the cost of Maintenance in exchange for the right to visit, that is acceptable.. The USA disproportionately supports Parks world wide.

Now we are informed of the fact that the Global Warming Crisis, endlessly touted as Fact by the Media, is little more than another scam being forced over the World by Political Figures. An International scam to gouge out their own disproportionate share of Wealth and POWER. Plato's Allegory of the Cave

THE 'GLOBAL WARMING' EMAILS OF INCRIMINATION

refer to the IPCC's own 'employees? These lately uncovered (the Russians 'found' them) emails from The University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit (CRU), voice worry from this agenda driven cadre. Many facts don't support their theories, so the disagreeable facts must be 'Cooked' (Tricked)

to get their own desired results. Discrediting Any opponents of their scam, is one way. Endless EPA Lawsuits from the Dystopian

liberal left are their tools in this legalistic USA.

The Wall Street Journal has an article buried in the Opinion section of A-19, 27 November. Written by Kimberly Strassel

(kim@wsj.com) Quoting Senator Jim Inhofe (R Okla)
In this article Senator Inhofe is noticing a shift in the public's level of gullibility. Finally the public is starting to connect the dots. The overwhelming noticeably Fawning, support of The Media is coming into doubt. When someone gushes too much, questions arise. Now the answers are beginning to surface. The first alert was the name change from GLOBAL WARMING to CLIMATE CHANGE.

The fact that every impressionable young child is being indoctrinated

in schools and by TV, to this now de-bunked theory, by watching You Tube Polar Bears being chased across open oceans by camera crews, until they fatigue and drown. Of course then blaming it on their Moms driving SUVs.

Only the normally passive, supine UK

has publicly discredited major misinformation in this teaching (Al Gore's infamous Hockey Stick)

in their schools. As they awaken, others may possibly start to follow, then the 'house of 'man made' Global Warming cards' will collapse. Of course the Main Stream Media will attempt to silence any reports detrimental to their agenda, "For the public good". Fairness Doctrine you know.

True climatologists, Engineers, and Scientists of overwhelming numbers, have not fallen for this ruse, endlessly driven by the droning Media. These true scientists have been researching, debating and de-bugging the misrepresented long term data and noticed quite the opposite trend. Historically the CO2 rise 'followed' the Temperature rise. It did not 'cause' it. Facts and Truthful Data are something this group of politically Agenda Driven, Quasi-scientists try desperately to discredit using 'Their Fawning Media'. A Media that has no knowledge of the fact that Interglacials are rare.

Climate Scientists on the US taxpayer funded 'dole', may now face charges of Fraud. In order to manipulate the facts, many resorted to deception. The Media relished the deception as long as it promoted their political views. Now these organizations are in 'Damage Control' mode. Fallout will follow, along with distancing from the 'bad press'. Michael Vicks friends became much fewer after his brutal affliction with Dog Fighting was publicly acknowledged.

Now we are reading in the Liberal Spin Media about China and this US administration's influence (in actuality, an overwhelming lack of). India and China are not about to drastically limit their chance at the industrial growth historically revered by the world's leading nations. These Emerging nations have dreams too.

China has tentatively agreed to limit the "Rate of increase' of pollutants over the coming years". Not the 'decrease' or elimination of fossil fueled (easily the most economical energy source) and Hydro-Electric industrial growth. India has a long way to go as well. They both are Not intimidated by the Elitists demanding they slow down. More power to them. Hopefully in the form of even more (Enviro-hated) Hydro-electric as well as Nuclear generated Power, The Energy of The Sun.

Cap and Trade was great (financially) for Al Gore's International 'regulating and Re-allocating' corporation, but NOT for the reasons publicly stated. Redistribution of taxpayers wealth, lowering of the USA's relative position, while raising the third world, is a Dystopian

theory right out of Brave New World

and embraced by Keynesian

elitists.
As the world becomes more educated and TV's CSI raises in it's ratings, the Taxpaying, gainfully employed, voting public is waking up.

ROTC ATTACKED!

The ROTC

is Under Attack in America. The results are being seen in small communities across the nation. The Universities have relented in some cases

Now the High Schools are the target

The Liberal Left sympathizer, Albuquerque Journal (comparable to The NYT, LAT and the San Francisco Bee)
23 November 2009: headlined a large picture of Highland HS, sharply uniformed, ROTC Girls Drill Team standing 'At Ease', during inspection. "Served Up To Recruiters" was the heavily suggestive caption (Spin). Then devoted the first half of the article (most readers fail to hold interest past the front page) reporting the statements scripted by the detractors that are working endlessly to weaken the US Military. (this subversive administrations goal?)

Examples are held up as fact that the youth are Impressionable, Well who would have thought that? Yes they are impressionable

to gangs, drugs, child sex with no afterthought, youth alcohol, and all numbers of secular society induced, poor choices for a future generation. Make Love Not War

was the motto of the teachers of this generation, the students of Jimmy Carter Mid School

are finding that out. As well as far too many students across this HIV/AIDS and STD infested, 'Nation of Tolerance'. Almost makes a student want to Pray in school...

The demand being made by the Dystopian Liberals

The term Liberal, being a flagrant misnomer

is to remove the tempting curriculum of a Military Career. The statement made was to the effect that it was wrong for these 'children' to be introduced to the violent life of a soldier.

By what means are these Do-Gooders

using to fight the other multitude of poor choices secular society presents in schools today? They seem to only want these young people in organized team Sports of Their approval or whatever curriculum approved by their Liberal Left viewpoint, now THAT is Intolerance.

Today's young people are exposed to many detrimental aspects of secular society. The ROTC gives them an alternative opportunity to experience Teamwork, Discipline, taking Orders and accomplishing a Goal. Why does that appear bad in the eyes of the 'Liberal' Left?
One problem they seem to have, is that 'They' are not the Leaders, some other entity is.

ROTC and it's related organizations, are used World wide

to teach young people that Dedication, Discipline, Honor, Teamwork and most of all Leadership are all great goals absolutely required for any society to function. Scouting worldwide is under attack by the exact same foes for the exact same reason. Total Destruction and then programmed reconstruction to fit 'Their' Dystopian

Agenda is their goal.

We enjoy our Freedom only because our US Military has defended our way of life. If a child is raised to passively accept anything that is taught, any ideology, in any school, home or on the streets, they will accept the lowest common denominator as fact.

The Honorable goal of Our Military Service, is to protect this nation's society in times of attack from the far different ideologies and ambitions of those who would use force or subversion to take control of the USA and it's citizens. This Honorable goal is acceptable and written into the US Constitution.

Look at the News of today and you will see that a percentage of society is career violent by nature. It is far better to channel that violent predisposition into an organized activity which teaches Self Control, Self Respect, Discipline, Teamwork, Respect for Authority, and Goal Oriented Service to the society that insures their well being and Freedom.

In case no one has noticed, our Police, Fire and Rescue services all respond under an Authority and Chain of Command. The Liberal Left seems to not understand that system except when 'They' are in Totalitarian command. Our entire system of Democracy functions on a multi-tier system of that discipline.

Many young people of today are feeling Left Out. Feelings of Depression and Loathing of Self, are far too common. Resultant Self Abuse, Self Mutilation and Suicides are not rare. For whatever reasons, Physical, Mental, Lack of Confidence, Athletic Abilities or their personal appearance, they are not easily accepted into the selective, (Inclusive-Exclusive) closed society crowds, of 'beautiful people'

on the campus.

JROTC is not dependent on whether someone can catch a ball, run and throw or kick it, or sink a basket with style and ease. Those are wonderful attributes... to Media worshiping society. Fitting in with peers is a natural desire, whether those peers are honorable or not is an always risky, Sometimes Fatal Choice

The ROTC, it's brotherhood family and even it's possibility of a Military Career to follow, is far better than many choices pushed upon the young adults of today, by a society that is far too self serving. Our Freedom allows Freedom of Choice. Do not allow those Intolerant individuals on the so called 'Liberal' Left, working endlessly, trying to remove it from our way of life.

To obtain support, Fight them with every means at your disposal, and at every opportunity. Call or write Your Representatives and Senators. Attend these 'meetings', voice your opinions. Support our great Military. Our Nations future and Your way of life depend on it.

"One Nation Under God" The United States of America

Pay to Play, Politics

Albuquerque Journal 19 November 2009
Headline "Domenici Campaign Cash Pays Legal Fees".

The article goes on to condemn retired Republican Pete, for doing what all politicians have done. How longtime Republican Senator Pete Domenici (ret) was implicated in the firing of our local U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, among eight during the Republican President Bush administration.

No Media Outrage to the fact that Democrat President Bill Clinton fired 93 U.S. District Attorneys

that he figured would Never support his ambitions. That and the fact that he owed his election to his cadre of influential supporters, other attorneys, and they All wanted cushy Government jobs... Don't we all?

Never mind that Mr. Iglesias was serving his own special interests of preserving the political Kingdom of Democrat Governor of NM, Bill Richardson and the rest of his self serving cadre. Remember Bill Richardson? He ran for President of the United States in 2008. Now word is that Obama likes him again

Maybe to replace useless Hillary, then as his VP for the next term. Remember that Hispanic vote?

I actually supported Bill Richardson

knowing him to be far more knowledgeable than Obama in everything, including Foreign Affairs (Iran Hostage Crisis? Richardson met with the Ayatollah). That he also understands the total importance of Business and the fact he would Never, Ever attempt to destroy America, was of major importance to me.

Bill, who spent his privileged early years in Mexico before moving to Boston where schools prep the Politicos, came to New Mexico because the majority of voters love welfare and big government, also Gary Johnson (previous Republican gov) left the state bank account overflowing. Bill was actually born in Pasadena California, after his mother flew in from Mexico to give birth, HIS Birth Certificate is available any time someone wants to see it.

Failing his nomination run for President Bill had a large Hispanic vote

he threw his support behind Obama who offered him an administration position, Commerce Secretary

(he would have been very good at it) North Koreans love Bill (came to visit him when he was elected Governor of NM). He and Jimmy Carter visited and helped ($$,$$$,$$$ taxpayers dollars) insure that North Korea (Kim Jung Il) would have no problem bringing into operation a 5 mw GE Gas Graphite Nuclear Reactor

under the Clinton Administration. Now wasn't that nice?

The FBI investigation into Richardson's questionable campaign fund sources (Pay to Play) led to Bill Richardson dropping out of that political 'olive branch' offer from Obama. Bill Richardson as some remember, served on Bill Clinton's Administration. Hillary was super ticked in 2008, that He would back Obama and not her. One thing Bill Richardson is, he is politically smart enough to see Hillary Clinton as a looser against mysteriously promoted and 'super funded' Obama.

The details are gradually coming out about the Local U.S. Courthouse Scandal (hundreds of millions {Billions?} of taxpayers dollars missing) and the Federal Indictments that were subsequently filed. They eventually resulted (with new US District atty) in career Political power broker, LULAC

supported Democrat, State Senator Manny Aragon finally being found guilty and sent to Prison

David Iglesias tried his best to NOT file any charges or pursue any legal avenues against his suspected real boss, Bill Richardson.

A couple of Vigils are now in prison or on probation for various money dealings. Usually they transfer to another state job and are told to lie low for a while. State Senator Manny Aragon and Governor Bill Richardson have been cohorts for many years. Bill even 'gave' Manny the Presidency of Las Vegas NM University. Of course he was too corrupt and inept, even Las Vegas NM soon gave him 'the boot'.

"You wash my hands, I'll wash yours" $..with taxpayers money..$ is the way of the Democratic Party. Of course they spin it toward the Republican Party as an evil sin. The Pay to Play scandal is still in FBI investigative motion. Last night on the local TV news, minimum details of one more major twist involving the scandal, was broadcast. State of NM taxpayers, Hundreds of millions of 'graft' dollars involved in the State of NM Billion dollar investment funds belonging to the taxpayers. Even more Pay to Play. Again the Democrats and Bill Richardson naturally, are deeply involved. We won't even talk about "The Stimulus" package, non-existent districts and such, now gradually being exposed...somewhat. Of course they have found a new source of 'Taxpayer' cash...

This morning, 20 November, and also 21 November as well
expecting to read politically 'Unbiased' News and the more in depth details of the latest indictments to be filed, in the 'Unbiased' Albuquerque Journal, I was disappointed.

NO Blaring Headlines on this latest Corruption scandal involving the Democratic Party and the empty bank acounts. NO castigation about who paid who, or even a mention of what is being said for two nights now on the local TV News. Maybe the fact that Bill Richardson hired onto his staff, many of the Albuquerque Journal staff? Well I'll be darned, I never thought that 'Unbiased' News would do such a thing.

And all I endlessly heard on the 'Unbiased' News about the Bush administration was how Corrupt it was. Now some (liberal left) people are incensed about the masses switching over to FOX NEWS.... Now the White House 'Handlers' are trying to ban FOX.

Mike Locksley, Ritchie McKay, UNM

19 November 2009:
The Albuquerque Journal had an interesting article on the front page. The comparison between The last two controversial coaches at UNM

Reading the article and recalling the years of diatribe in the News Media, a concept of just what all has transpired is coming to light. No need to go into details, they are to be found in absolute abundance elsewhere on the internet.

The notable differences. Coach Richie McKay

who has produced many (22 as of 2007) pro basketball players in his extensive career, was Never accused of violence against his assistant coaches. Attendance was lower than the distant past, Glory Years' of the 1970's

In spite of his teams overwhelming winning streak (82-69) under his leadership, he was terminated early at a cost of over half a million dollars. Oh by the way, the Media constantly and endlessly 'whined' that Richie Mckay was an 'Outspoken Christian' that Prayed with his team before games. How Politically Incorrect of him..

Now we have Coach Mike Locksley

in the daily Media

previous Offensive 'Coordinator' from Illinois

(Illinois, Coordinator...Hmmm). He would cost the UNM finance office, over 1.5 million to terminate. The outlook is that he will stay as the head football coach in spite of his record of 0 wins and 10 losses, only 2 games remaining. Each loss results in endless blaming of someone or something. Sounds like the Oval Office of today, blaming a past administration for it's own inability to come up with a winning team strategy Today.

The stands are a mere empty token of what they drew in the past. The season monetary losses are staggering. Locksley's antics are attracting so much attention that the University of NM leaders have resorted to cover-up

on an 'almost' unprecedented scale. Fire him? Nah, he'd love it

BTW he has Never been accused of Praying with the team before any game...
Which is Obvious.

The entire fiasco is defined as such. "Do not ever Pray or mention Christianity in Schools". The courts with the obvious blessings of the people that elect them, have decided it's PC illegal. The Media wholeheartedly endorses this Anti-Christ ruling.

One interesting reality has surfaced in years of observation. "The people get the Leadership they deserve". Enjoy YOUR Coach Locksley, he is exactly the coach that YOU deserve...

Enjoy life in "The United States of America, One Nation Under GOD"

Richard Baca, Benito Lemos, Road Rage or Self Defense?

12 November 2009: Now in the State of New Mexico, we have another 'incident' of somewhat similar description to the Gary Gabaldon, Luke Sanchez

deadly confrontation described several months ago.

Albuquerque Journal

front page Quote @opyrite; "Road Rage or Self Defense?" The sub-title, "Suspect Commented About New Gun on 'My Space", caught my attention right away. The 'GUN' is at the Political Agenda (anti gun) Driven forefront of any article like this.

Choose carefully what you type on 'My Space', or any site. It will be used to paint an Ugly picture of you some day when you least expect it. Richard Baca, a young New Mexico National Guardsman, home on leave from Iraq, is now facing a charge of murder

The recipient of the projectile, Benito Lemos, Previously a Robertson High School football star, a very large man not accustomed to loosing 'respect', left his Escalade SUV, to Escalate a Confrontation with the smaller Baca. He approached Baca's car, reportedly to discuss? a close traffic altercation. A scuffle reportedly ensued. At one point, Baca pulled his weapon and shot Lemos.

Most of the article on the front page, 'presumed' the 'My Space' 'attitude' of Baca and 'The Gun' of course. Nothing like planting pre-judging, which is the media's 'Modus Operandi'. I checked out young Baca's 'My Space' before it was wisely re-configured (now deleted) and found it personally distasteful, but many young people of today fit that description.

The truth of the altercation will come out eventually, but as seen in past occurrences, only after the media has used it's editorial Power to make 'The GUN' the cause of the problem.

The Media is already hard at work, convincing the jury, portraying the victim as a fine young man who worked for the Post office, his mother on TV (you tube) crying "He was a good boy", "He was a Football Star", victimized by a 'Gun' wielding, young Military man looking for trouble. "He was with his family", "They watched as he died". "He was wearing no shoes", "they were going to dinner", On and on, the Media Spin continues, increasing in crescendo.
So predictable.... So divisive.

One other note;
The Media 'Conveniently Forgot' to mention. This same town was in the Media during this last year. The Las Vegas Robertson High School football team 'All-Stars' ganged 'down' several of its youngest players and Sodomized them with a Broom Handle

requiring hospitalization for at least one.

This is a Violent little town, just like most of society today, where the 'Traditional Family' is in shambles because of Moral Values being steadily Ridiculed, Attacked, and Destroyed over the past half century. Now who do you propose we blame for that? Surely can't blame "The Ten Commandments", Liberal Leftists you voted into Government, forced the schools to remove them years ago".

Many stories come out of Las Vegas New Mexico

Most are kept out of the Political, Agenda Driven Media, because a 'Gun' was not involved. When they are, it is usually a 'Drive By' and gets little attention, like society's seldom reported, far more common Baseball Bat Attacks

Unless of course They have a particularly Horrific aspect.

The first item taught in CCW class

"Do Not Escalate any incident, Walk or drive away, Do not Antagonize any person into Violence. AFTERMATH is assuredly a factual result to be dealt with".

Apparently these two, testosterone driven, Macho Bravado young men have never been taught, or disregarded those extremely critical, basic Rules of Engagement with Humanity

Now the price must be paid...by Everyone.

Ryan Vigil, Christopher Midyette, Violent Repeat Offenders?

Career, Violent, Multiple Repeat Offenders

are the nations most serious Crime problem. National Media is obsessed with 'Gun crimes' but fails to notice the escalation of low profile, local crimes. Far, far more of the most violent, are NOT gun related. Brittni Carlini

who's gasolene soaked and burned body was found after she was bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat, the latest weapon of choice among the most violent repeat offenders. ...Baseball Bats should be registered?

In Poland, they actually are prohibited. Naturally creative violent humanity will always find another equally devastating weapon, they always do.

Albuquerque is like every other city in the nation. It is occupied by Violent, Repeat Career Offenders, mingling among unsuspecting, law abiding society. The taxpayer supported legal system pays for the prosecution of these individuals, but it also pays for their defense. The end result is many times, 'plea bargain', reduced sentence, and yet another release, to again stalk defenseless society, of course after serving minimal time for each violation. Great system...for the lawyers.

As young people serving time, the 'Youth Diagnostic Development Center' (YDDC), is nothing more than a training facility.. to inform the 'Perps' of the mistakes that resulted in their capture. They usually (if they pay attention) are much more careful in committing their following crimes. It is very difficult to 'burn' a body leaving no evidence, saw it on TV.

Many of the more adept violent repeat offenders, cut their defenseless victim's body into small pieces before disposing. Don't they read about, or at the least watch TV about the unsolved crimes? I have heard from several previously incarcerated acquaintances, that CSI and the crime shows are the 'most watched' by prisoners....their trade and careers are always in need of 'seminars'.

Ryan Vigil is no stranger to the legal system. Among his extensive 'record', He previously stalked and threatened yet another 14 year old girl. Broke into her family's home (with Chris's help or?), robbed and destroyed it, set it on fire with gasolene and was only then incarcerated, a grave was also found dug in his backyard, ready 'to hold that girl'. When his 'Review Board' met to discuss his release, That girl's family attended, and re-affirmed to the board, "Ryan Vigil is violent" and should be kept incarcerated until 21.

The board, made up of all women 'Mothers', disagreed and set this 'boy' free. He then roamed among society allegedly (not proven) with his friend Christopher Midyette, until yet another young pretty girl crossed his path.

Brittni Carlini's body was discovered on the West Mesa in a shallow grave, doused with gasolene and burned beyond recognition. Now wasn't that unsociable? Someone please call a Taxpayer funded Councilor and find out who to blame for this behavior. Obviously Vigil and Midyette are just in need of some heavy taxpayer funded counseling to address their... habits..

Yet another violent repeat offender, once again incarcerated. Once again the Lawyers provided by the taxpayers of the State, are actively working on his defense plea.
Of course the lawyers for the prosecution, or the investigation process, will probably be found to do something wrong, and the evidence could be, 'In-Admissible'. That happens extremely often...what a system, no wonder we have among the highest crime rates in the entire world ...

Latest update 12Nov09: Ryan Vigil attempted to hang himself in cell

Latest word is Ryan Vigil did not survive his 'cell hanging'. 'Blame Game' is now in full investigative motion, with Media eager to report 'It's Opinion'.

Speculation is;
If Christopher Midyette did not admit to any part in this crime, with his only accuser now gone, and his testimony only 'Hearsay', with NO evidence to tie him to the murder, he will most likely go free. "Innocent until Proven guilty".

Embudito Canyon, Sandia Mountains New Mexico

East of Tramway on Montgomery Blvd, then Left on Glenwood Hills Dr for 1/3 mile, Right on Trailhead Road (sign 'hidden by trees' Embudito Trail) Just a very quick hike today up the Embudito (little funnel) Canyon from the parking lot in the foothills area of Glenwood Hills. The lot is large and many cars are there most of the day. The signs warn about leaving any valuables in the car.

Predators are everywhere in today's society. Most are career repeat offenders, released back into society to prey on the taxpayers that payed both the prosecution and defense attorneys, to get them released from any charges. Job assurance all of the way around.

Obey the warning sign about hours. If the patrol is around, they lock the gates at either 8 or 9 pm depending on time of year. Your car could be stuck there overnight. I always carry a pack designed for overnight, whether I am walking for a couple of hours or all day. You never can be sure about conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

This little hike on the North Eastern edge of Albuquerque, was to check on the waterfall and stream that feeds it. Last time I hiked the canyon, the stream was flowing vigorously from snow melt off the mountain above.

The decayed Granite bed of the Embudito Arroyo is a fairly straight shot up to the granite waterfall. Several other hikers were in the lower arroyo trail this day. Many were walking dogs. The dogs always enjoy the hikes. The entrance offers two separate trails shortly after leaving the parking lot.

The first trail choice is signed 365 and leads along the edge of the city, parallel to Tramway. The left trail within 100 yards (#192) takes you up onto the ridge on the North side of the arroyo. This is the re-routed trail. Eventually you would come out overlooking the small waterfalls and the canyon below. If you continue on up, eventually you would come to a trail to South Peak. From there you can access the trail to the crest or have various alternatives. I would strongly suggest getting a copy of 'Sandia Mountain Hiking Guide' by Mike Coltrin, if you are interested in going further on any of these trails.

This day I stayed in the canyon bottom on the old trail and just enjoyed the hike past cactus and scrub brush and into the shady scrub trees and up into the wet stream bed. A very big Road Runner, like the one Coyote is always trying to catch, let me get within about 20 feet, before running up the edge of the arroyo. He then went about his business of searching for lizards or any prey easily grabbed for a
snack.

One other warning sign informed to be on the lookout for Rattle Snakes. Sometimes they are basking in the sun along side the trails, so stay alert and away from the out crops of brush while you walk. The bed of the arroyo is wide and gradually climbs for about a half mile to the two concrete water reservoirs set in place to hold an amount of water for Deer, or any other thirsty critters in dry periods. Many animal tracks were visible this early morning.

The lower tank was dry and the upper tank was full. The tanks are in need of maintenance. Some of the wall area is decayed and the upper tank leaks before the overflow into the lower tank can be transferred. I continued to climb above the tanks into the big rocks comprising the waterfall. Years ago an effort was made to support the ledge which forms the waterfall in wet periods. The concrete and support pipes are still visible on the base foundation.

I continued up the worn granite surface with its grit polished 'tilt', offering little traction. Another younger couple turned back at this point because the woman felt intimidated by the slick rock scramble. Soon I was alone and still climbing. The second rock waterfall is a little more tricky. It is about 6 feet high but has an outcropping ledge to step on while scrambling higher.

At this point, I just stopped and watched the dozen or so very small gray birds that escorted me this far. It seems they enjoy flitting from bush to bush, ahead of hikers until they reach some predetermined area, then returning back down the trail to start over with the next human of interest.

Seeing as I was alone on this hike, I saw no need to risk going much higher through the huge rocks in the stream bottom this day. As I made the descent back to the tanks, I noticed many large rocks thrown into the reservoirs. Taking off my backpack, I set to the job of pulling them all out.

That water is freezing cold. My hands got numb from the repeated dunks. After many sun warmings, I had the rocks all out and packed near the concrete outer edge and then carried many handfulls of decayed granite to pack around them, somewhat stemming the waste of water pressure at the tank's cracked edge.

This endeavor may eventually help fill the second tank. The frequent flash flooding through the canyon, starts the eroding process all over again. The mountain neighborhood association apparently cleans away the loose granite that fills the tanks from time to time. The flow transfer pipes are filled and no longer work except for one direct pipe about 2 inches in diameter.

I may try to locate some hydraulic cement at a future date and try to repair the crack in the first tank. It takes a little work to carry in supplies. This is a National Forest and only non mechanized forms of transportation are allowed. The time was past lunch and I brought no sandwich this day, so began the trek back down to the car. The rabbit I saw on the hike up, was in the same spot on the way down. It must feel comfortable in that area.

Most of the cars that were parked or parking when I got there, were now gone. A few still waited for their owners to return. This trail system has many alternative routes. Most trails interconnect to other parking lots along the western face of the Sandia Mountains. If you plan your hikes, leave a second vehicle at the destination of your choice.

The possibility of going all of the way to the top, about a vertical mile above the city, is always a fun prospect..if you are abundant in the energy category. The City of Albuquerque has acquired hundreds of acres of 'Open Space' interwoven into the edges of the National Forest. Many trails are multi-use, such as horses and bicycles, so be alert for sharing the trails.

The time I spent leisurely hiking the trail on this day, was about three hours. Of course the tank work took up some of it and my frequent stops to enjoy the silence, used even more time. Being retired gives me that luxury to enjoy our USA up close and personal. "One Nation Under God" as it has always been.

California motor home tour part 8

After leaving the New Hogan Lake Reservoir

campground late, we ended up at bustling and prosperous Modesto California

and our overnight stop, in the long mall 'near' the 24 hour busy basic Walmart store. Ernest and Julio Gallo (wines) came to fame in this fertile valley. Modesto also was the home of 'young' George Lucas.

His teenage years there, prompted him to do a film about that environment. American Graffiti

was a hit. George Lucas became a hit. Harrison Ford ('Falfa', black 55 Chevy) became a hit. Many of the young actors and actresses went on to fame and fortune including Suzanne Summers as the mysterious blond in the white T bird. The song Green Onions

by Booker T and the MG's, became even more popular after 'the Race' scene. Modesto never let Lucas film there, he had to film in Petaluma. They nonetheless celebrate American Graffiti as their accomplishment.

This stop introduced us to the McCoy's. RV Full timers for 13 years. He is a former building contractor, businessman, self educated Independant

Preacher that is truly 'In the Word'. No 'feel good' (false) Emergent Church

preaching like so many popular celebrities of today. We spent the evening in fellowship and discussion at their Motor Home close by.

McCoy told us of going to his family burial plot at Kelseyville California. Ironic to followers of The Legendary American 'Family Feud' history

is the fact that the 'Hatfields' are buried right next to his MCoy family. Must have followed each other from Kentucky. :>) His wife's family is from Texas border, Tatum NM.

McCoy told a story about the blacks that were getting shot in battle more than the whites. When the order was given to "Get Down", "they all got up and started Dancing". (American joke, not fully understood by all)
_____________________________________________________
Arizona side notes:

The McCoys winter, dry camping 20 miles from the Colorado river in the Bureau of Land Management, Public desert near Quartzite Arizona

with many hundreds of thousands (millions?) of other 'Snowbirds'.

The desert floor, covered in hundreds of thousands of motor homes and camping trailers, looks like white sugar cubes were strewn about, when viewed from atop the mile high terrain to the north, coming from tourist ghost town, Jerome Arizona

The main crossroads of Quartzite (I-10 and State rd 95) have a limited number of RV parks with full hook-up facilities. Reservations are a necessity to obtain one of these valuable seasonal sites 'in town'.

During the winter, many specialized shows and entertainment venues visit Quartzite. It is NEVER lacking in things to do. The Quartzite 'Flea Market Faire' is well known for it's huge size and diversity of wares, food and services. This is also a reserved affair to get the best section of the 'checkerboard maze'. Take a set of two-way radios so that you can find each other after your feet tire of the miles of walking through these 'city blocks' of well plotted tent booths.

The desert dry camping is basically free after paying a minor fee for BLM access recreational use. There are water tankers and holding tank (honey) pumpers to service the 'Boondocking' campers on demand.

Cultural Cuisine snacks are always available from enterprising vendors. This impromptu city of many hundreds of thousands (millions?) of temporary residents, disappears as soon as the weather starts to warm. The 'snowbirds' then take flight back to their northern places of origin, which they fled at the first sign of winter. This mass exodus, leaving tiny Quartzite to return to it's basic population of around a hundred hearty souls. The flaming, desert summer heat will fry any human body into a piece of dried meat similar to Jerky.
____________________________________________________

Leaving our interesting Modesto California overnight stop near a great Goodwill store, and heading south from Stockton California

beginning of the amazingly engineered California Aquaduct

near Sacramento's 'reverse' (rare) Delta, then southeast onto California State Route 99

across endless irrigated, highly productive, valley farmland and countless miles of vineyards in various stages of precision management.

This is a major North/South California interconnect between dozens of small towns, serving the agriculture communities, toward busy, industrious Bakersfield California

Turning East onto California State Route 58

This nations breadbasket is more like the produce capital of the world, providing over 25% of the nations food. A super market of unimaginable, year around variety and volume, without which our nation could ever survive.

The story of this fertile, well managed area, was told and politically exagerated in Grapes of Wrath

by Steinbeck (Hollywood movie followed). Most of the desperate starving masses from The Dust Bowl

(a manmade ecological disaster) immediately left and went where the weather was warm enough to sleep with minimal shelter.

A highly productive place where limited food and jobs were available. Smart move if you were tough enough. The inability of the farms to immediately assimilate 200,000 of the massive influx, was of course political reason to blame The Farmers for the conditions in the drifters and immigrants own 'Refuge Camps' (like the inner cities of today). Those that were talented, survived by their wits, and eventually became prosperous. Their descendants are among the 'Old Settler' families of today.

The story of those truly courageous, unbelievably tough and resourceful people, is told here. These are the people that 'Settled' this fertile land, and Made it a State, preparing it for the rest of the folks to come to, live and prosper. Their story is somehow forgotten in our 'Freedom and Equality for all', 'Taken for Granted' society. The California Trail

I sincerely doubt anyone of today's average intelligence could survive this Journey of Opportunity and Hope, through incredible risk and hard work..

Today every imaginable type of food is grown here with the meticulously engineered water system, rationing the precious drops of water to each plant's and tree's root system. The huge canals, fed by Dams high in the mountains, alternately fill and drain as the life giving seasonal moisture is available.

The countless millions of nut and fruit trees, vineyards included, are carefully removed when old, replaced with new, rotated and intermixed in a system designed to keep the land managed in positive financial productivity at each stage of it's use. The fertilizers are carefully monitored and rationed due to cost, to provide only the barest necessity directly at the plants root system. This food growing miracle has to be seen to comprehend. It would take a lifetime to just basically understand it's major engineering aspects. The California Central Valley

There are those in Congress and other Political powers including administrations appointees, that would raise taxes on the farm land, impose stringent regulations (water limits) on the farms, forcing selling of the land, promote housing and a huge population influx, at the cost of the fertile valley farmland, to obtain even more votes (political power) from the populace. All in the name of having more clear, fresh mountain water available to flush toilets with nice clean, clear fresh water, for the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles.

ANY Bloviating, Pandering, politician including his/her misguided political party, that tries to destroy this engineering miracle, is to be run out of office at election time. This fragile section of the USA which grows 25% of the food consumed in our USA, is crucial to your own life as well as future generations. Private enterprise, profit and constant innovation is what drives this amazing food machine.

Leaving this immense fertile California Central Valley toward the east, on California State Route 58, climbing the pass through the mountainous Sierra Nevada's toward Mohave, Boron and Barstow California

is always a lower gear event for miles and miles (hours). These seasonally arid desert mountains are really a chain series of volcanic rock, uplifted rock hills covered with a thin, fragile soil and native golden grasses this time of year. The Golden State gets it's name from this picture perfect, golden landscape, stretching to the horizons.

Barstow, also a major rail terminal, is at the junction of highways California State Route 58

I-15

I-40

Three Large shopping malls were developed on highway I-15 coming from San Bernadino. Their location is about 3 miles (4.8km) southwest of Barstow. Basically only Tanger, the latest one is left, It's parking is within the vast open 'C' shape of the store layout. This popular design seen across America, seems to be more attractive to the shopping public. The other two poorly designed layouts of Barstow Malls, are virtually abandoned.

The huge vacant parking lots located far behind (poor design) the abandoned Barstow Malls, are sometimes used for overnight parking like we do when traveling from destination to destination. The red lettered signs posted, read 'No Trespassing'. This always makes my co-pilot navigator nervous, but a short prayer clears us of fret. No overambitious security guard ran us off on this night. The desert wind subsided after dark, we slept well.

Morning gave us the opportunity to refuel at Love's Travel Stop

nearby, then drive the Jeep into town for breakfast at the big Barstow Station

fast food facility. McDonalds, Quizno's, Panda and Mexican food courts are busy serving bus loads of tourists. Interesting complex due to the several large, restored rail passenger cars used as dining rooms, built into and around the unique train station design. Barstow was and still is, a major rail hub. The historic Harvey House

is now a city complex and museum. My wife's 'colorful' aunt, was a Harvey Girl here and elsewhere, during it's famous past with movie stars and personalities staying in the hotel and traveling through.

Needles California

is pretty sparse and summertime HOT, not a lot of action, other than the Colorado River, survival and replenishment services to tourists passing through. We searched for on the GPS, and found a small baseball park named after a distant relative.

Fuel in California is higher in cost, than in Arizona. If possible, wait until you are across the state line to fuel up. Several times the cost was posted at way over $3 dollars per gallon in highly taxed, regulated and restricted California, while the national average was $2.48. Arizona fuel, was at $2.45 per gallon (3.8 L) in Lake Havasu Love's on I-40.

Lake Havasu Arizona

we stayed at the old vacant shopping mall where Walmart used to be located. It's old site unoccupied, now is relocated 5 miles (8km) north in a new Mall, 12 miles (19km) south of I-40. The nearly vacant now Big Lots Mall was really quiet. The prayer worked for the previous nights stay, so we needed it again on this night. I walked a few miles around our overnight 'campsite' after dusk, checking out the area camping trailer and boat dealers. Lots of them in Lake Havasu area.

Mostly high performance Hot Boats with 'devil may care' names like 'Hell Bitch' along with numerous deck and party boats. This is a devil may care, destination for the sexually active, 'alcohol soaked', young and reckless, during spring break from schools. The summer heat will burn away the top layer of skin on the human body leaving a layer of wrinkled old leather to last the rest of your life. Winter, early spring and fall are the only humane times to come here for recreation.

Morning started our drive across the desert climb toward Flagstaff Arizona

This desert is, at times covered in brightly colored blooming cactus. Fuel economy really suffered on the climb through this scenic mountainous desert. Williams Arizona

is the site for catching the trains to the Grand Canyon. Never miss any opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon. Now 'that' is a massive ecological disaster with totally uncontrolled erosion decimating the landscape in every direction. Some previous government administration, really dropped the ball in preventing this scar exposure of the most ancient core rock on this earth. Places where The Great Unconformity

is exposed. 1.2 Billion years of earth's geologic history, 25% is missing? Flagstaff topped out at 7,300 feet altitude with snow already capping the mountain nearby. Sam's Club fuel was at $2.40, so topped off for final run to Albuquerque.

As you drive along this modern I-40 and Cal I-15 to San Bernadino, watch for old pavement to either side, much narrower than the interstate, going over hills and down through dry arroyos with old narrow bridges. This stretch of I-40 and southwest on I-15 is also parallel to the old Historic Route 66

stretching from Chicago, through St Louis Missouri like The Song Rt 66

On through "See Amarillo, and Gallup New Mexico", "Winslow Arizona, don't forget Winona", Barstow, San Bernadino. Many access points are posted so that the true history explorer can drive on that historic pavement and view the remains of long lost and abandoned gas stations, with hundreds of old decaying roadside attractions, all across the western half of this nation. Experience this historic ambiance before it all disappears into the mists of the past.

Do not miss the scenic desert loop highways. Highways featuring Meteor Crater, off the highway near the colorful Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest with it's giant solid rock logs strewn about. Volcanic cinder is mined from ancient volcanic cones, to mix into the highway topping. This accounts for the reddish tint to many Arizona highways featured in magazines, still seen today.

One more overnight at the newest Walmart in Gallup New Mexico

Old one is still on the GPS, (need latest update from Garmin).
While there, we ate some good McDonalds wrap snacks, for late afternoon and breakfast. We could count on our one hand, the number of non-native Americans shopping and working in that huge store. Gallup is truly 'The Indian Capital' of America. Nights sleeping fine, not noisy, no 'boom boxes', but a few dozen long trains rolling through, across the I-40 from where we parked. Large trucks and motor homes totaled about two dozen vehicles near our area that night. Fuel economy averaged over 10 mpg from Flagstaff on the trip into Albuquerque. Not bad for the trip totals we experienced climbing through the incredibly scenic, mountainous western states of the USA.

Home in ABQ and one last fuel fill with additives to store the vehicle in the 'ready state'. We had stopped and drained the holding tanks at the Flying J outside ABQ. While there, we gave a heavy shot of soap water into the black water tank to 'slosh flush' it clean on the drive home for storage. Drained and power rinsed it into our own dump tube into our home system. This finally freed up the internal tank 'power sprayer'.

Removed the anode plug and flushed out the hot water tank deposits with a self designed cleaning wand. With the navigators help, blew out the water lines with compressed air for winter storage. Unloaded the coach of all clothing and food. Now the oil change and lube I do myself. Next I do the wash and wax for the winter. Next trip is in the spring, so we will be ready after the weather warms up in Texas. Looking forward to the next trip now. Planning options already underway (Motor Home magazine) no matter where or when we eventually go.

At home now, sorry our 'reality show' is ended. Great trip of 5 1/2 weeks and 3,700 miles, across our (western portion) great nation. 24-7 worth of countless long trains, double stacked with huge containers, and 24-7, endless thousands of big trucks also loaded with whatever we consume, rolling like a chain of ribbons, across the.... 'always under construction'....interstates.

Everything is still functioning as it always has.... "So long as no one tinkers with the controls"..., This fantastic free enterprise nation has an 'auto-pilot' that is always visible whenever we travel. It throttles itself like a well engineered machine.

California efficiently grows everything for the hungry masses and the transport system delivers the goods. People are not starving, matter of fact we saw happy fat people on this trip just like always before. Times are still great, We will survive like we always have. The USA is worth keeping and fighting for. This years 'Research' trip is done. Spring trip is just around the corner (winter corner) Hang in there.

Turn off the 'mind altering' TV. Read between the lines in your daily news Spin. Contact your Senators and Representatives often to remind them of your concerns. Travel and see our USA first. The rest of the world can wait.........and wait......and wait..... :>)
"One Nation Under GOD" The United States of America.

California Oregon Motor Home tour part 7

Left Brooking's Oregon

on U.S. Highway 101

to temporarily drive East through Northern California. The California checkpoint is finicky about fruit from unknown farms. Peel the un-labeled oranges or eat the restricted fruit first. Our bagged 'Tangelos' were judged to be ok. Absolutely No firewood is allowed. This is to protect the trees in California from parasites. Vehicles are randomly inspected so don't try to hide the 'Buggy' fruit or firewood.

My Navigator and Co-Pilot wife, discovered long ago, no easy freeway out of coastal Southern Oregon. The California Pacific Coast highway 101 is also a beautiful drive down along the Pacific ocean. We did it the first trip and found that the further south you drive, the California traffic becomes much more intense and un-forgiving than Oregon's. We now enter the northern part of California and loop eastward north of Crescent City at a hard to spot 'partial Interchange' onto the 80 miles (129km) of Hwy 199, a return back into Medford Oregon

to work our way onto I-5 south through California.

The California, Jedidiah Smith Redwood Forest Highway

is almost mystic. The huge trees and their silence is another touring cyclists dream. The Old Redwood Highway 199

is tricky for the large coach. No room for error or poor judgement on this narrow and winding pavement. Prayers work to delay meeting a big logging truck on a narrow blind curve with drop off's at the pavement edge. The storm left a soft bed of Redwood needles on the pavement. Soft rain was still falling intermittently, and added to the quieting effect of this really fascinating drive.

Well known Pennington Farms

on the Williams Highway, is our slight detour destination. After coming to one 'Y' in the road that our little GPS 'Gypsy' did not acknowledge, we were fortunate to ask another utilities driver. We had finally used up Pennington Farms little jars of homemade preserves and breads from our last trip. Time to restock our pantry with their excellent home farm-made products which are advertised in the Country Living magazine

Medford Oregon

is a nice little city in an agricultural valley. Mild weather, somewhat like Albuquerque's, attracts us to this area. North on the Crater Lake highway is Eagle Point and the newer Walmart we overnight at. Provisions are replenished, this night's walking is wet and rainy.

Crater Lake

is definitely a 'not to be missed' point of interest.
We described our visit last year in October. A Jeep drive around Medford, found our little bargains like a really old 'Salty', fringed leather motorcycle jacket, at thrift stores, our frequent pastime during trips.

Leaving Oregon for the trip south into California again, toward photogenic Mount Shasta

was emotional. You never know for sure if you will ever return again, and the great memories are still fresh. This section of California Interstate highway 5

is one scenic view after another. Snow covered, Majestic Mount Shasta plays 'hide and seek' as the miles drift by. Residences on the higher slopes are experiencing winter already. Yreka California

is a touristy little town, warm in the summer, wet in the winter. Gold mining brought in the population for 'the Diggins'.

Before dusk, we come to our random destination of a campground for the night. The first pick of my Navigator, Castle Crags State Park

(hiking), with many sites, was not easily accessed by the 34 ft (10.3m) coach. A turn around was in the entrance, so using our Corps of Engineers map, a little further south she found The little hidden away U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

Lake Shasta National Park campground

Our Golden age Passport gives us a great 50% discounted rate of 7.50 to 9 dollars for each night. Built by The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1948, this little park is another well kept secret. Flood Control, Irrigation, Recreational Boating and fishing are Lake Shasta's main duties. Summer temperatures here, can often climb into the 115+ degree range, so plan accordingly. Rainfall was 15 to 18 inches (381/457 mm) on the previous DAY, yes one Day. Average rainfall is seasonally in excess of a hundred inches per year. Other campgrounds with facilities for boat storage, are nearby.

No hook-up service, a few sites (short), but nice quiet forest near a really low Lake Shasta (on this day). A train passed by in the night, but not too loudly. No night animals on my nightly hike. The smell of Skunk, drifted on the night air but no encounter with the little critter. Local man, camping and boating here from nearby Weed

said that this shallower portion of the lake, fluctuates drastically with irrigation, always increasing domestic demands, and mountain precipitation. It only took two years to fill Lake Shasta. With rapidly increasing human demands, it empties almost as fast.

The next days drive continued south on I-5 through Redding California

which holds the record for high temperatures north of the 40th parallel, then began our trip down through the always amazing 400 mile length of the California Central Valley

through farmland and irrigated orchards. We then took exit 619 onto California hwy 32, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Black Butte Reservoir, which has another great camping facility. The 12 mile (19.3k) drive was misleading. The road winds through rolling farmland with Goats, Cows and hay fields. Irrigation from the reservoir dam, built around 1963, provides the water, cows and hay do the rest with the help of the farmers. Flood control and Recreation are the reservoir's main functions.

This was a different type of easily accessible campground. Many large and small trees were present on the dry rolling hills with lots of grasslands. Deer were everywhere. The boating friendly reservoir was somewhat low because the runoff does not start until spring snow melt from the mountains, along with seasonal rainfall. My evening was spent talking to a group of local campground hosts from several of the last years.

Ceifus Johnson told his stories along with the other ex-hosts in camp. He and his wife also caught a 'Bluegill' about 3 inches long, threaded it on his stringer and brought it as a trophy, back to camp. We all laughed. I did my evening walk, seeing no little animals down near the shoreline. Numerous large white Pelicans out on the lake, and lots of other smaller birds were around the campsites during the day.

The next morning, as I was dumping the holding tanks, I watched as a large 'Critter' walked toward some big rocks. I called out to my wife. She was walking in that general area. It was a large Mountain Lion

She got her camera and the next half hour was spent playing 'hide and seek' with this beautiful cat. It was young, about 5 to 6 feet from nose to tail, and would hide in the tall grass and dis-appear, only to re-appear again, watching us from the base of another big tree.

The view at times, was only a pair of pointed ears, peering at us through the tall grass. Other times, the big cat walked cautiously across a distant trail, pausing to look at my wife as she tried to get a good tele-photo picture. We told the ranger in the next 'Corps' Campground about our 'fun cat' sighting. He said it is rare to see Mountain Lion during the day. Obviously the great quantity of Deer, attracted this top carnivore to this park. The dozens of Deer, always aware and on the alert, kept their distance but seemed to not mind this big cat's presence...as long as they could see him.

The next morning we headed south across more heavily high tech irrigated, and carefully farmed California landscape of the Central Valley

endlessly growing produce for a hungry world. Across many large irrigation channels toward the busy produce hub of Stockton California, we proceeded. East of pretty little 'Lodi' on highway 12, is The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Hogan Lake

Campground.
Acorn Camping area is to be our nights stay in this large park. Our Golden Age card worked to discount the cost of the night 1/2. Deer as well as wild Turkey are easily seen during the day. The lake is noted for it's 'Smallmouth Bass' among many other fish.

A nice stainless steel fish cleaning table is next to one of the many great restroom facilities. This campground is very popular with people like Mat and Kate from Modesto California

Within only an hour drive, this young couple camped under the stars in the bed of their Mazda pickup. Their young Pomeranian, woke up before they did and nervously contemplated jumping down from the truck bed to take it's morning 'whiz' on a nearby tree.

Kate worked in the world famous, Modesto wine growing industry. Vineyards are extremely prevalent in California. She mentioned selling over-stocks of wine through various outlets at times. I found one such amazing over-stock at a 'dollar store' on the last trip. Kate said to stop in at any Vineyard for a 'wine tasting', You are always welcome.

On my nightly walk with the little red LED's. I saw beady little glowing red eyes, hiding and watching from the brushy grassland ditches near the paths. At one point, I studied the interesting animal for characteristics. Cat like, with a long ringed tail. Not only one cat, but two in different areas of the park. I had just finished reading an illustrated book about our Sandia Mountains in New Mexico.

In it, the Ring Tailed Cat

was pictured. Dating from the fascinating 'Pleistocene' period

Now 'that' is Climate Change. But this little cat like, Racoon is really durable and obviously 'time tested'. It's fast, can climb trees, up and down easily with hind feet that can twist 180 degrees. Nocturnal and good at remaining motionless, it is rarely observed. Get your combination LED headlamp at Walmart sporting goods. With them, you will find all sorts of night creatures watching you from the darkness as you walk along silently.

The next morning we saw a Red-tailed Hawk as we drove over to nearby San Andreas

in Mark Twain's famous 'Calaveras County' of California. The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

is one of Twain's tales. This little historic mining town, burned itself out several times in the 1850's. Finally they rebuilt with bricks so that it stands as a pleasant little tourist stop today.

More of this trip south through California, will be posted within a day or so.

Oregon Coast Motor Home Camping part 6

Posted 22 October: Brooking's Harbor Oregon

is just north of the California state line. The drive south from our last Winchester Bay, Marina harbor campsite (cheap), then through Coos Bay

Old Mill Casino (free overnight). This drive is always great and has lots of side turnouts and state parks. The huge 6000 year old sand dunes with their pine forests, are the hills through which the highway 101 winds. Lakes and ponds are all along this part of Oregon.

Brooking's Harbor RV Marina is our new home for a week. It has one private residence set up nearby with it's own little lighthouse above the harbor's south beach shoreline. Seals, Crabbing and Salmon along with the boats are interesting, changing attractions. Storms including dense fogs along this beautiful, massively rock strewn shoreline, are always a possibility, oceans are unpredictable.

Mariner's Memorial:
"I must go down to the sea,
again to the lonely sea
and the sky
and all I ask is a tall ship
and a star to steer her by"

Storm 16 August 1972 victims Memorial:
Richard B Crook, Joel M Crook, John M Crook,
"Dixie Lee"- Clayton Dooley
"Ro-Ann"- Joe F Leoni. "Mindy Lynn"- Robert W Scott. "Bounding Main"- Dennis Main, Mathew Main. "Karen 1"- Virginia Friend Brian Friend William Friend jr.

1986 Michael R Goergen, 1993 Jim Irwin, 1996 Richard Rigel, 1997 Scott Carlson, 1962 Carl Collier, 1978 Donald E Corzine, 1980 Ralph R Hughes, 1980 Kerry D Smith, 1980 Deborah C Brown, 1981 Paul E Vines jr, 1981 Douglas Nelson, 1981 Tommy Oglesbee, 1980 James V Lockhart, 1983 Joseph Santo, 1984 Raymond Hall, 1985 Pat Longtain, 1985 Stuart Klinefelter, 1986 Richard Erb, 1989 Lester E Miller, 1989 Janet M Hartman. All lost their lives at sea in storms. All range in age from 10 to 72. All from the Brookings Harbor area.

This small stone memorial with mounted brass ships wheel, within a small garden, is located near the U.S. Coast Guard station. Nearby is the 44 foot Motor Lifeboat, 44385 being preserved and restored by the Southern Oregon Coast Maritime History Preservation Society. The U.S.Coast Guard's two latest 47 foot Motor Lifeboats are docked nearby. They train often when the weather is 'worthy'.

These pelicans were busy several times each day, entertaining us with their antics as we watched through the windshield from the captains chairs. Gulls rode on their backs waiting to steal a fish from them as they tried to gulp it down.

The harbor cats are still prowling the jetty and also their custom built 'cat house' near the docks by the Marina RV park. The 'cat ladies' of Brooking's Harbor, still visit daily, feed and spay them using donations from the cat loving public. The weather is harsh on the jetty, puzzling how these beautiful cats survive. I walk the jetty at night with a set of red LED's mounted on my cap. The cats eyes are not blinded by the red LED's and their eyes light up like bright red reflectors hiding among the huge, rough cut stones. Years ago, about 20 lived in the jetty, are now down to 5 of so.

The fog was thick and the evening harbor walks were cold. Next trip will have to be earlier in the year, if this chilling pattern continues, each year earlier as it has for the last 6 years. More of this 'Global Warming' and it will be another Little Ice Age.

Walking the harbor always finds interesting people at leisure, willing to describe this fishing method. Watching the dozens of small boats endlessly and orderly, doing long circuits of the harbor entrance between the jetties. Wild Salmon are lying there in wait of the rainfall to start the mountain streams and rivers running. Their migration from their years at sea, has come.

The urge to make their run upstream and spawn their next generation, is irresistable. The Salmon will still hit a good lure or anchovy bait. Each day the many dozens of fishermen (2 to 4 per boat) and a few fisherwomen, pull about a dozen total big Salmon from the harbor entrance. On these days, 34 to 40 boats are visible at a time.

The water must be about 53 degrees for the Salmon to feel comfortable. They are ranging around 30 to 40 or more pounds and about 30 inches in length. So far all have been wild fish on their natural migration route. 'Jack' as well as an occasional Ling Cod, are also reeled in. Only two Chinook are legally allowed each person, each year.

The true fishing devotees, then resort to standing on the shore and taking pictures as the others continue to fish in their elongated circuits between the jetties. It is as well, a spectator sport here. Lots of cheering, clapping and whistling whenever someone has one on the line and even more as they net it aboard. The other aspect of this sport, is to watch the others performance during the procedure, and judge whether they did well or poorly in the process.

The judging of craft quality and how each handles, is yet another aspect to this spectator sport. If you own a top quality craft with all of the whistles and bells, you are expected to perform equally, if not better. Woe be unto the owner of an expensive boat, an amateur that does not know what he is doing. Something as minor as the way a hooked fish is netted aboard, or wrong drag adjustment of the persons reel, is instantly detected from shore.

Each day the Salmon linger in the harbor, is yet another days enjoyment for everyone. The 'Pilot' local newspaper, documents and reports each noteworthy catch with full size pictures. Of course the story of how the person made the catch and the equipment used, is featured. The coming storm will end most of this fun. The wild Salmon will make their upstream run, leaving the Chetco Harbor entrance for their last time.

Fishing as well as Crabbing from the high public pier, west of the U.S Coast Guard Station in the harbor, is extremely popular every day. An innovative local man called 'Pineapple' (Hawaiian), manufactures and sells his popular stainless steel versions of the 'Butterfly' traps. They are made in various sizes and can be thrown like a frisbee or cast out by rod and reel, to open and lay on the bottom. They are baited with chicken or fish, held in a center mesh pocket of Pineapple's own design. After a time spent on the bottom, pull them in and check for legal Dungeness crab, males over 5.75 inches wide. Sometimes a Seal will grab the trap if baited with large Salmon scraps, and swim away with it. During season, many locals also venture offshore into the larger waves to place traps and return later to retrieve their 'booty'.

Large Commercial fishing boats that also fish Kodiak Alaska, with names like Haida, Little Joe, Wahoo

and Miss Sarah

are based in Brookings Harbor. Miss Sarah is my favorite because of the 'storm of the Century' 2003. We were camping here when she was turned sideways and partially lifted onto the high rock jetty by a following wave. No minor feat because Miss Sarah is about 95 feet long. Her jetty mounting 'action' picture was captured by Scott Graves of 'The Pilot' newspaper. Scott's excellent mounted photography is now sold in local gift shops. I bought one for the great memory.

The 34ft 'Helen Marie' is owned and operated by Lonnie holding two licenses. After 13 years at the local lumber processing plant, rising to top 'Sawyer', he returned to the sea like his father before him. Working 'Helen Marie' with his crew of 3, Lonnie totaled about 13 tons of fish and crab last year. Considering she is the second smallest commercial boat in the harbor, that is very notable. She sells her crab, tuna and salmon, fresh and iced in 'sno-cone', to restaurants.

After being built in 1948, she served for many years as a 'Tug' in Sausolito Harbor in California. She now runs 600 crab traps in season, and most times 10 hooks from outriggers with her stabilizing 'birds' in the water.
Today I walked over to the loading dock and watched as she returned without a lot of crabs. No guarantees of profit in this unpredictable, very risky business. The 'Hungry Clam' near the Brookings Harbor launch area, is our little seafood cafe of choice. Their clam chowder actually has clams in it..

Kenny from Idaho, is still working as graveyard 'port security' for Brookings Harbor. He has been here for 14 months. They must like his work. On days off, he drives his truck into the mountains and cuts up big 'Red Fir' logs, splits and sells them as firewood from his large Port paid, RV site on the north end of the RV lots, near the kite park. We entered his name in the 'painted bears' drawing in town, hope he wins. Fely's Cafe in the shared laundry building, is still open 7 days a week. Her hamburgers, bisquits and gravy, along with her other 'beach food', is a legendary staple.

Alex from Hayden Lake Idaho, is working in Brooking's as a welder on the new backup power distribution line. After work he is busily throwing his 'Pineapple' designed crab 'butterfly' traps off the city pier. Alex finds the 'red rock' crabs tastier than the Dungeness. Back home in Idaho, he fishes his 24 foot Sea Ray on the lakes.

The owners of the double ended sailing vessel, 'Torrey Pines' with it's dingy named 'Pine Cone', have finished their project. They are preparing to head out to sea in the spring. Their ocean voyage will take them far from Brookings Harbor Oregon. I wrote about their project last year in October. Nice to see it looking so great. Have a super voyage with fair winds, Torrey Pines.

Tim, the ex-contractor turned full time surfer, was out this afternoon. The waves were not really big but he got in a few good rides before they lost there 'shape' and got 'gnarly' and dark. The storm is approaching, the thunder waves are rapidly growing in intensity, and the Pacific Ocean is getting interesting. The winds are supposed to be near 50 MPH so the shade tarps covering the 'live aboard' boats at the dock were taken in and the hatches were battened down.

One 'live aboard' I spoke with on his 55 foot motor cruiser, said it should be the first real storm of the season. Another 'live aboard' went out yesterday on his 34, and said that with his 'Jib' and 'Main Sail' only, he was going much faster than he anticipated. Rain is starting now, the Salmon should start getting their first sniff of mountain water soon, and begin their upstream journeys. Small towns upstream have 'Return of the Salmon' festivals.

Brookings Harbor is considered in the 'banana belt' of Oregon. The safest harbor.. Temps from low 50's at night to 74 high during the days now.
These trees show the type of wind power on the high bluffs over the shoreline. The City water treatment plant is also Chetco Point Park

follow this trail up and across the bridge, hike out onto the farthest end of the rocky outcropping plateau during any storm. As you stand on the huge section of lava rock, the size of a football field, it shudders with each large wave as it thunders into the chasms far below. The violent waves of the Pacific Ocean are reclaiming the coast of Oregon, one bite at a time.

This coastal storm pictured below, the result of a typhoon near Japan, is wailing on us right now in it's Oregon birthing pains. The motor home is rockin' and rollin'. Often, big shudders are shakin' our timbers. We never camped in the front line on the shore during anything like this before. The rain is horizontal and intermittant. The WX report indicates 50 mph winds at peak. We have experienced that before and still stayed on our wheels. Big trucks roll over at side winds above 60 mph. We have not tried that trick before.

A big lake is forming then draining, in the beach parking lot in front of us. During heavy winter storms, the water is reported to be three feet deep across these RV parking sites. Many of the campers have already left and are still leaving early. Only the foolish ones like us, and the one visible in the camera (link below), are still here. The waves are getting bigger by the hour. The ocean is now a dark green-gray with the whitecaps starting to form much further out than before. Storm is hugging the coast from the south. Eerie sunlight pokes through from time to time.

The waves had been only about 5 to 6 feet high in front of us, but now growing faster and moving faster. The large ones that break before shore, are following each other at much closer intervals. The U.S. Coast Guard station has the Harbor Bar warning lights flashing.

The Coastie's have just returned from playing in the bigger waves offshore, on their 47 foot motor lifeboat

We had driven out onto the inner harbor river jetty, to look at the entrance... big waves in the entrance mouth with the inner harbor nice and calm. The winter swells raise and lower the floating docks on their big tidal guide pilings. In Newport Marina, I saw rub marks, ten feet above the normal on the tall pilings.

We are parked in the front row of the camping line facing the Pacific Ocean about 25 yards in front of us. This is the camera link below. We are at the far end of the street in the lower left picture. Today the south camera is facing into the water sprayed wind, so pretty fuzzy images. The locals are driving down to park and watch this little storm build.

The winter removal of the long aluminum beach ramps by motor crane, started as we were leaving. During winter storms, the swells and waves are over 3 feet above this pavement. On the port web cam link below, most times the roadway facing the beach, looks mellow with vehicles parked facing the seawall. The harbor looks calm and peaceful with people fishing from the high city pier visible at distance. The closer low dock is at the Coast Guard Station and sometimes has a resident sea Lion lounging on it.

Port webcam

That white water in front of the seawall, 'was' the beach. Even with all it's bluster, this little storm is a wimp in comparison to the one we watched in 2003 early November.

Taken through the coach window, Jetty straight ahead. The rain is hitting like bullets, the wind is getting much stronger and the entire rig is shuddering like it is in an earthquake. We may have a little damage from this 'blow' by the nights end. We just retracted the windward slide out room, after hearing sounds we never heard before. Did not want to do that because the added outboard weight was acting like a stabilizer. The 'landing gear' is all down now, just retracted the bedroom slide also. The table and computer is rocking like crazy, I am missing the keys while typing. Never been in a slightly used typhoon before. Japan had this storm before us. Can not see the waves now. They are really roaring. Really dark outside. WX radio just reported 15 to 17 foot (4.5 - 5.1 m) seas. We may go out to sea..... Hang on momma.....

16 October, Starting our departure in morning, but we are now looking for a way out of here. California is reporting even more rain and some snow at the high elevations that we have to go over. Bicycle tour riders, take note. An earlier trip is advised for the future. This year's departure is over two weeks earlier than we ever did before and the weather is more winter-like than ever before. Each year it turns wintery earlier and earlier. AL Gore's Global Warming is sure strange. Maybe the Nobel Prize is a little premature... or far more than likely, highly Political? What do you think?

Next post soon. Wireless was not available during some evening stops.

Oregon Coast Motor Home Camping part 5

posted from notes, much later than actual trip.
Woke up to news of snow east of the Cascades in September. Earlier each year we travel now. Temperatures along the coast, have been in the 40's most nights now. Electic heater is a welcome little unit. As you progress along the coast, many scenic turnouts and hiking trails are easily taken advantage of. The high points offer sweeping vistas stretching for miles to the next horizon and out to sea. Located 12 miles (19.3km) north of gateway to the interior Florence

is Heceta Head lighthouse

205 feet above the ocean. It's big beautiful, original, Fresnel First Order lens, and visited daily by tourists. Visible at 21 miles (34km), it is the brightest light on the Oregon Coast and open for limited tours daily.

Winchester Bay Salmon Harbor

no utilities on the parking lot near restroom and showers, but $11 dollars is welcome for each night. Their many main campgrounds are various prices.

Ungers Bay Fish and Chips

on pretty Cassie's little barge at T Dock, is great. Cassie Smith works from 11am to 8pm, fixing "the best fish on the bay". A romantic dinner cruise, surrounded by happy, contented wild ducks, without leaving smooth water.

After setting up 'coach' for the stay, we Jeep back north to visit and shop at the small villages like Gardiner, stopping at other scenic stops and harbors along this coast. Do not miss experiencing the huge sand dunes along this 40 mile beach. Their dense Conifer forests growing out of the 6000 year old mountains of sand are amazing. This is an ATV/OHV paradise, rentals and motels cater to the 'sand runners'. Night camping with nearby facilities, on the park sand, just west of the marina, is free and very popular.

Several other State Parks are available for camping as well. The still commissioned, Umpqua Lighthouse and State Park

with it's interesting history is a must see at the U.S. Coast Guard Station, especially at night. It's beautiful red and clear, first Order Fresnel, rotating lens is unique

It once floated on a basin of liquid mercury, driven by a wound clockwork mechanism, as were many rotating beacons of the past. View it in the predawn mist or late evening for the best effect of it's sweeping brilliant beam.

The large fishing boats 'Grizzly' (at sea) and 'Ocian' ( to left), go to the waters of Alaska to fish. This peaceful harbor view is from our bedroom window. 'Valorous' is now being restored after 4 years of neglect, it's previous owner died in his sleep at 55. It's new owner is in the process of re-rigging her from a Bering Sea, Aleutians long liner, to a fishing rig using it's long outriggers. The crew from the Ali J is helping. Names like 'Dock Holiday', L Affair, Pier Pleasure, Div Ocean, Highland Fling, P&L Statement, adorn the craft in the harbor.

Trip along the coast south to Coo's Bay

is again filled with scenic turnouts and hiking trails. North Bend is the site of The Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge

The entrance to Coo's Bay. Conde McCullough

was the master Engineer behind most of coastal highway 101's beautiful bridges built in the 1930's. The 'North Bend' of the Harbor is the location of The Old Mill Casino. Park overnight free and visit the casino or head out to Charleston, Empire and Cape Arago for sightseeing. Or park on the developed area with full hookups, and enjoy the harbor action. The dredges are working with the huge barges being filled. The tugs pull and push the loaded barge out to the ocean for off-loading and return. This is a continuous job with the task being repeated at approximately 3 year intervals for each harbor, all up and down the coast. DREDGING Hulu 40 min Modern Marvels

An afternoon seeing the Cape Arago and former site of Louis Simpson's Shoreline Estate and Shore Acres Gardens

The $3 dollar fee is well spent to visit the flower garden and scenic overlooks. Trails are abundant, as is the history of the former Oregon timber, shipping, and real estate father and son barons, as they developed this part of Oregon, creating thousands of jobs. The Simpson's lived in this 'garden House' while lumber from a shipwreck on the shoreline below, was salvaged to build a new home on this bluff, after the original was destroyed by fire.
The lava fingers clawing their way to the surface from the ancient sandstone strata, is also captured in this closer image.

Cape Arago with it's Lighthouse

(not accessable) rocky shoale, alive with many types of seals and seal lions is also a 'do not miss'. Artists and Photographers love this overlook. Winter storms as shown on the post cards, must be breath taking to watch. The storms even rise above the high bluffs towering over the shoreline, to decimate the forest at times.

The beautiful, wild, scenic Oregon Coast is by Law, not allowed to be developed. Lawyers are endlessly trying every trick in their arsenal to circumvent this law. I Pray for their failure.

At any given time, hundreds of bicyclists and motorcyclists from all over the world are on this scenic route, endlessly touring year around. Their rigs are little trailers to single units or packs of riders. Even the big 'Switzerland' truck and trailer rig headed to Alaska then down the coast all of the way to Patagonia. We often stay overnight at the same camp spots, catching them from day to day.

The Coquille River lighthouse

decommissioned in 1939, replaced by more efficient navigation aids, then restored as an interpretive center in 1979, is 2 miles (3.2km) north of the litle scenic harbor village of Bandon

Bullards Beach State Park is nearby.

Open to tour Cape Blanco Lighthouse

is the southernmost of the nine Oregon Lighthouses and it's state park is nearby.

Port Orford

further south, is in a large natural bay, protected from the north storms. The views back toward the north, from the high mountain highway 101 turnouts are always worth stopping for.

Humbug Mountain State Park

is another hidden jewel, a little further south, just under the highway 101 bridge. The shoreline access is good from this area. We have hiked this coastal beach on previous trips.

Gold Beach

is the final resting place of the Mary D Hume

an over 100 year old ocean going ship with a colorful past, Deathlocked in a lawyers joy of litigation (lawyers got her money), now rotting into the shoreline near the small Rogue River Jet Boat tourist area, not far from where it was originally built. The little cafe at the farther end of the dock, had a great meatloaf lunch special for $6.95 on the day we stopped near the Mary Hume. Just north of Gold Beach, another Highway 101 bridge hides an old remnant of a ship hull partially embedded into the shore on the southwest side of the bridge. Look closely, it is hard to spot. Another 'lawyers' victim?

Harris Beach State Park

with its scenic overlooks and beach access, is just north of Brookings. We have tried to get a campsite on the scenic front row, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Good luck with trying to get reservations.

Oregon Coast Motor Home camping part 4

Brighton Marina

is a choice crabbing site with RV overnight camping overlooking the peaceful little harbor inside the bay. Dozens of Gulls settle in for the night on the floating log breakwaters. They jockey for position using some system only understood by themselves. The owners of the marina will pull a Dungeness crab from their dock well, boil it and clean it for you for about 15 dollars. A dozen steamer clams will fill out the evening meal table to be enjoyed in the RV. All of this ambiance is overwhelming to a pair of desert rats like us.

Drive back north to Cannon Beach

Mr Fulltano’s has the most spectacular Pizza we ever had anywhere. The Haystack, named after the countless huge rock monoliths off shore, is piled with all imaginable fresh vegetables until it is about 2 inches thick. The scenic little coastal villages like Manzanita

Nehalem Bay, State Park

and Wheeler

all worth the stop. Some are like postcards with colorful houses perched on hillsides. Most are only occupied during the warmer summer months. Wealthy absentee owners close them up the rest of the year. The coast of Oregon is for tourists or those able to afford the lifestyle. Attempting to move here and live this life with out having a healthy bank account is not recommended unless you are into poverty as a lifestyle.

Moved south to Cape Lookout State Park

Drive back north to Tillamook Cheese factory

for a big ice cream serving, then south of town and nearby Air Museum in the original massive wooden hangar built for WWII blimps.

This small plane apparently came to ground a little early, It was on the north side of the entrance road leading to the runway near the hanger. A row of trees separated it from the runway. Cut power a little early?

Scenic drive around Cape Meares Lighthouse loop was another enjoyable side trip. This is the northern most of the Three Cape series loop.
I Hiked down the paved trail to the Cape Meares lighthouse with it’s original First Order Fresnel lens

This beautiful piece of bullet shaped glasswork is over 6 feet tall and large enough to stand inside of. With the beam concentrated by multiple reflector surfaces, These engineering marvels were able to shoot a bright piercing beam of light for 21 miles to sea. Considering only kerosene and multiple wicks, using the 'center venting' principle in the Aladin Lamp, as the source of it's brilliant light, this is remarkable. Oregon Lighthouses

Originally most of these huge lenses were floated on a pool of mercury, driven by a weighted 'clock mechanism' and could be turned with one finger in spite of their massive weight. The mercury was removed and bearings now support these works of art. Nine operational lighthouses now exist along the scenic coast of Oregon, built to maintain an unbroken beacon system for Oregon coastal shipping. The 'Terrible Tillie' sitting on Tillamook Rock, an island far off the coast south of Seaside, is now a 'Columbarium' used to hold ashes of deceased.

Back at Cape Lookout State Park and nightly walk, no nocturnal animals joined me. Cedar trees are about 8 feet wide at their many rooted base, giving them the local term of Octopus trees. Long beach walks to south end of ancient volcanic wall. Most of the Oregon coast is old lava flows from huge, ancient volcanoes far inland. Hiking trails are abundant in most of the State Parks. The Oregon scenic coastal trail system is designated as a bicycle route. Many international cyclers, loaded with camping gear, are on this route year around.


Tuesday headed south along the coastal route toward the third Cape, Kiwanda, and Pacific City, picking up highway 101 once again.

The Sea Hag in Depoe Bay is my cell phone stop for a call to an old friend Dave in ABQ. Watching the boats attempt to fight their way in and out of the ‘Worlds Smallest Harbor is always interesting and sometimes includes Whale Watching

These waves many times roar over the main street of Depoe Bay, to the delight of the tourists and locals alike. Always stop at the numerous scenic turnouts to view the waves. Names like ‘Devil’s and Boiler’ are used freely to describe these rocky outcroppings attracting the ferocious coastal storm activity. Even the mild weather is photo worthy with large driving waves. Storms such as we witnessed in our 2003 camping trip, are really fantastic.

Stop in at the scenic point above Cape Foul Weather. This point high above the ocean records some of the highest winds along the coast. Nice little shop on the edge of the high bluff.

Beverly Beach State Park

with it’s dense forest of trees, is under a big highway 101 bridge, 6 miles north of Newport. A Tsunami warning came while we were camped there overnight. The Indonesian earthquake raised the sea level about 3 inches at 1 am. Nothing to be concerned about because the quake was 4,800 miles away. In the mid 1960’s the Alaskan Quake claimed four lives at this campground with a Tsunami. After that experience the coastal warning system, with it’s sirens, came into effect.

Wednesday brought us further south to Newport Oregon

Yaquina Bay. The Newport Marina was our campground for 3 nights. South Beach State Park Campground is also nearby but washing clothes was the priority and the marina has the newest facility. Fuel costs are dropping as oil falls again. A fill was good at $2.76 per US gallon (3.8L). Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

is on the north side of Yaquina Bay bridge and Yaquina Head Lighthouse

is 3 miles (5.4km) north of Newport. Both are easily accessable. Northernmost Yaquina Head is tourable most days.

A trip upriver from the historic Newport bay front, brought us to Toledo

an old town with a logging connection from long ago, where my co-pilot bought some antique wares. Wood products are still in the process. The river is navigable for quite some distance. Large fishing boats are seen moored along the way, interspersed with old wooden pilings from a busy river system in the past. Barge and tug tows are common.

The best seafood for the money, on the coast, is at the little Newport Café

on highway 101 in town, with dazzling Monique as our waitress. She and her husband own the little 24 hour cafe, open for just over a year. Her always friendly greetings and knack for remembering faces is refreshing. Monique has no tolerance for young teenage waitresses that roll their eyes when you ask them for a refill of soda. Monique’s clam chowder actually has clams in it, lot‘s of ‘em.

Famous Mo’s has lots of potatoes like most clam chowder. The historic bay front with it's resident fishing fleet, is a don’t miss attraction. The harbor breakwater and the floating dock near the fish packing plant, is home to numerous Sea Lions. Their endless ‘barking’ is fun for us. It lulls us to sleep across the harbor where we are parked.

The south jetty is sometimes accessible by 4 wheel drive. The south beach sand blows over it near the shore.






Even in low wave conditions the importance of the Jetty is visible in these images. The crescendo of waves hitting the huge rocks is great to watch and photograph. The Pacific Ocean winter storms are a real treat..If you can stand up to the waves and spray. The locals view it as entertainment with no comparison.

This beautiful Yaquina Bay Bridge designed in the 1930’s by Oregon’s Master Engineer Conde McCullough to replace the ferry system, is great at any time, including dusk, to photograph. We park so as to see it out our windshield. Night lighting is a red and green enhancement.


The harbor just in front of our parking space, adds lots of various types of boats and action to the view. My nightly walks along the many docks, never fail to be interesting. Names like El Shaddai, Persistence, Kukana, Aqua Holic and many other creative logos adorn the boats.

One electronically equipped, beautiful power boat, sank at the dock our last night here. The diver said the drain plug was in place, but the bilge pump design apparently allowed a reverse siphon action. Flying bridge top heavy, it turned upside down. Keith, other Port employees and a diver, worked to re-float it using many inner tubes placed internally, then inflating them.

Keith, the local Salt, always has a story to tell. I met Keith years ago and continue to meet him each trip. His wife is from American Samoa (Tsunami just hit). He sailed his boat here long ago, took 45 days, bought her a pair of shoes, and still stays, living aboard at A dock, even buying a car. Kind of makes him a ‘lubber’ now doesn’t it? The Port Marina office ladies want to make a video starring Keith telling some of his sea stories. He now works at the Marina part time to pay his slip fee and get a little pocket cash. Nice little gig Keith, see you next trip.

Washington, Oregon Coast Motorhome Camping part 3

Early in line at gate of Cape Disappointment State Park

on the North shore of the Columbia River

I paid for three nights, with one mandatory site move after first night. This is one of the finest state parks in the USA, and with it's extremely high, ocean side popularity, will soon require all reservations.

With the always changing Ocean and it's fascinating weather patterns, only a couple of minutes walk away, I hiked past the buried remains of a whale, to the massive lava rock wall at the north end of the beach. North Head Lighthouse

is just at the top of that wall. The direct and dangerous climb to it entails a lot of skill. The much safer official hiking trail (2 miles 3.2km) is on the main entrance road by the Lewis and Clark marker. Battery 247, mentioned below is also nearby.

Evening sunset was a group affair on the beach.
Many camping visitors set up chairs as the sun started to go down onto a peaceful Pacific Ocean.

The beach hike to the North Jetty along the Benson beach is always rewarding. The Jetties were built using a uniquely engineered rail and barge system, over a 30 year period starting in the late 1800's. They reduced the mouth of the Columbia River, from five miles to two miles. This effectively helped to flush out the channel for deep water, international shipping entry.

The access railway trestles are still visible leading to the South Jetty

with it's hundreds of yards of violent winter storm damage easily visible in the mouth of the river. Efforts are always made to rebuild the jetty system, most recent being in 2006, using a Manitowoc crane to lift the 10 to 20 ton broken stone pieces, barged south from Washington. This is a very important shipping channel, and needs to be maintained no matter what the economic condition of the nation.

The tidal and wave currents flushing in and out of the Columbia river, create a highly dangerous 'Bar' with winter storm waves easily in the 20 to 30 feet magnitude regularity. This area is referred to as in the Graveyard of the Pacific

Coast Guards

from around the world come here to train in the winter storms, Survive and you get a passing grade. 50 foot rogue waves were often reported in the winter storms of past years.
Highly qualified, experienced River Bar Pilots have been lost during the dangerous transfers from ship to Pilot Boat.

The thousands of acres of sand accumulated North of the North jetty, have built a forested eco-system of it's own, Pelicans love it. The big yellow fiberglass Asian lifeboat I have noticed over past years, has again moved during a winter storm. It is now near the entrance to the first campsite beach access path. One more violent winter storm and it could well be in the heavily forested cove among the massive logs below North Head Lighthouse (open to tour)

Also Oregon Lighthouses

are another main reason for our choices in campgrounds. I enjoy hiking to them and seeing the view out to sea they have enjoyed for over a hundred years.

Hiking the area and climbing to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

past the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and Dead Man's Cove. This climbing hike past the world recognised U.S. Coast Guard Station in Baker Bay

used up some more shoe tread and added leg muscle. The Jeep trip to Oysterville

North end of the Long Beach Peninsula, got us a dozen large oysters for $6 dollars. Layed them carefully on the grill with their 'lids' up. High flame until steam and opening appears. Yum with fresh salad. Too big and too many, ate only half and saved the rest for another meal. They were huge.

Stopped in at always fascinating, Jack's Country Store

They have the most unique items from long ago. Did not even know such things were still manufactured. Be sure to stop in at the little villages and Long Beach access points along the route back. The beaches often have Sea Lions and Seals resting. Whales dead and many other interesting arrivals overnight. This Sea lion looked pretty dead to us. We pulled one car from it's sandy bed using our Jeep. The other car was way too deep and the tide was coming in fast, so the local 'Beach Patrol' yanked them out.

Busy little Dunes Cafe across the street from Jack's, had great fish and chips. Cranberries are also grown and harvested nearby. Check the harvest dates, interesting to watch the bog flooding for harvest. Campground Racoons are an everynight visitor that open coolers with ease, removing only what they enjoy. Nightly walks around the camp sites, will be accompanied by Racoons.

Another great hike climb to Battery 247, with it's concrete gun mounts and underground bunker still intact, used up a few more flashlight minutes and miles. Historic Fort Canby

is nearby and many large gun batteries are still easily accessed and toured.

Breaking camp early the next morning, 09-22 Tuesday, we began our Oregon tour along Scenic Highway 101

Our Oregon Coastal highway, brought us to cross the Columbia River, on the beautiful Astoria-Meglar Bridge

4.2 miles including high span (for tall ships) The Oregon Port of Astoria is below the bridge, to the East. Astoria is the oldest City west of the Mississippi. Fuel topping at Costco and Fred Meyers Stores are just across the hwy 101 smaller river bridge with it's 'lift' span.

Fort Stevens State Park

with it's big trees, is our 2 night area stay. Hiking the park and it's many sections of campsites and Yurts, revealed the most extensive re-cycling facility at any park we have stayed. An auto-compactor and every type of waste container are within a parking area close by. Again Racoons accompanied me on my nightly hikes.

I drove back to Astoria and visited The excellent Columbia River Maritime Museum

library and gift shop. This is the most interesting Nationally accredited Museum of Coast Guard history and shipping, I have ever visited. The 'Bow Picker' across the street has fish and chips. Sit outside below the trailered boat for a quick lunch.

Driving the beach south of the South Jetty

is an interesting pastime. The entrance is at the Fort Stevens RV Camping Park. The famous shipwreck, Peter Iredale

is still slightly visible. Most was salvaged after it's demise, leaving the prow sticking out of the sand to rust into obscurity. The beach sand has been unstable this trip. We pulled out one car with our Jeep on Long Beach, so did not venture onto the looser, unstable sand of the Peter Ireland wreck.

Fort Stevens truck tour, and it's underground tour of Battery Mishler

easily used up the rest of my afternoon (co-pilot is not interested in military or naval history). The underground tour guide is an historian. It's massive Guns never fired during conflict, the story told is of Abraham Lincoln originally commissioning the building of this intricate concrete bunkered fort during the Civil War. Interesting enough it is near re-constructed Fort Clatsop

built by Lewis and Clark (another interesting tour).

Ft Stevens had state of the art firing co-ordinating communications Tele-autograph

Unique360 degree 10 inch (tested once, officially killing one, reportedly killed 6 men from the muzzle blast) along with 6 inch, rifled swivel cannons with a 30 second reload, DC powered

electrical conveyers and lifts, and concentrated firepower unequaled until the 2nd World War, during and after which it was up-dated and used as a major bunkered Pacific Headquarters deep underground.

The Fort Stevens tour is an experience not easily forgotten. The original reason for this formidable defense system, was to protect the Columbia River Port of Astoria from...The British (check out 'The Pig War'). They depended on the South for their cotton and were very upset with the Union North about interrupting their cotton industry. Years later Ft Stevens was used for WWII Coastal defense. It was fired upon 17 times by one surfaced Japanese Submarine but never returned fire.

Locked up with all furnishings intact, it was eventually left as a deep underground, preserved time capsule into the past. Eventually the area's Pot smoking Hippies moved in and burned it out, destroying it's fascinating history. That same group is now filling our legislatures and every level of U.S. government with it's mentality of destruction. As history changes the world, soon they will be all gone and replaced with the far different mentality of our young returning troops. Our nation and the world, will welcome the refreshing change in intelligence.

The next move for the coach and it's tow, is along Oregon Coastal highway 101 South toward the little crabbing ambiance of Brighton Harbor, one of our next base of operations during our beautiful scenic Oregon Coastal tour.

Western States USA Motorhome Camping part 2

This and many other ancient pieces of fascinating geologic history are a common sight as you drive across Utah and the dry western states. Reminds me of 'Roadrunner and Coyote'. I'm sure their counterparts love this terrain.
Left early from the Farmington Sam's Club lot, and traveled through the four corners area. New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona all meet nearby. Shiprock's ancient volcanic core is visible majestically to the South of the quadrant. Cortez Colorado and on to Utah. Great weather this time of year. Not too hot or cold. Some highway construction budgeted for last year, was still being done while weather is nice. The oasis of Green River Utah, where we camped in the state park overnight last trip, is a sleepy little town famous for it's Water melons now. Don't forget John Wesley Powell started his Colorado River exploration from near here. The museum is in the village not far from the highway.

We drove on Through tourist packed Moab to Price Utah this time, Nice Walmart lot. We arrived late, bought some provisions and left early the next morning. Arches National Monument near Moab as well as Canyon Lands is always packed with tourists. Next year they will only accept reservations for the National campground. BLM sites are off road and available if unoccupied. Jeep tours and rentals are always in demand. This BLM area is adjacent to the Huge Canyon lands National Monument. These area motels are packed out every trip we make through the beautiful scenic desolation of Utah. World travelers seek out this area.

The next morning, early on our way to always prosperous Idaho. Jerome had another nice Walmart for an evening stay. More desolation mixed with scenic horizons. Baker City Oregon was a lunch stop at a little sandwich shop. Baker City is along the route to Pine Valley, which is on the way to Half Way Oregon, the gateway to Hells Canyon, another world famous tour. Cheyene Frontier Days, Calgary Stampede and Pendelton Round Up, are the premier Cowboy gatherings in the Western USA and Canada. Pendelton Round Up was fully underway and the Walmart was so packed that lot attendants waved us away. The Indian reservation fuel was advertised lower in cost. We topped off before heading on to Hermiston Oregon. Nice Walmart for the night with more provisions. Left early for trip across ranges to the Snake River.

We had followed the Snake River (Lewis and Clark) North down to the Columbia River. Now this highway is even more interesting. The produce from Idaho is trucked to the ports along the Columbia river. Frozen french fries are in the mix due to Idaho's fame as a potato grower. The exchange of goods destined to other parts of the world, in the international trade system that works so well (if not meddled with by Washington DC) is amazing. The walls of rock and valleys along the Columbia are each unique with ranches and villages all along the thousand or so miles. This is the second largest river in the U.S. so it can occupy lots of time. The Highway is excellent as it meanders along the shoreline on the South side, Oregon. Washington State is on The North side.

We had planned on parking overnight in a Portland Walmart. NO was the armed security guards recommendation. Bad area of the city, not safe overnight. Store closes at 10pm but guards stay all night. Our fun trip across the desolation of the West, is being brought back to the sad reality of large cities and their inherent problems.

This decision caused us to cross the old green bridge over The Columbia River, in rush hour traffic toward Vancouver Washington. Due to the long day and fatigue, tension between myself and my intent navigator, was at unusual extreme stress levels. This Old overworked bridge has been in the replacement planning stages for many years at countless millions of dollars in 'studies' each year. Planning and 'studies' are lucrative and not as risky as actually 'Building a Bridge'. The legalistics and environmental studies have brought it's replacement cost to over 4 billion dollars and climbing (always cost overruns). As usual the lawyers are the winners here... Always at the expense of the very deep pockets of the tax payers of course.

Driving along the North shore of the Columbia, on the Washington State side, now the arrival long after dark near our planned campground, was reality. I did not even get to stop and check on the Plainview

semi-submerged, resting in the mud about five miles East of the Meglar-Astoria bridge on the Washington side. 'Highpoint' was last seen on the Astoria side of the Columbia River. I have visited 'Plainview' on every other trip. We arrived after dark in great little Ilwaco Harbor

Spent some tense moments with the coach and tow on the narrow little streets, finding a large unpaved lot near the shipyard and harbor front shops. We remembered this remote possibility from last trips. Very, very exhausted, we parked in their big lot illegally while the rain fell and let it lull us to sleep. Early morning, before being sent away by 'the authorities', we left for the Cape Disappointment Campground nearby.

Western States, USA Motor Home Camping

Will up-date this Western States, trip report, as wireless is available. Verizon tether, laptop/cellphone may also be used at times. Time to sally forth once again. Check on this Nation and see first hand if it is still worth saving :>)

Said goodbyes to family and friends. Mowed lawns, Left friend to house sit :>)
Preps.. Oil changes on Holiday Rambler coach

and tow Jeep. Jeep tires 42psi for low rolling resistance. 75 gallon MH Fuel tank is always kept topped off, as well as LP tank in case of emergency. Fuel mix, 1 qt Marvel Mystery Oil for fuel pump lube. Fill 60 gal coach water tank, 1 cup chlorine bleach (bottled water for drinking), Pressure test water system, test 120VAC electric/propane hot water system. Test and pre-chill refrigerator/freezer on both shore power 120VAC, and propane. 120VAC house outlet GFCI problem, until the generator test cleared it? Fill four 6VDC coach batteries with distilled water, Disconnect 2 computerized battery maintainers on coach batts and chassis batt.

On-board compressor, fill 6, 22.5 Michelin tires, to 115psi, (5psi over for safety margin). Installed behind grill, 2 high power driving lights for open highways common in Western States. 2 small bright Pilot LED lights are also now connected to the system, to hyper illuminate reflective highway signs and markers. New Truck and RV map (loaded with extra info, campsites and local attractions) AAA, $20, last one in pieces after 7 years. Check and store Self Defense, survival systems :>)

Co-pilot Navigator wife, checked Nuvi Garmin 260 GPS, checked online weather Northwest. Cooler this time of year, each year since 1998. Adjust clothing load to cooler conditions (Global Cooling). Packed 3 cargo shorts/pants (like pockets for hiking). Packed all hiking and fishing gear. Food will only be the basics to cover early needs. The first stop is Four Corners, Farmington NM 200 miles, where one of the nations largest Walmarts is fully stocked with all food. Top off fuel tank, Shop there while parking overnight in their Sam's Club lot by the grassy little park :>)

Senator Ted Kennedy, Truth, Justice, and the American Way

Found circulating on the internet:

WHAT A PRINCE OF A MAN!

The Last of The Kennedy 'Dynasty'

As soon as his cancer was detected, The Citizens could not help but notice the immediate attempt at the "Canonization" of old Teddy Kennedy by the Mainstream Media.

Some media mentioned a couple of accomplishments.

The Main Stream Media was repeatedly saying, "What a great American he is"

I say, let's get a couple things clear & not twist the facts to Change the real history.

1. He was caught cheating at Harvard when he attended it. He was expelled twice, once for cheating on a test, and once for paying a classmate to cheat for him.

2. While expelled, Kennedy enlisted in the Army, but mistakenly signed up for four years instead of two. Oopsie!

His father, Joseph P Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to England (a step up from bootlegging liquor into the US from Canada during prohibition)

pulled the necessary strings to have his enlistment shortened to two years, and to further ensure that he served in Europe, not Korea, where a war was raging. No preferential treatment for him!

(like he charged that President Bush received).

3. Kennedy was assigned to Paris. Kennedy never advanced beyond the rank of Private..? and returned to Harvard upon being discharged.

Imagine a person of his "education" NEVER advancing past the rank of.. Private?

4. While attending law school at 'The University of Virginia', he was cited for reckless driving four times, including once when he was clocked driving 90 miles per hour in a residential neighborhood after dark,... with his headlights off...

Yet his Virginia driver's license was never revoked. Coincidentally, he passed the bar exam in 1959.
Amazing!

5. In 1964, he seriously injured himself in a plane crash, and was hospitalized for several months. Test results done by the hospital, 'at the time he was admitted', had shown he was legally intoxicated.

The results of those tests remained ..a "State secret"..? until in the 1980's when the report was unsealed.

Didn't hear about that from the 'unbiased'? media, did we?

6. On July 19, 1969, Kennedy attended a 'party' on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts

At about 11:00 PM, he took his chauffeur's keys to his Oldsmobile sedan, and offered to give 'a ride to the ferry'? to Mary Jo Kopechne, a pretty, young campaign worker who 'left her keys and purse behind at the party' ?.

Leaving the island via a very,.. familiar to him, unlit bridge with no guard rails, Kennedy steered the car off the bridge, flipped, and into Poucha Pond's 'six feet' (1.5m) of water.

(to remove it from 'Political Memory', THAT bridge was removed shortly thereafter)

7. Kennedy swam to shore and walked back to the party, passing several houses and a fire station.

Two friends then returned with him to the scene of the accident. According to their later testimony, they told him what he already knew, that he was required by law to "immediately' report the accident to the authorities".

Instead Ted Kennedy made his way to his hotel, called his 'lawyer', and went to sleep.

Kennedy called the police the next morning, and by then the wreck containing Mary Jo Kopchne's lifeless body, had already been discovered 'by fishermen'.

In the seemingly endless time (hours) before her actual asphyxiation/drowning, young Mary Jo Kopechne, in the darkness of water rising in the upside down car, dis-oriented and in panicked desperation, had clawed at the upholstered floor above her head in the inverted vehicle.

The wealthy Kennedy family then began their well practiced routine of "calling in Political favors", ensuring that any inquiry would be constrained. Her corpse was whisked out-of-state to her family, 'before' an autopsy could be conducted.

Further details are mysteriously questionable, but after the accident, Kennedy 'says' he repeatedly dove under the water trying to rescue Mary Jo Kopechne and he didn't call police because he was "in a state of shock"....for many, many hours?

It is widely assumed from his past and later lifetime history, Kennedy was drunk, and he held off calling police in hopes that his family could Politically 'Fix' the problem overnight,... like they regularly did.

Since the accident, Kennedy's 'political enemies' have referred to him as
"The distinguished Senator from Chappaquiddick".

He pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, was given a

'SUSPENDED' SENTENCE OF TWO MONTHS.

Young Mary Jo Kopechne's family received a small payout from the Kennedy's insurance policy, and never sued.

There was later an effort to have her body exhumed and autopsied, but her family successfully fought against this in court, and Kennedy's family paid their attorney's bills... a "token of friendship"?

8. Kennedy, 'using' his Massachusetts Voters, has held his Senate seat for more than forty years, but considering his longevity, his accomplishments seem scant.
He authored or argued for legislation that ensured a variety of civil rights, increased the minimum wage in 1981, made access to health care easier for the indigent, and funded Meals on Wheels for fixed-income seniors and... is widely held as the "standard-bearer for liberalism".

In his very first Senate role, he was the floor manager for the bill that turned U.S. immigration policy 'upside down' and opened the floodgate for immigrants from third world countries.

9. Since that time, he has been the prime instigator and author of every expansion of an increase in immigration, up to and including the latest attempt to grant amnesty to illegal aliens.

Not to mention the pious grillings he gave the last two Supreme Court
nominees,... as if he was the standard bearer for the nation in matters of "what's right".
What a pompous ass!

10. He was well known around Washington DC as a public drunk, loud, boisterous and very disrespectful to ladies.
JERK is a better description than "Great American".
"A blonde in every pond" is his motto.
Let's not allow the spin doctors of the Media, to make this Jerk a hero.
How quickly the American public forgets what his real legacy is.

Let's keep this going, for

"Truth, Justice and the American Way".

BTW this last 'Quote' was removed from Superman

a couple of years ago by orders of the publication,... Finally I sadly realize why...