We got snowed out in Lassen, they closed the road through the park, so we hit the road again. We drove past Mt. Shasta on the way to our next campsite.

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK

We camped at Three Rivers, just outside the entrance to the park. The rain was letting up, but it had snowed at the higher elevation in the park, creating dense fog. We enjoyed the different perspective the fog gave....

I stand in front of a cross section of a giant sequoia, and another looms in the fog.

As we drove on, we saw a bear meandering
into the woods.

These trees are big!

Another first for Luna....she loved the snow!

We came around the bend, and hit a clear
spot in the clouds.

We pose in a bright patch of sun.

We drove up to Hume Lake to see if it was still
there....yes! Some 30 years ago, when we
lived in Southern California, every summer
found us at this campground. It holds a lot of
great memories of when the kids were little
and times were simple.

HART PRAIRIE, FLAGSTAFF

Our final stop before heading home was
Flagstaff. We took a few days to take a breath
before we head down into the desert heat.

Luna is getting bigger by the day.

MORE OREGON COAST

MT ST HELENS

While we were camped at Fort Stevens, we
decided we were too close to Mt St Helens not
to go see it. It was a 3 hour drive, but worth
every minute. The clouds around the crater
are ashes blowing, not clouds. The upper 3,000
feet of the peak blew off when the volcano
erupted.

A view of the lava flow from the volcano

BEVERLY BEACH STATE PARK

We spent 3 days at this lovely park by the ocean....a short walk from our campsite brought us to the beach. The Halls were just across the road, and from here we drove up and down the coast, taking in the sights without having to pull our 5th wheels behind us.

Luna and Melinda take in Beverly Beach and the waves. She is definitely a water dog.

The day we went to Cape Meares lighthouse, the winds were blowing about 40mph, and it was raining sideways. It brought home the fact that back in the day, lighthouses were pretty important to sailors, and still are!

The homes on the Oregon coast have a pretty nice view.

Waves surge through holes in the rock, and we observe people being people at Boiler Bay, near DePoe.

In DePoe Bay, we stop at the whale watching center. We did see several " spouts" as we traveled down the coast.

Mo's.....an institution on the Oregon Coast, famous for their clam chowder. We stopped at this one, and found out the rumor is true!

Devil's Punchbowl

YAQUINA HEAD LIGHTHOUSE

Many varieties of seabirds live on the rocks around the lighthouse.

The view from the top, and a look back at 90 feet worth of stairs.

SEASIDE, OREGON

We drove about 10 miles south of Fort Stevens to check out the little town of Seaside. It's a small resort community, lots of homes situated right on the beach.

Darrell and Luna assess the waves

Eerie clouds roll in from the ocean.

I saw this ginormous slug while walking around the fort grounds. They make 'em big in Oregon!

I have discovered how to dig...gotta love me!

FORT STEVENS STATE PARK, ASTORIA

Fort Stevens was established during the Civil War, to defend against potential attack from the British. It was one of 3 harbor defense stations at the mouth of the Columbia River. It was also utilized during WWI and WWII. Here you see one of the batteries where guns were mounted, and munitions were stored.
The campground is large, and there are bike trails and walking paths everywhere. You can hear the constant roar of the waves nearby, and fog is a frequent visitor.

As we tour the grounds, a freighter heads
down the Columbia and into the sea for parts
unknown.

The wreck of the Peter Iredale. This was a 3-
masted sailing vessel built in 1890, and wrecked
in 1906. While waiting at the mouth of the
Columbia River to unload its cargo, a furious wind blew it onto the beach, and unable to recover, it remains. The crew and captain were rescued, plus 2 stowaways.

THE TRIP WEST TAKES US THROUGH IDAHO, INTO OREGON

Luna is a good traveler!

As we head west down the Columbia River, the train runs right along the river, parallel to the highway.

BONNEVILLE DAM AND LOCKS

As we made our way west through the Columbia River Gorge, we stopped to see the dam and locks.

Here at the dam and lock, they have built a fish ladder for the salmon and other fish to "climb" to their spawning grounds. They instinctively swim against the current to get there, and these ladders are built so the fish have a safe way to pass around the dam and continue upstream.

We couldn't believe the size of the fish going up the fish ladder. Some of the salmon and sturgeon were at least 60 lbs, if not more!!

The nearby fish hatchery is a nursery for sturgeon and salmon.