Team Beagle's Travel & Adventures

Putting the windows in the Sprinter

2012-02-07T22:46:00.000-08:00

To view the videos

Cold Snap - so no work on the Sprinter

2012-02-07T22:44:00.000-08:00

We bought a Sprinter

2012-02-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

After 5 years of looking and talking about a Sprinter van, we finally placed an order in Aug 2011, now we just had to wait until it was built and shipped from Germany (est delivery early Dec 2011). The Get Away Van has served us well, but it was time for an upgrade and something with a little more room. We went back and forth about whether we should have someone convert it to an RV or do it ourselves. In the end, Kevin decided he could do a better job and it would be exactly what we wanted. So after visiting a few local dealers and reading info about them on the Yahoo Sprinter Group, we hooked up with David Graham of Mercedes-Benz of Georgetown, Texas. Dave was very helpful and in the end offered the best price. We would recommend Dave to anyone looking to buy a Sprinter, it is worth the trip to Texas.

We picked up our van Dec 12, 2011. We spent a couple of days in Austin with our friend John Meyer checking out the music scene and then headed off for home the long way.

Naches Peak Loop Trail (near Mt Rainier)

2011-09-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

On Wed, we heard that it was going to be gorgeous day, so Kevin and I decided to take a drive to Mt Rainier to view the wildflowers. Usually it would be a too late to view the flowers, but this year has been much cooler and thus the flowers bloomed later. We drove to Chinook Pass to find the Naches Loop Trail. The loop was about 4 miles long and 700 ft elevation gain (according to the guide book although the sign at the trailhead said something different) so not a major hike. The views are spectacular on this hike. It is a great example of alpine hiking without too much effort. Great hike to bring your non-outdoor friends to show them a little of Mt Rainier.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 10 Gold Beach to CA/OR Border

2011-09-14T20:29:00.001-07:00

Our last day of our tour, and probably the most continuously hilly day of the ride. While only 36 miles, cumulative elevation gain was about 2,000 feet. The coast was shrouded in fog when we left Gold Beach, and that was fine for us as we faced a fairly long climb first thing as we left The Inn of The Beachcomber.
The highway climbs at a very consistent 6% grade for about 3 ½ miles to reach the summit of Cape Sebastian at about 800’. A fast downhill brought us back to the beach, where we could see through the clouds the spectacular coastline dotted with all kinds of sea stacks and rocks and things. From here the highway continues fairly hilly all the way to Brookings. No hills are the size of Cape Sebastian, but the climbs are short and sometimes steep; 10 to 12% on occasion. Soon we were in Brookings and looked for a place for lunch. We stopped at Wild Rivers Pizza and Brewing Company. We figured that with only 6 miles to ride after lunch we could risk having a pizza. The pepperoni pizza was so-so, the beer okay, and the people there were not particularly friendly. Oh well.
After lunch we backtracked a bit, to hook up with the ACA route along the harbor waterfront in Brookings and Harbor, then rode on small rural roads for a few miles before rejoining Hwy 101 a couple of miles north of the border. The last couple of miles went quickly, and we saw Janet waiting at the “Welcome to California” sign. A couple of photographs, and quick ride into California and back to the car to load up, change clothes, and head home. And our tour of the Oregon coast was complete: about 370 miles and nearly 15,000 feet elevation gain.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 9 Bandon to Gold Beach

2011-09-13T20:01:00.001-07:00

Kevin/Jo: Our longest day on the road, the day started off somewhat foggy, but visibility was much better than 2008, so we were able to see some of the sights as we rode along Beach Loop Drive. Soon we were back on Hwy 101 with light traffic and good shoulders. We stopped just south of Bandon at Art 101, a non-profit that among other things, makes art from debris collected from local beaches. We took photos of the art on display-a 15 foot tall eagle, a ten foot tall jelly fish (made from plastic soda bottles), and some other sea creatures. They all were quite clever.

The terrain was fairly gentle as we left the coast and followed 101 inland a few miles. Soon we were in Langlois, where we stopped at the market and got something to drink. We chatted with the owner and some cranky old local about the arrival of Cycle Oregon. The cranky old guy was going on about how he hated cyclists and seemed to be advocating running over those “sons of bitches” that ride in the roadway. I kept my mouth shut, thanked the owner and we were back on the road.

Down the road a bit, we stopped in Sixes, which appears to not much more than a post office and a building that housed the Grange and a “mall” which sold various antiques, second hand stuff and other peoples junk, and objets d’art. I bought a Dr. Pepper and Jo bought some packaged snacks. We chatted with the couple that worked there. They were quite the characters. Originally from Fresno, they had all sorts of stories from “back in the day”.

The highway gets back to the coast at Port Orford, where we stopped for lunch. We had heard the the Crazy Norwegian was a good place for a good burger and a beer, but were very disappointed that they were closed, as were most places to eat. We found the only open restaurant in town, and quickly went inside.

The Red Fish restaurant has been open about a year, and appears to be the most upscale restaurant in town. We ordered burgers (quite tasty) and then Janet met us and ordered a burger as well. Our server was a cyclist and was very interested in our Hampsten bikes. During our conversation, we learned tha tthe chef had worked at Moots Cycles as a frame welder, and another guy working at the restaurant lived in Steamboat Springs for 20+ years, and knew Kent Ericksen (Kent made my frame). After lunch we got back on the bikes and headed to Gold Beach.

The only significant hill was up and around Humbug Mountain, then gently rolling hills towards Gold Beach. We decided to stay on 101 and not take the ACA route through Cedar Valley. I figured that 101 was about six miles shorter, and probably less elevation gain. When we briefly stopped at the Prehistoric Gardens, I asked the owner about the two routes. He said that 101 was “more flatter”. I responded with “That’s more gooder. She (while motioning towards Jo) will like that more better”.

We rode nearly flat roads until we were able to exit on to the original coast highway. Rough with more ups and downs, it was good to get away from the noise and traffic of the highway. We rode along the Rogue briefly, then crossed the bridge over the river and into town. While crossing the bridge, both Jo and I were yelled at by some guy driving the other direction. “Idiot!” he yelled. Jo responded with “That’s your name!”. My witty retort was “I know your are, but what am I? Ha Ha!” A quick ride through Gold Beach and we arrived at our hotel, the Inn of the Beachcomber, where we met Ted, the rather talkative owner, and another guest who expressed amazement that we had ridden our bikes down the coast.

The day ended up being about 56 miles, with about 1,800 feet elevation gain.

Janet: Met Kevin and Jo for lunch at Rockfish in Port Orford. After lunch, they pedaled away up the next big hill. I went to Port Orford Heads State Park to walk on the trails. There was a Coast Guard museum there, but since it was Tuesday it was closed. At least, I got to see the boat. Then I walked around on all of the very short trails at the park. The views were slightly obscured by the fog but eventually it lifted and I was able to see more of the coastline. No bear warnings at this place - Hurray! Back on the road and before you know it, I passed Jo and Kevin. Pulled off at Ophir State Park to see if the bikers needed anything. After they rode on, I decided it was a good place to sit on the beach to read my book, watch pelicans flying over the waves and enjoy the cloudy/foggy weather. Kevin texted that they were 4 miles from Gold Beach so I loaded up the car and moved on. We stayed at the Inn of the Beachcomber. Jo upgraded us to a bungalow which had a beach view where we could see the crashing waves from our deck. We took a short walk to the beach and sat on a log - freezing. We met the owner Ted, he's a talkative fellow. His wife was riding the Cycle Oregon ride - about 1200 riders, we were glad to be a day ahead of them. Ted rents SUP's to play in the surf or paddle on the Rogue River. Dinner was at Spinner's, it was an ok meal. Back at our room, we watched the sunset on the beach/the faux lighthouse at the adjacent RV park.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 8 North Bend to Bandon

2011-09-12T07:37:00.002-07:00

Today was another relatively short day, but certainly more hilly… today was the 7 Devils Road. The day ended up being around 34 miles and about 1,600’ of elevation gain.
We started of the day with an easy crossing of the McCullough Bridge. Renovation of this historic bridge has closed the sidewalk, so the speed limit is reduced to 35mph, and “Bicycles on Bridge” flashing light has been added. Every driver passed us slowly with plenty of room except for the very last car that passed us. I guess the girl driving the beat up old sedan was late to work or something. Jo was delighted that she beat the law and didn’t receive a traffic citation!
After a few miles we stopped at WalMart and McDonald’s for an Egg McMuffin, then on to Charleston and the hills of the 7 Devils.
After briefly getting separated (Kevin actually rode the first Devil twice as he turned around about halfway to find Jo), we tackled the first and most difficult of the Devils, a hill that is about a mile long and pretty consistently 10% to 12%. A resident along the road cheered Jo as she rode by “you can do it! Don’t walk like those other losers!” Janet was waiting at the summit and documented our success.
The remaining Devils were dealt with over the next 10 miles, and soon we had the fun twisty descent of Whisky Run Lane, and back to Hwy. 101 into Bandon. Paving work was going on, so we had brand new asphalt into Bandon, and a full lane to ourselves on the bridge over the Coquille River. We left the highway at Riverside Drive, and took the back roads into Old Town Bandon. We all had lunch there, and then went to our hotel, the Inn at Face Rock, where Alan and I stayed in 2008. The offshore rocks and sandy beaches along Beach Loop Drive are quite spectacular. After doing laundry, we went into town for another seafood dinner.
Janet: I followed Kevin and Jo for most of the day to provide support in case of need on the 7 Devils. Jo was happy that I provided food and drink along the way. I stopped at an Estuary and took a quick walk around, not wanting to get to far as there were posted signs about black bear being in the area. The most significant thing that happened to me today, was that I got stung/bit by a F**KING WASP. I hate WASPS as I tend to have a bit of reaction from the bite. I iced the bite for over an hour so far it has not swelled too much but we'll see what happens tomorrow. Can't take benadryl as I'm driving.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 7 Reedsport to North Bend

2011-09-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a short day-only 21 miles or so, and less than 800’ elevation gain. Winds were light, and there was only one significant hill to get us up and over into the Coos Bay area. The hill was another long grind at 6% or so-maybe a couple of miles.
After a fun downhill, we soon were approaching North Bend, and dreading the crossing of the McCullough Bridge into North Bend, with its prohibition of delaying traffic on the bridge. This ordinance is aimed at keeping bikes off the bridge and onto the sidewalk, where cyclists have to awkwardly walk their bikes the full mile across Coos Bay. When we arrived at the bridge, we realized that our hotel was on the north side of bridge, and we wouldn’t have to cross the bridge until the next day!
We waited for Janet to meet us at the motel, The Bay Bridge Motel, and had some coffee from the nearby espresso stand. Janet was touring the Umpqua Lighthouse Museum.
Once Janet arrived, we spent the afternoon exploring Sunset Bay Beach, Cape Arago and Shore Acres State Park. Shore Acres used to be the home of the Simpson family. Mr. Simpson found a bride in NY and brought her to the west. To make her more comfortable, he built a beautiful house surrounded by gardens with plants from all over the world and their own private beach. The house has since burned down but the location it sat on has wonderful views of the ocean and the gardens are now maintained by the state for visitors. At Simpson's Reef, there was a colony of Sea Lions making quite a racket. A strangely dressed lady with the pigtails asked "Is that a recorded sound?" We said "No, its Real Sea Lion Noise!" I guess some people don't get out that much.
Once we got back Jo went to check in, and she met the owner of the motel, “Bay Bridge Betty”. To say that Betty is talkative is a huge understatement. Jo spent probably 30 minutes with her when she went to check in. She heard stories from Betty’s 37 years as owner of the motel. When another customer arrived at the office, Jo grabbed the opportunity to get to the room, and quickly left. Betty did recommend dinner at the nearby Hilltop House, where we had a great dinner overlooking Coos Bay and the tail end of the Oregon coastal sand dunes.
Later, I had to go to the office to get the WiFi password, and spent close to 30 minutes chatting with Betty. She told me of growing up in Shelton, WA, her son who has performed on Broadway with Donnie and Marie Osmond, and all kinds of other stuff. Betty’s husband passed away a few years ago, and seems quite lonely. But she seems full of life and if we had more time, we probably would have taken her out to dinner. She’s quite a character. And, she runs a nice, clean motel with nice views of the bay. We would stay there again.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 6 Yachats to Reedsport

2011-09-10T19:47:00.001-07:00

Kevin/Jo: Today was about 55 miles with about 2,300 feet of climbing. The Lonely Planet guide called the ride “lumpy”. A small climb out of Yachats put us on to rolling terrain until the climb up Heceta Head. This climb goes on for a long time at 4%, then steepens as the summit approaches, sometimes reaching 10% gradients. Soon after, the last tunnel on the coast is encountered. The views here awesome. The day had started off pretty foggy, but was breaking up when we got here, so we got a few nice pix.
The descent off the head was fun, with the exception of some jackasses driving motorhomes and others with big pickup trucks and big ass trailers. Really, they don’t have be so intent on squeezing us off the road.
Dropping down into Florence, the terrains levels out and is more rolling as it enters the sand dunes that run down the coast for miles. It was cool to see the lakes among the dunes, and to see the sand marching through the forest and up against the highway.
We stopped at the Darlingtonia Botanical Wayside to see the carnivorous Darlintonia plants, then stopped at Charl’s restaurant for lunch. The place was pretty much empty, and the three waitresses were completely disinterested in serving us. They also seemed completely devoid of any personality. We scarfed down our mediocre meal, then back on the road towards Reedsport. Charl’s is not recommended.
After Florence the miles went by quickly, until the final climb out of the Oregon Dunes and into the Umpqua River drainage. This climb is a long grind at 6% or so with occasional steeper parts. There is a false summit, and then another sneaky bit of 7% before a fun 40mph downhill into Gardiner. Hwy 101 has been recently repaved in Douglas County, and the road was as smooth as black velvet. Soon we were at the Fir Grove Motel, our lodging for the night.

Janet: Lots of walks for me today. First off, a walk from our motel along the beach for 4.5 miles. Little foggy but the sun finally broke through although it was still cold. Once back to the car, grabbed a slice of leftover pizza from last night's dinner and then headed towards Smelt Sands State Park. The cycling book recommended stopping here to catch the waves pounding on the rocks. And it was quite a show. Quick pit stop at the restroom where I encountered a sign that said "Doors lock automatically at Dusk". I wasn't worried as it was still morning, but I did wonder what happens if you get locked inside. Well, no fears as once inside, I saw the emergency button to get out. Drove to the top of the mountain at Cape Perpetua and checked out the trail map. Decided to hike the St Perpetua Trail which went back down the hill to Hwy 101. Round trip it was about 2 miles with 700 feet elevation gain. Kinda wish I had discovered the trailhead at the bottom first as I dislike hiking down first and then back up but it was not to be, so down I went. The hike was actually very easy for me. I timed myself on the way back up and it took me 25 min so not bad for 1 mile and 700 ft. Checked out the Rock Shelter built by the CCC. What a wonderful view of the ocean from the shelter. Next stop Cook's Chasm, tide was up making a wonderful water show. By this time, Jo and Kevin had called me saying they were at the motel. So I headed towards Reedsport with my last stop being Darlintonia Wayside to check out the carnivorous plants. The lighting was great so got some good pictures of the plants. I couldn't believe how many of them there were in this one area.

Dinner with Jo and Kevin at the Harbor Lights in Reedsport. Great meal! We are going back tomorrow for breakfast!

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 5 Lincoln City (Siletz Bay) to Yachats

2011-09-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

Kevin/Jo: Today’s ride was pretty easy-approx. 44 miles and 1,100 feet of climbing. So, we call it mostly flat. The northwest winds were blowing around 20 mph most of the time, so we were able to make great time.
In Newport we stopped for lunch at Nana’s Irish Pub. The food was quite good, and it had a nice atmosphere. One of the waitresses was wearing a very tiny Guinness Stout promotional dress. It was quite impressive. No photos, as that would be creepy.
Soon we approached the bridge over Yaquina Bay. I looked for a button to press to turn on the flashing “Cyclists on Bridge” lights, but instead found three un-opened 16oz. cans of PBR! Road booty!
The remaining miles to Yachats were pretty flat. With the tailwind assist, we made good time.

Janet: Leisure morning for me again as I searched for motels for the next few days. Since I had to check out at 11am, finished the search in the car out in the parking lot where I could still get internet service. With that task done, headed out. First stop, Rocky Creek Viewpoint. Great views but very cold and windy. I walked around on the short trail and watched the waves crash on the rocks. Kevin texted me to be sure and take the Otter Crest Loop. Along the loop, stopped at Cape Foulweather which was appropriately named I thought since it was cold and windy and this is September. Continuing on the loop, next stop Devil's Punchbowl, a collapsed sea cave. I took the trail to the beach to watch the surfers even saw a SUP out there.

Met up with Jo and Kevin at the motel, Deane's Oceanfront Lodge. The motel recommended Heidi's Italian Specialties for dinner. Cute little place with really good food.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 4 Cape Lookout to Lincoln City

2011-09-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Today’s ride started with a bang! Right away from the campground, the route began a three mile climb with gradients mostly 10 to 14%, occasionally more than that. The cool foggy weather was nice in that it was easy to keep from overheating. Jo kept spinning her ultra low Great Granny gear (26-34) and topped out with a big smile. We met some German dude at the summit, and he was happy the climb was over as well. The long descent was fun and well earned.
At the bottom of the hill, we passed through an area of sand dunes, and chatted with some young guys touring the Pacific Coast. When we passed them, one of them thought the distinctive whine of my Chris King hubs was that of my fender rubbing the tire. I assured him that it was not the case, but the King hubs “roll good, with angry bee sound!” He liked that.
We stopped for coffee at the Sand Lake store and chatted with the owners. They had owned the store for 23 years, and both of them (probably in their early 70’s) had been born there and lived their entire lives in Sand Lake. They commented that they really liked our neon green jackets, and wished all cyclists would wear them, and estimated that 80% of passing cyclists wear dark colors and are hard to see. In 2008 when Alan and I passed through here, they made the same remarks about my jacket then! We met another couple (from Germany) that we had seen back in Fort Stevens. Their English wasn’t too good, and our German even worse, so we didn’t have much of a conversation!
From Sand Lake we rode over Cape Kiwanda (a pretty gentle climb), through the resort village of the same name, and then through Pacific City, where I saw a dog on a roof. He seemed quite content, and was at ease surveying the landscape.
Lunch was at the Hawk Creek Café in Neskowin, where I had a Terminal Gravity IPA and a cheeseburger. Jo had a burger with blue cheese and grilled onions; they were very tasty! The wood fired pizza oven was turning out pizzas that smelled delicious. Alan and I had a pizza here in 2008, and while it was very very tasty, we decided pizza for lunch and bike riding didn’t mix too well. So, next time for pizza! While waiting for lunch we chatted with another touring cyclist. He was part of a group of six that were touring the Oregon Coast. We will probably see them again in the days to come.
After Neskowin, we got off Hwy 101 onto the Slab Creek Road. This alternate route over Cascade Head
is five miles longer than the Hwy 101 route, and gains the same elevation, but is way nicer than the highway. The road surface is kinda rough, but it is a delightful road. The climb up isn’t too bad, and the descent on the other side was way fun.
A short detour due to bridge construction put us back on 101 for the final bit into Lincoln City. Lincoln City is a long spread out town along Hwy 101, maybe seven miles or so. Outlet Malls, motels, and strip malls line the road, putting Yucca Valley to shame in the longest strip mall in the world competition.
After negotiating the traffic, we rolled into our hotel the Siletz Bay Lodge. After 48 miles and 2500’ of climbing, we were happy to see Janet out in front.
After today’s fun ride, Jo said “ I love my Hampsten Strada Bianca bicycle. The expertly crafted(by Independent Fabrication of Boston) steel frame, with S&S Torque couplers is awesome, and along with the custom Tokyo Pearl white paint, it makes my life perfect! I said that I just liked my Hampsten Strada Bianca bicycle. But its titanium frame makes me ride like the wind, and more attractive to the opposite sex!

Janet enjoyed a 5 mile walk at Cape Lookout beach. The walk was mostly in the fog, but lots of interesting debris on the beach - sea foam art, jelly fish, footprints, etc.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 3 Manzanita to Cape Lookout

2011-09-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

Kevin and Jo: We got on the road earlier today, but stopped in less than a mile for breakfast at the Big Wave Cafe. Breakfast was good, although it took forever to get our meal. I guess everything is on "Oregon Coast Time". We met a guy at breakfast that was riding from San Diego with the ultimate goal of Seattle, but ran out of time so he called his wife to drive down from West Seattle to pick him up. He said the headwinds all the way up the coast were brutal. He said he was excited to see his dog...I kinda think he was happier to see his dog more than his wife!

After breakfast we rode through Nehalem, where I saw the Tsunami Bar. I liked the sign, which featured the Tsunami evacuation route sign wave with a guy running from it heading to the bar.

The ride from there to Tillamook was mostly flat, and relatively uneventful. There was road striping going on, so the work crews kept traffic slow and calm, making the ride along Hwy 101 less stressful. One dumb woman in the line of traffic yelled at Jo twice telling her to stay on the right side of the fog line.

In Tillamook we stopped for lunch at the Local Doghouse for a hotdog. The owner, Ray was really friendly and said that he eats one of his hotdogs everyday for breakfast. He said in the last year his cholesterol has dropped from 250 to 140!

After Tillamook we headed to Cape Lookout via the Netarts Highway, as a slide had closed the route around Cape Meares. We had hoped to ride that route because in 2008 Alan and I didn't ride it because it was too foggy.

The one moderate climb on the Netarts Highway went by easily, and we met a couple from Portland out for a 2 day bike tour. We rode with Fred and Cheryl to the campground, where we got our cabin and they went to the biker/hiker campsites.

Janet: After Kevin and Jo left, I walked around to see the sights of Manzanita. I visited Nehalem Bay State Park. There are lots of horse trails around this park. I walked a short bit on a horse trail which eventually would end at the North Jetty but decided it was not the best trail to be on so headed towards the beach. Shoes filled up with sand which ended up in the car as well - Darn sand! Back on the road, I stopped in at the General Store/Emporium in Nehalem to find a whisk broom to clean out the car. I met up with Jo and Kevin in Tillamook for a hot dog. They were really good – hot dogs wrapped in homemade bread with Tillamook cheese. So good that we bought three to go for a late night snack. A couple of things we saw along the way, a Sprinter Van with what I hope to be the color we ordered and a trailer for Herbie and Libby to pull behind their Subaru.

We all met up at the Cape Lookout campground, where Jo had reserved a Rustic Yurt. Jo was lamenting the fact that the Yurt did not have a bathroom in it, so she asked the Ranger if there were any Deluxe Cabins available and it sure would be nice to have a bathroom. He said “What did you say?” and replied I just got off the phone with a cancellation of a cabin. At that point, a big smile came across Jo’s face and she said "I’ll take it". The people standing in line behind her were very sad because they wanted the cabin. Our cabin wasn’t ready so we decided to take a short hike on the North Trail which heads towards the Cape. It turned out the trail was steeper than we thought and gained 550 ft in a short distance. Jo was thinking – I just got done riding my bike for 40 miles, why am I hiking! We ran into the road and decided to take it back to the campground. It was the same road/hill that Jo and Kevin would be riding up the next morning. As we walked down the hill, Jo cleaned the road of debris that might be in her way. She didn’t want anything on the hill in her way that might cause a spill. Once we got back, our cabin was ready so we unloaded the car and then started our search for a place to eat. First stop was the Schooner in Netarts. We sat down looked at the very pricey menu with virtually nothing that Kevin could eat (all shellfish meals), so we left and headed towards Tillamook. Jo spotted Kendra’s Kitchen so we turned in. It had a better menu and the food was quite tasty. Satisfied, we headed back to the cabin. At the cabin, I noticed the bathroom sink was clogged so it was Handyman (aka Kevin) to the rescue. With the sink fixed, he moved onto changing his tire and then it was off to bed for all.

Oregon Coast 2011 Day 2 - Fort Stevens to Manzanita

2011-09-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

Jo and Kevin: A leisurely 10am start put us on the road south towards Seaside. After a while we were on a pretty busy section of Hwy 101, but a light tailwind and almost entirely flat terrain took us quickly to Seaside. We stopped for coffee and tea at a restaurant along the Promenade to get out of cold and fog. Back on our bikes, we stopped at the Lewis & Clark Salt Works. We met a guy there that said he has ridden the RAGBRAI 24 times!

After Seaside, the ride become more hilly. After a moderate climb out of Seaside, a fast downhill took us to Cannon Beach, where we stopped for lunch at Bill's Tavern and Brewhouse. We sat outside on the deck, and watched all the tourist traffic pass by. A weird guy from Texas was sitting at the table next to us and peppered us with questions about bike touring. He also annoyed our server with lame jokes about not being able to pay for his lunch.

Leaving Cannon Beach Hwy 101 makes a couple of significant hill climbs. These climbs are each a few miles long, with gradients average 6%, with occasional steeper parts. Jo was not happy with these long uphills, especially when there was a cliff on the side of the road. She said they were "un-nerving". Another long downhill took us to the Spindrift Inn in Manzanita, our lodging for the night.

Janet: I walked a 7 mile loop from the fort to the campground and then back to the fort. It was a paved trail with no real views of the ocean. Not many people walking on the trail today. The Kestrel Dune trail section had a warning about cougars and it happen to be the section of the trail where I did not see another soul, but luckily I also did not see any cougars. Once back at the Fort, I walked around and in the buildings there. Found another trail “the Jetty Trail” and so headed down it. The trail had great views of the Columbia river and Trestle Bay. Finally, left the Fort at 4pm to head down the road. Along the way, there were some great views of the ocean and the fog bank that was rolling in.

Lodging at Spindrift motel in Manzanita. The motel suggested the Sunset Grill in Wheeler for dinner. Great fish dinners. We sat on the deck and watched the sunset over Nehalem Bay.

Oregon Coast Day 1 - Fall City to Fort Stevens by car

2011-09-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

We started our day with breakfast at the Raging River with the ole’ folk. Thanks Bob and Eddy for taking care of the beagles while we ride down the Oregon Coast. Then, we headed out toward Oregon, well almost. Janet’s phone is dying so off to Issaquah to buy a pay as you go phone for emergencies. Finally, we got out of town by 11am. First stop was the Wet Dog Café in Astoria for a late lunch/early dinner – tasty clam chowder, clams, burger and lasagna along with a brew. Some site seeing in Astoria and then off to Fort Stevens State Park to check into our “Deluxe Cabin”. In the evening, we visited sites around Fort Stevens including the South Jetty, Wildlife Viewing Bunker and the sun setting on the Peter Iredale shipwreck. The beach near the South Jetty looks like a good site for surf kayaking. Then back to our deluxe cabin for the evening.

Whitewater Kayaking with NWOC

2011-09-01T11:53:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, joined the ww class on the Snoqualmie for some fun in the sun.

Seakayaking with NWOC

2011-09-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, joined the FOSK class for paddling near Deception Pass.

Cascade Pass Hike

2011-08-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Julie, Gail, Kevin and I hiked up Cascade Pass. It is around 7 1/2 miles and 1800 ft elev gain and has to be one of the best hikes in Washington. The views are spectacular, even at the trail head. Lots of people on the trail, but nothing like it would have been on the weekend. We saw a marmot and a few chipmunks, mountains, glaciers, indian paintbrush, heather, and more. The hike is great in that it gains the elevation at a steady pace so no really steep sections. At the top, we had to negotiate a couple of snow sections but Kevin kicked in steps for us. It was a wonderful day in the northwest.

Hex Mountain Hike

2011-08-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Julie and I tried a new hike a couple of weekends ago. Hex Mountain which is near Salmon La Sac. The hike was about 6 miles and 1500 ft elev gain. Since this hike was on the east side of the mountains, I was expecting it to be a scorcher. Luckily, we had a nice breeze on most of the way up and at the top the wind was really howling. It was a beautiful hike with a 360 degree view at the top. We could see Mt Rainier, Cle Elum Lake, Ingalls/Stewart range and the range near Snoqualmie Pass. There was rumor that the trail was used by motorcycles and while we did see the tracks we never saw any motorcycles. In fact, the only people we saw on the trail was one other group of four people that we passed on our way down almost at the trail head. So we had the hike all to ourselves which is always great.

NWOC TISK & SURF WKND 2011

2011-07-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Last week was the annual class for Northwest Outdoor Center's Total Immersion Seakayaking class. We spent three days near Fort Flagler paddling the bays and then headed to coast for surf lessons. Great group of students. The annual potluck on Saturday night with alumni and students of course had lots of great food and the desserts were over the top. Here are links to pictures

TISK 2011
https://picasaweb.google.com/KayakingNWOC/TISK2011

Surf Wknd Class 2011
https://picasaweb.google.com/KayakingNWOC/SurfWkendClass2011

Surf Alumni
https://picasaweb.google.com/KayakingNWOC/SurfAlum2011

Barclay Lake Hike

2011-07-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

Today, hiked with girls up to Barclay Lake. It was a beautiful day for this short easy hike of 4 miles with elevation gain of 220ft.

Friday afternoon hiking in the Northwest

2011-07-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

In June, Kevin and I went on a short hike close to our home. Twin Falls is a place to stay away from during the weekends as it is very popular, but during the week, it is a great short hike - 4 miles round trip.

Rolling with NWOC

2011-07-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

NWOC June 2011 Whitewater Class learning to roll in the pool

Tamara's Birthday Hike to Calabasas Peak

2011-04-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

Tamara and I hiked up near Calabasas Peak in southern California on her birthday. It was a beautiful sunny California day and not too hot for this Northwesterner. We hiked leisurely up the mountain taking zillions of pictures as we climbed. I don't think we actually made it to the top of Calabasas Peak as we missed the side trail that went up there but we still had spectacular views from the top of the mountain we did make it up. Our hike was almost 4 miles with elevation gain of almost 900 feet (at least according to google maps). So nothing too strenuous just a great day to enjoy the sunny weather. Did I mention it was sunny? You can tell that I was loving it coming from the rainy northwest.

Google map of our hike

Vegas with old friends

2011-02-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

Spent a week in Vegas with my parents and old friends. Denny & Carol Dixon, Butch Knapp & Sam Dority, Gene & Carol Kautz and myself.
Had a great time. Due to snow in Seattle ended up extended the trip so now enjoying Dinuba.

Great time on the Total Immersion Whitewater Week

2010-07-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Spent a great week kayaking the Wenatchee and Methow rivers.

Seakayaking with NWOC

2010-07-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Just got back from my annual trip with NWOC seakayaking in the Sound and Surf. Great group! We had sun in Pt Townsend but fogged in at the surf. Typical for Washington, but the boating made up for it.

Kevin takes a ride

2010-06-17T07:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Kevin left for 2 day self support bicycle trip. His first stop was Whidbey Island where he camped at Fort Ebey. Dinner was hamburger and beer in Coupeville. Today, he will catch a ferry to Port Townsend.

Yakima Bike Ride 2010

2010-06-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Herbie, Libby, Ria, Jo, Kevin and I rode the Yakima Crime Stoppers Fundraising ride. It's an annual event through the Yakima canyon along the river where we always hope for sun and no thunderstorms. This year, did not disappoint and luckily the rain didn't start until we had finished the ride and we're safely in our car. It was Ria's first long ride - 37 miles! Way to Go, Ria!

Kevin rides to Snoqualmie Pass & Back

2010-06-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

Kevin was lucky enough to ride with Kent for the first 50 miles of this wild adventure. Last Thursday we rolled out of Issaquah; Kent rode to Banff, AB to the start of the race.
http://www.issaquahpress.com/2010/06/08/the-long-and-winding-road/

Ria learns to ride a Bike

2010-04-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

Kevin rides the Chilly Hilly 2010

2010-03-01T17:53:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Kevin and his friends Steve and John rode the Chilly Hilly on Bainbridge Island.

Kevin turns 50 (Dec 1)

2009-12-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

Yummy, Coconut Shrimp Salad

2009-12-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

Jo and I love the Coconut Shrimp Thai Peanut Salad at Canyon's so the other day I thought hey we should try making it at home and here is the result. It was YUMMY! Too bad Kevin can't eat shrimp. He had to settle for pizza.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T12:28:00.000-08:00

So what has Team Beagle been up to lately?

2009-11-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

Well, no traveling just home improvement projects. Kevin installed hardwood flooring (the real stuff) in our dining room. Jo assisted by making sure the pattern was random.

Look how nicely Kevin weaved into the existing flooring. Just need to sand and varnish to finish.

And some painting

SAG wagon's trip around the Olympic Peninsula

2009-09-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Last week, Kevin and Steve rode their bikes around the Olympic Peninsula. While I performed the important task of sagging for them. Here are my pixs

Bob follows Jo home

2009-08-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

Bob the beagle here: I saw Jo board a plane so I ran as fast as I could but the door closed before I could jump in. As the plane taxied down the runway, I managed to jump onto the wing. Clinging for my life, I watched Jo for 4 hours eat popcorn and watch movies. Will she ever look out the window and see me?

Bob follows Jo to Barcelona, Spain

2009-08-14T15:01:00.001-07:00

Bob the Beagle here: Jo jumped on a boat in Corfu and cruised for 2 days to Barcelona, Spain where these pixs were taken of her climbing some building, checking out lizards, bullfighting a chicken??, and cooling off from the heat. Can't she see that I'm right behind her?

Jo shopping in Corfu, Greece

2009-08-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Bob the Beagle here: Doesn't Jo care about me anymore? I followed her scent trail through the streets of Corfu, Greece for hours but I could never catch her. It is rumored that she was buying gifts for Kevin, Janet and us beagles. I spotted her at an overlook on the edge of town but by the time I got there she was gone.

Bob follows Jo to Dubrovnik, Croatia

2009-08-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

Bob the Beagle reporting: Jo and the gondolier escaped to Dubrovnik, Croatia. She was last seen with camera in hand wandering on the city walls and on the beach.

Bob swims around Italy

2009-08-09T13:58:00.001-07:00

Bob the Beagle reporting: What a swim from Naples to Venice! I'm exhausted but I must continue my search for Jo. I've found her scent in St Mark's Square amongst all the pigeon poop,

then tracked her through Dulace Palace

and now it looks like I will have to swim again as she has been seen relaxing on a gondola chatting it up with the gondolier.

Bob's still searching for Jo

2009-08-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

Bob the Beagle reporting: Just missed catching Jo in Pompei. Rumor has it that she is back on the ship cruising towards Venice. I don't want to do it, but it looks like I'm going to have to swim to catch her.

Where's Jo?

2009-08-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

Bob the Beagle has been frantically searching for Jo. Jo was spotted in Italy climbing the Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum. She narrowly escaped capture by the Polizia di Stato, but had been seen again eating a pizza in Naples.

Bob the Beagle left the next day for Italy in pursuit of Jo. Using his highly accurate nose, he tracked down Jo and the pizza.

However while he was sampling the pizza, she managed to slip away and may now be hiding in
the ruins of Pompei.

Northwest Outdoor Center's TIWW 2009

2009-07-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

Last week, we had a great time in Leavenworth, WA on the Wenatchee River. Good company, great food and kayak instruction. What more could you ask for?

Kevin's Whining

2009-07-29T16:36:00.001-07:00

Lobster Dinner

2009-07-28T09:10:00.001-07:00

Kevin with his local bar connections (at the Raging River) brought home 4 lobster for $10 each. What a deal! So we invited John and Andree to join Jo and I in a lobster feast. Meanwhile, Kevin got frozen pizza (he's allergic to shellfish). Too bad for him because it was really good.

My new roof

2009-07-25T10:34:00.001-07:00

BEFORE

AFTER

Kayaking with NWOC

2009-07-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last week, I helped out with NWOC's Total Immersion Seakayaking and Surf class. We spent a couple of days at Fort Flagler paddling around the bay and then headed off for Hobuck Beach near Neah Bay for four days of surfing. Friday turned out to be a beautifully sunny day, but as usually for the beach, on the other days we had fog and a little rain. But it was still great to be out and about and the Get Away Van made it for another year.

Check out photos of NWOC TISK 2009

Meanwhile, Kevin and Herbie were teaching NWOC's whitewater kayaking class on the Snoqualmie River. Herbie and Kevin were treated to a hot lunch on the river courtesy of Jo and Subway.

Check out photos of NWOC Whitewater Fever July 2009 class

Day at the Races with the Carmodys

2009-07-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

My cousin Tami came to visit over the 4th of July weekend. We spent a day at the race track (Emerald Downs) with her husband's family.

Kevin and Jo ride the Livestrong Challenge

2009-06-22T17:35:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Kevin and Jo headed off at 5am to Seattle to ride in the Livestrong Challenge. Kevin completed the 100 mile ride and Jo completed the 45 mile ride.

Kevin rides the Chilly Hilly

2009-02-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful day not really that chilly but still very hilly.

Skiing at Royal Gorge

2009-02-02T18:37:00.000-08:00

Scott Goes Bowling

2009-01-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

Scott Goes Skiing

2009-01-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

Maui Sep 2008

2008-12-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

Finally able to post pixs from Maui. Enjoy!

Visit with Family and Friends (Aug-Sep 2008)

2008-11-13T07:53:00.000-08:00

SAG Day 15 Carlsbad to El Cajon

2008-08-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 14 Torrance/Huntington Beach to Carlsbad

2008-08-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 13 Malibu to Torrance & Huntington Beach

2008-08-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 12 Ventura to Malibu

2008-08-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 11 Lompoc to Ventura

2008-08-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 10 Morro Bay to Lompoc

2008-08-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 9 Big Sur to Morro Bay, CA

2008-08-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 8 Big Sur, CA

2008-08-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 7 Mill Valley to Big Sur, CA

2008-08-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 6 - Bodega Bay to Mill Valley, CA

2008-08-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 5 Mendocino, CA to Bodega Bay, CA

2008-08-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 4 - Leggett, CA to Mendocino, CA

2008-08-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

SAG Day 3 - Harris Beach, OR to Leggett, CA

2008-08-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

SAG Adventures Day 2

2008-08-15T00:25:00.001-07:00

Reedsport to Harris Beach

Where are they

2008-08-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

We finally found free wifi in Tomales Cafe. Just a quick stop to say HI and that we are still out here. We caught up to the boys in Leggett and have spent the last three days with them camping and carrying their gear. I thought this was suppose to be a self support trip for them but the lure of the SAG van was overwelming. And once the SAG van joined them, the SAGettes have been making them camp for the first time and use all the gear that they brought. After all, we've got to save money because we've got to buy gas which actually has not been too bad ($4.00 -4.50 we thought it would be $5+). We will post pictures when we can. Together Jo and I have probably close to 2000 pixs so we have a lot of editting to do. We've got pixs of the boys riding along on the coast as well. On our way to Mill Valley today with a stop at Pt Reyes along the way.

Day 1 of the SAG Team

2008-08-09T21:07:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of the SAG Teams adventures:
We left home around 7am only an hour later then we wanted to. Picked up Herbie the beagle on our way to the Hiltz's. There we watched all the beagles get acquainted. Oh what fun, the Hiltz's now have 13 (bob's lucky number) beagles. Jo saw a sign for Birkenstocks on sale so course we had to stop. We spent an hour and half there shopping. Ate lunch in the parking lot and finally made it to Oregon. From Eugene, we cut across to the coast. Finally making it to Reedsport. Picked up what the boys left at the Anchor Bay Inn and then went across the street to our motel. Dinner was at the Bedrock based on the boys recommendations. We will try to post to the web when we can but we will be camping so not sure what kind of WIFIs we can find.