2023-08-01 Tuesday

Another morning with (an even better) view of the Tetons in another free campsite!

We got rolling a little late, and then stopped for lunch in Jackson – really didn’t get on the road till noon. 

We had planned to go to the Cascades and float Diablo Lake, but Aly found out she may be able to get a room with a connected bath if she gets to school a day early – since the cascades are nearly a day out of the way, we’re going to skip that, and head to the coast instead. It was a driving day after lunch. We stopped and saw Twin Falls (“the Niagara of the West”) at Twin Falls, Idaho, and had a salad for Dinner. 

We slept just a mile or so off the expressway on the Snake River at a boat landing with free camping – had to run the generator all night long for air conditioning. This is the second time this year (and EVER) we’ve done this. 2023 marks the hottest year in recorded history – I heard scientists believe it is the hottest for 150,000 years… The end is near.

We came in past dark, and The girls are sleeping, so I’m going to walk down by the river…

AUGUST 2nd, Wednesday 

Jennifer made breakfast again: Egg sandwiches with avocado, fresh tomato, and bacon. We walked around our little boondocking spot here at the Frank C Jones King Hill area on the Snake River. Nice quiet sleepover spot (boat launch), I’d stop again.

We Drove to the coast – and checked out Cape Lookout State park. Walked the beach – Nice, but the campground is full. I dumped the tanks and found a place to camp for the night, and the girls walked on the beach.

We also drove up to the Cape Meares lighthouse, took some pictures, and walked their trails. worthy stop.

Then we headed to a boondocking spot, which was just south of camp lookout state park… 🙄.  Arrived late – no one in the free campground.

AUGUST 3Rd, Thursday

Waking up at the Derrick Road dispersed camping area in Oregon. It is apparently a recreation area for side-by-sides and 4-wheelers, but we have the campground to ourselves (a couple of pickup truck campers pulled in late in the evening).

I thought I’d take a walk down to the ocean, but after climbing the first mountain-sized dune, all I could see was another… 

Today is our last day with Aly. We need to make our way up the coast to Cape Disappointment; we actually made a “reservation” there yesterday – something we don’t do too often. The temps are nice on the coast – in the 60’s this morning, and we slept with blankets and all the windows open last night.

Went to the Tillamook Creamery, saw how they made cheese, and enjoyed some ice cream and cheese curds. All the food there looked good – a very nice place to stop if you’re near Tillamuck.

Then we started up the coast and stopped at a couple of beaches along the way.

Made it to Cape Disappointment State Park about 4:00 – set up camp and made leftovers for dinner. The site is just ½ a block from the ocean, but we’re in the woods. We hiked out to the lighthouse and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center (which was closed). Then we went and listened to a Ranger program about some of the history from the area.

Dead Mans Cove

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

Took showers in the campground shower house and I slept in the puzzle bed up front so Aly and her Mom could sleep together for the last time for a few months. It would be a more comfortable bed with a topper – it’s a little lumpy.

There were some tearful goodbyes when we dropped Aly off at her new Apartment – the first time she would be living away from home.