LEG TWO RECAP

WELL, BOYS AND GIRLS, LEG 2 IS DONE. FROM THE CANUCKIAN BORDER TO SAN FRANCISCO. THEN THE BIG LEFT TURN.

LEFT CANUCKLAND AND GOT SEARCHED AT THE BORDER. HOMELAND SECURITY SEIZED 3 GREEN APPLES, BUT LET US KEEP THE RED ONES. WENT TO OCEAN SHORES, JUST SOUTH OF SEATTLE. GREAT BEACH, BLUSTERY WEATHER. JUST WHAT WE EXPECTED. IT WAS FANTASTIC AND STAYED A FEW DAYS.

THEN SOUTH TO MOUNT ST. HELEN. THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT. A TRIP HIGHLIGHT.

MOVED ON TO OREGON. QUITE SPECTACULAR COASTLINE, EVEN BETTER THAN ANY PICTURES WE HAD EVER SEEN. OUR ITINERARY WAS HELPED BY A FEW ONLINE FRIENDS FROM RV.NET. WHAT A GODSEND TO GET HELP FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. GOLD BEACH IS SECOND TO NONE. PERIOD.

HIT SOME MAJOR RAIN IN KLAMATH RIVER, CA. BUT WE WERE IN A GREAT SETTING AND ENJOYED THE R&R. WENT SALMON FISHING. HAD BETTER LUCK AT SAFEWAY. BUT I DID GET TO GO FISHING.

MOVED DOWN THROUGH THE REDWOODS. MAJESTIC. I MANAGED TO AD TO MY ROCK COLLECTION BY GETTING A PIECE OF WOOD FROM A 3200 YEAR OLD TREE. SAW SOME CHEESY ATTRACTIONS. THEY LOOKED BETTER ON DISNEY 40 YEARS AGO. BUT IT WAS STILL NICE.

THE TRIP ALONG THE COAST IS FABULOUS. DANGEROUS AT TIMES, BUT STILL MEMORABLE.

PETALUMA IS GREAT. ALL OF THE OLD TOWN HAS BEEN REFURBISHED TO THE WAY IT WAS 150 YEARS AGO, AND THE PLACE IS CHOCK FULL OF ARTISTS AND ANTIQUE DEALERS AND FOOS BOUTIQUES. A GREAT WAY TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON, STROLLING AND SAMPLING.

FRISCO IS LIKE ANY OTHER CITY. A FEW UNIQUE SPOTS, LIKE LOMBARD STREET, PAINTED LADIES AND THE PRESIDIO. FISHERMAN'S WHARF, 39TH PIER ARE TOURIST TRAPS. IF YOU ARE IN URGENT NEED OF KNOCKOFFS ( SORRY, REPLICA), THIS IS IT. IT IS BASICALLY LIKE MONTREAL, AND JUST AS DIRTY.

THE BRIDGE IS GREAT. PEOPLE RENT BYKES TO CROSS IT BY THE HUNDREDS. SPOKE TO A COUPLE FROM MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. THEY WERE DREADING THE RETURN TRIP AND ELECTED TO TAKE THE FERRY BACK.

ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A GREAT SOUTHERN TREK.

NEXT TIME, WE WILL COME IN FROM THE SOUTH AND WORK OUR WAY UP.

SEE YOU ON THE NEXT LEG........